Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1898-06-26
MAY Issue THE BONDS.
ommon Council VIII Reconsider II.
tion on the Bridge Question

anon council VIII Reconsider ia =,
non on the Bridge Question.
a. an adjourned meeting Of the c,,,
mon Council. which will be held Tnaa
oas nignt' 1t is probable that the conn-
thor ~. teSohsider the ordinance au
emollAIns the Issuance of bonds To the
a sl OF $4,000 for the purpose Of de-
| iidyihs the city's portion of The a.,
penss OF building viaducts at the Twan-
ings. 81 street cross
Ihis measure failed of passage a. IA
regular meeting on account Of rba l. .ne
VI the requisite number of votes ths
vote standing 9 to in favor Of 80
ADOPTION L of the ordinance.
,,,d. ne members now realize that they
were too hasty eneS
,,, anere is also a probability that
vision will be made We!
the ssf saJooo Is s25. 5a66 !o as The act
of the General Assembly authorizing
the issuance of bonds stipulates that
such money shall be expended in build
ing three crossings and the council
has no right to amend it.
Mr.. w. +. Payne, president of the
Newport News Gas Company, and one
of the principal promoters of the New
port News and Old Point Railway and
Electric Company. was in the city yes
| terday. and made the following state
ment to reporter for the Daily Press
regarding the ordinance passed by the
council requiring the company to pay
an annual rental:
THE ordinance passed by the council
at it's last meeting in regard to our use
| Of the bridges is very remarkable and
| one which we cannot accept
Its terms are prohihtise. The coun-
ell seems to forget that the railway
contributing its part of taxes on Its
property as any other citizen. In adj
| dition to this the council imposes a
licence tax of $25 per year on each car
we operate and they seem to forget
that as the city grows it's revenue in,
creases by the operation of additional
cars Under the ordinance passed tbs
burden imposed on the company Wou'e
be enormous after five years. With this
regular city taxes. the special license
g tax on twenty cars. and the bridge ia,
the total would be about $500 per an
mum.
1.-THE offer of Mr. Darling to contrib
ute $4,000 to the Twenty-eighth stree
crossing was extremely liberal and
l fear is not fully apprecited by some Q
, the. council.
e impose class legislation on any indus
a try to carry on its internal improve
: ments for the benefit Of the public.
: have a letter from the mayor of Bal
). timore in which ne says that city ha
{. never required any contrloutioh ltoi
n the street car companies In the cor
q struction of the many bridges the
= have, or required any special take
>. for crossing them. Toll bridges al
6 getting to be things of the past. an
20 such thing Is out OF the question !
= progressive city.
~ There is a very expensive bridt
20 crossing James river in Richmond. b
~ no special tax is required from tt
% street car companies for crossing
~ nor do know of g. case on reco
where they are especially taxed t
70 that purpose. !,
st 1.-The council has over-valued tt
il bridge feature. We hope that the cou
Gil will reconsider its action at
, next meeting. If not we will he COZ
=. PEELED to take the matter before t
GN pou council"