Virginian-pilot. (Norfolk, Va.) 1898-1911, 1900-09-05
TIE CITY COUNCIL
The City Fathers Held Long. But
Uneventful, Session.

Uneventful, Session.
The city fathers held Il long but I'M
important and decidedly unevcntful.
session last night. Those present were
President j. J. King, Vice President
ID. w. Ballentine, and Messrs. Browne.
Palmer Overton, Jackson, Walker,
Deans, Langhorne. Grice. Crump,
Bronson and Murden.
The Finance Committee recommends
ed the city advertise for sale $4,000 of
thir,y-year city redemption bonds
bearing per cent. interest The re-
commentator was adopted.
Inc Ordinance Committee submitted
an ordnance regulating the price OF
opening graves in the city cemeteries;
an ordinance allowing stationary
showcases on the wider streets, under
certain restrictions; an ordinance 10
regulate the moving OF houses through
the streets. recurring house movers to
give bond for the protection of adj
Jacent property owners, and contract
orS failing to obtain permission from
the City Council to remove houses be
subjected To fine of $50 All were
adopted.
The Street COMMITTEES recommended
that the Portsmouth Electric and Gas
company be allowed to place three
poles in North street: that it was in.
advisable to charge the cutting of
weeds by the Board of Health to the
account of the Street Committee; that
the north side of County street be gut
tered and curbed east of Crawford
street ut cost of $500. The commit
tee reported adversely on the appli-
cation of Porter & Page for an in
crease Of charges for street carts
These recommendations were adopted
On motion of Mr.. Walker the Street
Committee was directed to prepare es-
Inmates for the repair of street bridges
in the city.
The Committee on Public Property
reported having awarded the contract
for fitting up offices in the city hall to
MIR. y. Il. Williams, and asked author
ity to eXpcnd SLIGO in the purchase of
furniture. The request was granted.
The Council discussed at length tho
matter of placing free telephones, and
finally decided TO place the phones only
in the public buildings and city Offices
There was objection to placing them in
private places of business. or resi-
denceS, and the only exception allow
cd in this direction was telephone
for the chief of the fire department.
Chief Wfersdorf Is to he allowed to
state whether he wants the phone in
his residence or in his place of bust
ness.
The Almshouse Committee recon-
mended that the Kings Daughters
Hospital be allowed gratis prescriptions
TO the amount of $40 month. The
report was adopted.
The committee was given authority
to advertise for proposals for supplying
the almshouse with provisions.
The Sewerage Committee reported
| that 1t had no recommendation to
make on the request of the Board of
| Health that the City Council do not
extend the time for connecting with
In I,A Ft,t..
| committee also reported that it was
| impracticable to extend the sewerage
| to Hunters lane and North street east
| OF Crawford street. The report was
| adopted. In connection with the re-
| port, Mr.. Ballentine moved that the
time for making sewer connections in
the First Ward be extended six
months, but the motion was not sec
onded
The Water Committee reported the
free hydrants in the city In an unsani-
tary condition, and recommended that
the Portsmouth and Suffolk Water
Company be requested to put In hy-
drants of such pattern as to allow
waste water TO be carried off in the
sewers.
The matter of laying water mains
in Ann street was referred to the Lo-
cal Board of the Fifth Ward.
The city Attorney sent in Il commu-
nicatlon i'll reference to compelling the
Portsmouth Street Railway to run a
fifteen minute schedule in the Fifth
Ward, reporting that he had notified
the ralawy officials that steps were
about TO be taken to annual the COM
pany's contract; that the matter of
schedule had at once been remedied in
conformity with the companys con-
tract with the city. This is n bit of
ancient history. dating back to last
spring. the City Attorneys report ap-
parently having been delayed.
Mr.. Johnson moved that the City
~ tt+eff4tet--b Standardization nnnel the
road to observe proper schedule on all
parts of the line. and to repair it's
roadbed. This was referred to the Spe-
cial Street Car Committee and the
Street Inspector.
The report of the commissioners to
inspect the city Jail was read and re-
ferred to the Police Property Commit
tee. The report states that the Jail is
clean and well kept. that the prisoners
are we'll fed and in good health. and
recommends that the unfinished third
story OF the jail building he fitted up
as a hospital ward, advises repairs in
the apartment for colored prisoners
and that means of escape for the
prisoners in case of fire be provided
The report also advises that improved
plumbing arrangements and bath tubs
be provided.
The Committee on Public Property
was directed to prepare. estimates and
plans for fitting up the council cham
Der.
OPENING OF THE PUBLIC