The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1902-01-30
Z -
PUBLIC AUG lion
| OF FRANCHISES
Such an Amendment to Cities
and Towns Report
OFFERED BY Mr.. MEREDITH H
Vas Adopted by Vote Of 81 TO i5-Agrieul-
tura Report considered-dood
Gays Work by the
Convention.
OFFERED BY mr.. MEREDITH.

W
hours yesterday and disposed of a great
deal of important business. Except for
one section. upon which the commm1ttee
was not agreed, the report Of the Cities
and Towns Committee was disposed OF.
There was an important amendment Of
fered by Mr.. Meredith and ADOPTED by a
largo majority. 1t provides in substance
for the putting up of franchises by cities
to the highest bidder. This, however,
does not apply to trunk railways. Pro
vision is made for advertising for bids in
public manner, so that all parties IN
terested may be heard. The vote on the
amendment was: Ayes, 81; noes, 10.
The convention spent.so time in Com
mittee of the Whole chr. Glass in the
chair) considering the report Of the
Committee on Agriculture. A number OF
sections were taken up and passed upon.
No material amendments were adopted.
The body, at . o'clock, adjourned until
10 o'clock to-day.
DAYS PROCEEDINGS.
Sixty-five members of the convention
were present and prayer was offered
by Rev. II. t.. Johnson, of Laurel street
Methodist Chui Oh.
On motion Of Chairman Brooke the
convention proceeded to consider the ar
ticle on cities and towns as amended IN
Committee of the Whole.
Section /, prescribing that all lncor-
porated communities containing within
defined boundaries population OF nVe
thousand or more, shall be known as
cities and those having less than hve
thousand shall be known as towns, was
adopted.
A recess of fifteen minutes was taken
for members to read over the amehdeu
report.
After the intermission section requir-
ing that general laws shall be passed by
me General Assembly in the manner pre-
scr,bed bv the Constitution was adopted
Section 3. relating to the judiciary sys-
TEN, had been considered in the judiciary
article.
Section prescribes a clerk of the court
for each city: relating to a CORPORA
ton or Hastings Court Commonwealth
attorney and Commissioner of the Reve--
nue. were adopted without amendment
AMENDMENT LOST.
Mr.. Ingram moved to amend section &
by striking out the requirement that city
treasurers shall not be elected nor serve
for more than two consecutive terms, nor
ac, as deputy for his immediate successor.
Tire amendment was rejected-ayes, 81
noes, II.
Mr.. Lindsay moved to amend section 6
so that in cities of less than 10000 popu-
lation, when there was no Hastings or
Corporation, a city sergeant should not be
required
After some debate the amendment was
rejected.
The section includes the qualifications,
powers and duties of mayors. It was
adopted as a whole as amended by the
committee.
Section I, concerning the form Of gov
eminent for cities and requiring two
branches OF a CITY couch, was passed oy.
Section s, fixing the time Of election of
the Mayor and other city officials, was
adopted without amendment.
Mr.. i ATTON AMENDS.
Mr. Meredith again offered his amend
went 10 section recurring a, majority of
-. ~, a,,,to.= olaotad =, ~.
eMo-eil,lus =, I,,rlS,,,.;a+ s,,r ~
ny ,. oS ~ .,,.ll ~ 5a,,.,.s fs1non rrbe
ceeoiiiS oiie ii''iiui ~ doA' ~
amendment was ie!eS'eu. -aA.
moved TO amend oy recurring d recoiueu
vote OF a ma1orlt! OIL All iiieilioels. MI
Mefeuitii a.loeu d ~ Ia
tanned in the amendment should be taken
as repeating any restriction already IN
corporated in city charters. AS amended
the amendment was ADOPTED
Section Q as amended was adopted as a
whole.
Section 10 prohibiting the use of streets
&c. of a CITY or town by any street rail-
Wv r,s water steam or electric heat
inc electric light or power, cold storage,
tns. ..es.l air via5mct conduit. tele-
~ ~, h,.;dga comnanv SC. without
eo,,sa,+ of tho cornorate
s,,e 4 =. 80 % s,ch c;t,- or town was
autiio.lus 49,, :, 49, d-,,ent or debate
auopteo "Ni'oul ie.iu..,.ot ,>a,,aS I'm
Inns was me see1o ~. -, 80" -, I'M
the telephone iisnI .n,,, ,lafora +ha
amendment 10 insert iooa'
word telephone. ~
The amendment was oFer"hoiliiiiiSiS
jected iii Committee OF the Wlole a'io
was not again offered in the convention.
Section IL, prescribing that the rights