Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1899-02-09
NO TAX ON BICYCLES.
CITY ATTORNEY THINKS 1T ILLE-
GAL AND IT'S REJECTION ADVISED.
IS TO ACETYLENE GAS.
No Snap Judgments VIII BE TAKEN
investigation to he Made-A Large
Euterprixe-Dor md Goat Tnx-
Death kncII OF the yaRabond Cur'

| Eptrrprise-DOg md Goat 1"h-
| Dcath-KncII OF the VaRabond C"r'
The ordinance introduced at the last
meeting Of the Common Council proVinihs
for bicycle tax was considered by the
| Committee on Ordinances last night.
which body decided TO recommend lis re-
lection.
This action was taken on the strength
| of the opinion OF the City Attorney as
TO the legality Of such tax, when was
as follows:
Mr. S. L. Bloomberg. Chairman of Com
mitteo on Ordinances:
Dear Sir.-Replying to the request OF
the clerk of your committee. Mr. Nc
Dowell. TO inform you as 10 w-iether the
city has the power, under its charter or
under the general law governing cities
and towns, to tax bicycles or keepers OF
bicycles used on the streets OF the city
by it's citizens, ] beg 10 say as folloWs;
There can be no doubt that bicycle
is "a carriage" as defined in the dc
tionaries. The question. therefore, to be
determined by a construction of section
1912 of the Code of ias7, which allows any
city to require q license 'for the privi-
lege Of keeping in the city or town Tor
hire any wheeled carriage" or OIL sec
lions and " OF the charter OF this CITY,
which allows the city to grant or refuse
a license "to owners or keepers OF
wagons, drays, carts, hacks. or other
wheeled carriages, kept or employed In
the city for hire" | am unable to nnd
and / am satisfied there cannot be round
any legislative authority allowing the
n Of
BICYCLES, or other carriages, not kept for
hire"
| am, therefore, of opinion that the
city has no authority 10 require a license
for the keeping or riding of bicycle,
unless such bicycle is kept "for hire" in
which case / am of opinion that ii may
prescribe a license TO be required OF the
persons keeping "for hire" bicycles in
the city.
Very respectfully,
II. II. POLLARD,
City Attorney.
4 resolution, which came from the
same source, designed to make an appro-
prlation for a bicycle-track, was returned
with the endorsement that it did not
come within the purview of the commit
tee.
AS TO ACETYLENE GAS.
An ordinance drawn upon data furnish
ed by the Fire Commissioners, designed
to regulate the transportation, storage
sale, and use of calcium carbide in the
city Of Richmond. and for the installa.
ton of acetylene-gas generators, was
considered at some length and referred
to the FIRE Commissioners. The repre-
sentatives of the company established
here We're present and opposed the adop-
ton Of the measure. Mr.. Charles L. Will
liams, their spokesman, outlined the in
tentions of the company in regard to the
erection of an extensive plant here for
the manufacture Of the calcium carbide
and the generators. and enumerated con-
tracts made. the list including the West
moreland Club. He attributed the oppo-
siton that the company had met TO
the fact that the calcium carbide was
dangerous explosive. to the designs Of UNI
scrupulous competitors who had exerted
influence with insurance companies and
fire commissioners He contended that
the material was not as dangerous as
kerosene oil, while the effect of It's Use
would bear favorable comparison with
electricity.
President Frischkorn, Of the Fire Board
stated that the commissioners had for
warded statements received from the Ma
tional Board Of Underwriters, in accord
ance with an invaIiable custom. He was
not prepared, he said, 10 say that the
material was dangerous, but he expected
to be in possession of information within
thirty days that would throw much light
on the matter. Mr.. Williams said the
company courted an investigation, and
asked that il be made as thorough and
far-reaching as possible. practical IL
lustration Of the use Of the calcium was
given, and the committee decided to refer
| ha nd n no RnHF1 a COM
mssioners for investigation and report.
TO GATHER IN TRAMP DOGS.
The ordinance relating 10 the licensing
Of dogs and goats and the provision OF a
dog pound was favorably reported by the
subcommittee with some amendments
and adopted. This measure has been re-
iected twice by the Finance Committee
because it carries with it an appropria-
ton. 1t fixes the license-taN on dogs and
| goats at 81, and imposes fine for nom
compliance of not less than s. nor more
than S. 1t provides for the establish
ment of a pound and the collection of all
stray dogs and goats, which however,
may be redeemed within forty-eight hours
on payment of a fine of p cents. 1t also
imposes a fine or not less than s. nor
more than SIS for the removal Of the
licensc-tax from any animal by any per
son other than the owner and another
| fine or not less than 81 nor more than $25
with the alternative of five days i'm
prisOnment for interfering with any Off
Ger or pound master while in the per-
| Torrance OF his duty.
! An ordinance providing that ali tole-
phone, telegraph, messenger and clock
systems and other similar systems where
the overhead and underground conduc-
tors enter a building must be, at the
option Of the superintendent of Fire
| Alarms and Police Telegraph, provided
with safety cut-Outs or station protectors
! approved by the said superintendent, was
referred TO Messrs. Pollock and Winston
| constituting a subcommittee.
THE PLAN OF CODIFICATION.
The committee approved and recon-
| mended the acceptance Of the bond OF
| the City Accountant Ii was further de-
cided that ordinances of public and
general nature should be bound in sepa-
rate volumes after codtlcation by Mr.
Mccarthy for the information of the gen.