Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1902-12-19

AS SIcan AS Jhcy Should Bs.
! When tbs Board of Aldermen was called
| TO order last night to consider the ques-
ton of the transfer of 200 from the ex-
pcrse to the payroll account of the
Health Department, the atmosphere in
| the Council chamber was fairly tingIins
| with suppressed electricity, and some
members were white with excitement,
! while others were white with the effort
TO contain themselves
The chamber outside the railing was
! filled with employees of the Street-Clean
| ing Department, who overfowed the room,
/ beyond the doors. That something out OF
| the usual run was forward was apparent
| TO the most careless observer, but no
storm which broke almost with the fall
/ OF President Turpin's gavel, and which
i for three hours, rage! will, unabated
| fury around and upon the devoted heads
| of the members Of the Health COMMITTEES
/ and of Superintendent Cohn, of the Street
i Cleaning Department.
/ BytOn's thunderstorm in the Alps was
! not a circumstance 10 it
! And the Health Department was out
| in the torrent without umbrella or water
| proof. The rude winds of deserved re-
proof buffeted them. The searching blasts
/ OF cold logic pierced them to tbs marrow.
| The moral lightning Of condemna ton
| fiercely played about them. a storm of
| derson and riGiCula OF sca1iling criticism
| llShed tileln
No Defense to Make.
| And to all the adverse elements they
returned only helpless, piteous appeals.
confession on confession OF ignorance
! carclessness, and derelictton of duty
Prayed for the rocks to fall on them and
avert from them the righteous wrath
| which they haG justly provoked.
It quickly developed that the members
present and tie committee itself were
grossly. iensely. ignorant Of the affairs of
the department, and that the Superinten-
dent of the Street-Cleaning Department
had employed men III excess of the num-
ber warranted by the appropriation for
his pay-rol without :iccnse or authority.
1Ir James r. Gordon, the chairman OF
the Finance Committee. which reported
back the recommendation for the appro-
pria ton Of $3.50, instead OF the Sl,7Q0 asked
for by the department, was the ruling
spirit OF The occasion, and. white with
well-controied anger and indignation. he
!aShed first one member and then another
Of the foundering Health committeeman,
as We'll as the Superintendent of the
Street-Clsaning Department, with scath-
inG7 sarc;tsr!l, ridiculc and exposure at
will. ri.sir; al times 10 Z height Of moral
sIonuence that bowled over all attempt
at answer or argument.
Armed With Statistics.
He had the facts and figures OF the
affairs Of The department at his com
mand, of which the members OF the COM
n7ittee We're compelled to confess icnO-
rance and he read the Counci! Il lecture
on the morals Of municipal government
for which the crushed victims OF his tell
ing blows themselves thanked HIM ab-
iectIy.
Ihe business of the meeting opened with
appeals on the part OF various members
of the Health Committee of a sentiment
toI character, Dunctuated by references
TO the poor men present. whose daily
bread ard Christmas joys depended on
the favorable action of the Council in
passing the full appropriation asked for.
MI Satterfield, of the committee, arose
in state of uncontrolled excitement.
He said he had heard of mutterings
OF criticism OF the committee and of the
superintendent, Our superintendent. he
said, may have exceeded his authority.
He may have made q mistake. He had no
excuse 70 make If this were 50. lie had
no argument to make. He was sorry for
it. But il would be a shame if these
poor men had TO suffer. He would consent
to have his head cut off if whatever was
wrong was repeated. Only give us this
appropriation.
what Wus Wrong:
Mr Zimmerman asked what vas
wrong with the department
MIR. Satterfield said he did not know.
When tho budget was made up for the
yearly appropriation was made for work
ing 96 men, and the superintendent had
put on Jos.
that the Health Committee knowingly and
deliberately went to work to overdraw
its account?"
Il believe we asked the Financial Com
mittee for appropriation for los men,
but were only allowed q sum for 96 men
and that we have been working 106 men.
Notwithstanding, he replied.
Mr.. Hobson Explains.
Councilman Hohson, the chairman Of
the Health Committee, was given the
floor by courtesy, to explain the situa-
ticn He said that it was a fact that a |
the beginning of the year the committee
asked for an appropriation of S51.000 for |
the street-cleanng department, but that !
the estimate was cut down to si6,00O The |
JOG men, on the basis of sol GEO, were en1-
ployeCi nevertheless. and the committee |
expected to make up the deficit by not |
employing substitutes
What deficit I'D You expect TO make |
up?" asked Mr.. Minor.
ITO make up the money we didn't get
answered the chairman.
Mr. Gordon asked if the COMMITTEES
had gone over those accounts recently
The chairman said they had done SO
the lst Of December.
Have you done 50 for four or five |
months previous to that?" was asked.
The reply was No.
1T was only after you became short,
then, that you .ook the trouble to look
into your accounts
Ncttled ny Criticism.
Mr.. Gordon. in response to calls shen t
took the floor Hes said that he deemed
it his duty, to say something about this
matter.
81 don't hold M judgment above crit
icisnl,'' he said. AT the same time il is
a little netting to be subject to criti-
cisn, by the press. Which could only arise |
from Ignorance cf the facts,
Criticism based. / may say. and you.
gentlemen of the PRESS, can put it down.
BY absolute ignorance and misstate-
ments.' This papers had spoken of Mr..