The Norfolk Virginian. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 186?-189?, 1898-01-05
TIE CITY COUNCIL
Many Important Matters Considered at the
Regular Monthly Meeting.
POLICE COMMISSIONERS ELECTED
Legislature Asked TO Authorizes ssoo..
900 Redemption Bonds-Ci,y FL.
nancrs Sufficient ON an EconomiS
cal Hasis- committee ON Public
building Reports.
POLICE COMMISSIONERS ELECTED

King. president; d. w. Ballentine, vice
president: w. Jones Williams. ]. ID.
Reed, A. Ii. Butt, Samuel Il. Montague,
L.,C. Crimson. W. Il. Backus, Jr., c. L..
outten. c. S. Minter. c. w. Waller,
r. E. Glover, r. D. Guy, Z. L. Lash,
II. b. Wilkins, w. a. Moore, John l..
Nelson.
The minutes of the last meeting were
read and approved.
All properly approved bills were al
lowed.
Present: w. r. Bennett, G. w. Rey-
nolds.
The Finance Committee recommend
ed that the City Attorney be instruct
cd TO prepare bill to be presented
to the Legislature. asking that the
Council be allowed TO issue 100000
worth of redemption bonds to redeem
certain bonds that fall due. Adopted.
The Cemetery Committee reported
having sold certain lots in the Gene
terry.
On motion. the report was adopted.
and the proper official was instructed to
sign the same.
The joint committee on finance and
special committee on reduction of ex-
penses reported that they are OF the
opinion that II the various depart
ments will be economical and ask for
no special appropriation, that the funds
for the year will hold out.
They also ask that the Auditor be
required to comply strictly with the
law governing the duties of the Audi
tor. and that the delinquent tax list
for 1895 and 1896 be referred to the FL
nance Committee, so that they may eX-
anime the same and see If there are
taxes that can be collected.
They further recommend that the
Police Commissioners be requested that
instead of placing n substitute officer
on duty when an officer fails to report
for duty. either by sickness or other
wise, that the special man be put on
duty In his place so that that much
can be saved to help make up the de-
ficichcy in the police appropriation.
a motion was made to adopt the re-
port. II was seconded and adopted.
Reports of officers for December that
were not read In December. were read,
and were referred to the proper COM
mites.
A communication from tn City Attor-
ney, stating that 1t was impossible to
have the bill to be presented to the
Legislature ready before next Tuesday
night on account of sickness, was read
and. on motion, the communication
was ordered to be filed.
NEW BUSINESS.
ne SOIliIIlllkCe oh I-uDllC Properly
asked permission to spend si5 for blan-
l.ets and mattresses for the city Jail
Adopted.
The Street Committee asked that tho
appropriation of $1,000 for shells be
made available at once. Adopted.
communication was read from Mrs.
Lester In regard to Race avenue, and
asked that it be improved. On mo-
ton. the request was referred to the
Street Committee
The clerk read the report Of the com.
mittce appointed to visit Washington
in reference to a public building, and
stated that they had been notified of
the same.
The attention OF the Council was call
cd 10 Third street. between jefferson
ana Lincoln streets. and asked that II
be improved On motion, 1t was refer
red to the Street Committee.
Application to have water mains on
Griffin streets, between DinwiddIe and
washington streets, was referred to
the Water Committee.
MI wilkins stated that the chief en-
gineer Of the fire department. had call
ed on the superintendent of the South
ern States Telephone company asking
what he would take care of the FIRE
alarm system for, and that he said
that he would. If the city forced il on
MN, take the five miles for $50, hui
the other three miles he would have
10 charge extra. He would not take n
for $500. and did not want it for any
price. He would therefore move that
the contract be awarded 20 Mr.. Smith
for $500 n year.
Mr. AIinter moved as an amendment
mat the matter be referred back to
the committee to bring In written re.
port. II was seconded by Mr. Reed
MI. Reed withdrew his second to Mr.
Minters amendment and offered as an
amendment that Mr.. Smith be given
$40 year for keeping the alarm In
order. No second
Mr.. Balentinc seconded Mr.. Minter,s
motion to refer the matter. A vote be-
Ing taken 1t was lost
y vote was taken on Mr.. wilkins
motion to award the contract TO Mr.
Smith, which was adopted.
Mr.. Butt moved that the City At
torney be Instructed to apply to the
court for $1,000 back taxes due the CITY
by the Portsmouth Lumber COMPANY
the funds being in the hands of the
court and the company desiring to nav
the same Adopted.
The clerk read the resignation of Mr.
y. Il. Butt ar chairman Of the Finance
Committee. In which he stated that il
would be impossible for him to attend
TO the same. BY request the resigna-
tion was withheld until next Tuesday
night.
A motion was made that the Coun-
Gil take ten minutes recess to select
members Of the Board Of Police Com
miSSioners.
At the expiration OF that time the
Council WAS called to order and
motion was made that they so into the
election of commissioners.
Mr.. Glover moved that the election
be by ballot, whether there be one can
diaate or more.
This caused considerable discussion
by Messrs. Reed. Mlinter and others.
Mr.. Reed then moved that no name