The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1900-09-11
MAT
WAS REFERRED. R
Common Council Sent 1t
Sc Finance Committee.
RULES IN THE WAY.
Only Nineteen Members Present and
They Could Not be Suspended.
SPECIAL COMMITTEE ASKED FOR.
Mr.. Mills Offered 4 Resolution Pro-
yiding for One and Appropriate
in. $500 TO Defray EH
pcnses OF Taking
Names by
SPECIAL COMMITTEE ASKED FOR.

Because only nineteen members at
tended the called meeting of the Common
Council, held last night, to consider the
matter of having police census taken of
Richm cEd. a resolution providing for such
an enumeration went to the Finance Com
mittee ard may not be acted upon until
the. question of the population OF Rich
mond gives place to something more en-
crossing.
The stumbling block last night was
found ir the rules of the Council, under
which the resolution, it appropriated
funds, had to so to the Committee on
Finance before it would be acted on by the
Council. A motion to suspend the rules
failed of passage for the reason that it
requires twenty affirmative votes, or two
thirds of the members of the body to
effect Suspension. There were but nine
teen present< and three of these voted
against the proposed suspension.
DOCUMENTS READ.
1t was 7:45 o'clock when the Council was
called to order by President Ebei. Those
who answered to their names were Messrs.
Adams. BloombersA Camp. Curtis, Gunst.
CARRIER, Gibson, GRnn Mccarthy. Mills.
Peters, Pollock. Stern. Teefey. Waller
stein. West. Woody and the President.
Clerk August read the call for the meeting
and the petition of the Chamber of Com
merce setting forth reasons why police
census should be taken in this city at
once. The toxt of this petition was
published in The Times several days ago
and is familiar to its readers.
The clerk also read the proposition of
Superintendent of Census Mclaughlin to
make the test by having a police census
taken in the districts in order to show
,of
ators did their work thoroughly and COM
plete1y.
Mr.. Mills was the first speaker, and said
he feltit was the duty of the Council
to take some scognizance of the request
of the Chamber OF Commerce. He Of
fered a resolution providing for the ap-
pointment OF a special committee. COM
nosed of four members OF the Common
Council and three of the Board of Alder
men to co-operate with the Board OF
Police Commissioners in the matter Of
having census taken by the nolice of
the citv: and appronriating $500. or~so
much thereof as might be necessary to
defrav the expenses incurred in connec-
ton witf~th police census
WHY THE COST?
Mr.. West wanted to know why the city
should appropriate $500 for this work, if it
was to be done by members of the city
police force.
To this Mr.. Mills replied that funds
would be needed to pay for printing blank
forms ard having the work taoulated by
experts. He did not think the sum OF
$500 would be needed for this, but the
uneXpen0ed amout, he ADDED, would re-
vert to the city treasurer.
The proposition to have police census
taken was opposed by Mr. Bloombers,
who argued that the proposed police CEN
sus would be a useless expenditure OF
money and would accomplish nothing, as
the Government figures would go forth
to the world as official and they would De
SO regarded everywhere. Mr.. btoomhers
added that, as he understood the question.
it mattered not if a police census should
show that the Government enumerators
failed to get as many as o.0D names. as
the Government would not change Its
figures.
HELP DEATH RATE.
.I think. Mr. President" SAID Mr. NILS
IN reply TO Mr.. B!oomberg, "if we have
no other reason for the taking of this
uo,ice census, we should take IT IN order
to reduce our alleged mortuary rate. Inc
nolice have practically volunteered TO do
this work without extra pay, and am
of the belief that such a census wouid
Sbnw that the Government did not do its
work thoroughly I believe there are
MANY citizens whose names We're not
listed by the United States enumerators.
Mr.. Pollock said he felt very much in
the matter as Mr.. Bloomberg did lie
feared it was too late to do any good now.
and would vote against the resolution
offered by Mr. Mills.
Under the rules the resolution would go
10 the Finance Committee. but Mr.. Pollock
moved that the rules be suspended IN or
der that the matter might be finally dis
,,oca1 of Tha nronOSftiOu was defeate
by a vote of 16 10 g. The resolution,
therefore, went to the Committee on
Finance. and the Council adjourned. Those
voting against suspension were Messrs-
Adams CARRIER and Mccarthy.
SHALL WE. HAVE "CURFEW.
Mr. S. L. Rloonberg. chairman of the
Council Committee on Ordinances, an
.nouf.css that he will call a meeting of that
body to be held some evening next week to
consider the "curfeW ordinance, intro
d,1ced by Councilman Harry Glenn. Mr..
Glenn viii be present and will probably
have on hand a number of police officers
and others who are familiar with the
merits of such measure.
81 have written to several ether cities
for information and statistics concerning
their street-c'eaning department. said
Mr.. Phil Shea, chairman of the sub-com-
nittee of the Committee on Health, ap-
pointed to investigate the street-cleanine
system in vogue here with view of i'm
proving it if possible. When we get
that information in hand will call an
other meeting of the subcommittee and
see what we can do. II. however, we do
not get in this information i'm the next ten
days we shall go ahead the best we can
without it.
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