The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1902-03-04

TIL AC,lA!A /
:. |: WARD |. D
Two Seats IN Common Council.
Declared Vacant.
CHANCE. c IN The / he pR PR I: INcT i
Effort Made 10 Fill yaeaneis. Vas Not
Pushed Ordinance Passed Requiring
Electric Wires 10 Go Underground.
Light Under yiaduet.
Seats in Common Council.
CHANG E in THE PR EClNcTs.

/ = a- 40
An opinion from the City Attorney pre-
scented at tho meeting OF the Common
| Council last night declared that by the
division OF Clay Ward that ward was
now without Il full representation in
Council. Through this opinion the seats.
occupied by Messrs. Blanks and Winston
| were declared vacant. a feeble effort
was made TO fill these vacancies. but,
when it was stated that legisla tive action
was being taken Council decided to let
the matter rest for the present.
A fight was mad, over the changes in
the voting places in Lee Ward. When
it came to removing. from Pat Mellon
ough,s place at No. 700 West Broad
Street. several citizens Of that precinct
spoke for and against the proposition,
which carried on a sim majority.
A number of other matters of more or
less Importance We're transacted, and at
11:2O Council adjourned
IIA'TF; IN MEETING.
The Common Council WAS called to meet
at z O'Clock last night, but at $40 the
body had not got together The clerk had
been reading the minutes and Mr.. Harry
Glenn had got in the presiding officers
chair half an hour previously. A
quorum was apparent in the hall, but not
| in the chamber, when at SIS Vice-Presi-
dent Mills had the roll called. The first
business was the reading of the follow
ing opinion from the City Attorney:
referring 10 your request to inform
! you what effect the division of Clay
| Ward by the late act Of the General As
| semhly has had upon the terms Of office
| of the members of the Council, T beg; to
| say that by virtue of section II of the
+, city charter, one Of the qualifications of.
| members Of either branch of the Council
! is that they shall be residents of their
! respective wards, and shall also be not
| less than twenty-onc years of age. The
| creation of a new. ward i'll the territory
! formerly composing Clay Ward, in my
! Judgment, opera ted go Einstante to svacatc
| the terms OF any members from Clay
| Ward who reside in the nc wizard carved
| out OF Clay Ward. In other words. tho
residence of the members in the ward is
as much an essential qualification OF the
| rightsto serve as being over twenty-one
| years OF age.
IL am glad to say that a remedy for
this condition has ebcen already proposed
| by tho Representatives from the city in
| the General Assembly. and a bill is pend
ing, when, when passed will validate the
| title of members elected originally from
| Clay Ward who are residents of the new
| ward
DIDN'T Full VACANCIES.
Upon the opinion. Mr.. Bloomberg
moved a. suspension Of the rules in order
| to fill the vacancies, but, in view of the
| pending action of the Legislature in
| making it legal for the gentlemen who
/ were crowded out of Clay Ward to re-
| main as members of the Council until
] their terms eSpirsst. the rules We're not
| suspended, and CLAY Ward carried the
| vacancies for the ternl-NIessrs. Blanks
and Winston
vice-President Mills stated that in ac-
cordance with the opinion Of the City
| ~, u INV lace rcs
| Blanks and Winston were declared va
| cnted.
AIR. Blanks was present. burt cauld not
take part in the proceedings.
| Messrs Gibson. Miner and Cottreil
| said that they were Of the opinion that
it would be better for the vacancies to be
| left open until after the primary.
Mr.. Blanks said that he did not expect
| to take part in the proceedings, for he
! knew that the division OF the ware put
him out of the Council.
J5pon the request of the Committee on
! Schools that committee was abolished,
because there WIS nothing for it to do.
INSURE CITY HALL.
From the Grounds and Buildings Com
| mittee the sum of $3.50 was asked Tor the
| purpose of placing insurance upon the
| CITY Hall. The resolution went to the
| Finance Committee.
A report from the Committee on ke-
| trenchment and Reform in reference to
increase of the salaries OF janitors and
park-keepcrs was referred to the FINANCE
| Committee
An ordinance was reported from the
| Committee on Electricity requiring tho
| PLACING Of electric wires under Srouiiu'
| Chairman Gunst, OF the committee, ur 80,
/ tho adoption Of the ordinance, "ii.Gii
| roo,,irod The removal OF wires and poles
/ from Adams and Broad Streets TO EleV-.
enth: Bank and Ninth to Twelfth; Mani
and Cary Streets from Seventh to -Four
/! teenth; Seventh, Eighth, Ninth, Ienth,
| Eleventh. Twelfth, Thirteenth snd Fouf-i
/ teenth from Broad to Cary wltfin
/ twelve. months after the approval OF ti 1li