The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-11-04
LIVELY TIMES IN
COUNCIL TO-N|GHT
Session OF Lower Branch EN-
pcctcd to Be One Of Most
Interesting OF Year.
ELEcTRoLYsls MATTER UP
Minority in Committee Will Make
Stiff Fight OH Floor--Report
on Mayors Charges.

After a Joint session OF the Two
branches of the Council at $50 o'clock
Tonight for the election of n member
of the School Board 81 member OF
the Police Commission. the Common
Council will hold a regular meeting
which may be one of the most exciting
of the year. Two reports Will be sub
mitted. One will deaf With he sensa-
tional ~squabble On the question Of
electrolysis, and the other will be the
special investigating committees re-
port on the charges of Mayor McCar-
thy against the Finance Committee
and the ~latter's charges against tho
Mayor. The election OF a successor to
Coupcilman John r. Neaglc. OF Mar
shall Ward. may be the other exciting
event of the night.
Elect New Officers.
There will not be any difficulty over
the selection OF n Police Commissioner
from Clay Ward to succeed w. 7. Reed,
Nasignod. The delegation has agreed.to
present the name of Emmett Thomas.
and the Joint session VII. confirm IT
without question.
DR.. S. c. Mitchell and Mr.. e. d.
Starke arc regarded as the only two
candidates for the School Board to sue
coed Major James II. Capers. Already
the contest is Interesting, and the vote
alone will decide. Both candidates
have served before on the Board, their
interest In the success Of the public
schools being we'll established.
Report of Committee.
So many conflicting reports nave
been made as to the exact nature OF
the investigating committees findings
in the McCarthy-Finance Committee
controversy that many officials around
the City Hall arc OH the qui vive, some
of whom declare that IT will be full of
ginger and other hot stun. From The
best sources. however. 1T is learned
that the document will be tame, and
without censure for the Mayor, Audi
ter Warren of the committee. There
Is a belief that the criticism will be
plain, for 1t will be shown. despite the
opinion OF Mr.. Charles v. Meredith
acting for the City Attorney, that ths
committee did not observe the provi-
sions of the charter in making up the
budget The bond sale and
the burning OF bonds will be set aside
as a bad piece OF business. for which
there was no excuse save ignorance.
Electrolysis Matter Up.
If the other matters fail to create
excitement. there will be plenty of 1t
when the minority report on the dor.
bl overhead trolley ordinance is pre-
scented and read. AS heretofore ex-
planned IN The Times-Dispatch, the
loint Committee on Water and Electrl-
city. by a narrow vote, killed the prop-
osition which the Virginia Passenger
and Power Company had resisted so
vigorously ai.- accepted Alderman
Rennold's substitute. which. ii is
claimed, will not protect the water
pipes from electrolysis. According TO
this substitute, the double overhead
system is in~expedient. y new commits
tee is to be named to take up the
whole question again and endeavor 10
make a settlement of the city's. claim
against the street car ompany SUI
perintendent i ing, of the Water
Department. Toes not believe that tho
bonding cystem will eliminate the dam
age to the pipes and he has presented
strong argument and expert evidence
to show the Importance OF new legis-
lation. regardless Of the expense stc
the Passenger and Power Company
The report of the minority will take III
the inconsistency of members who
voted with the majority and will
MAKE public the features of the con
troversy in thAef; cancise and biting
terms. Morgans.R. Mills. the minorit,
leader In the lower branch. Is expected
to bring out some rather startlin.
facts on the floor of Council tonight
while w. T. Dabney will likewise per
form in the Board of Aldermen. al
editoria! in an afternoon paper, sait
to nave been written by President Tur
pin, who is a regular contributor t,
that column, shows that the pastmaste
In councilmanic debate has Joined TIL,
minority. which means more excite
nlent. President Turpin puts himsel
on record in declaring that the pipe
must not be destroyed, aud with Tur
pin, Mills and Dabney, the compromis
followers will have to deal with thre
performers. who understand the game
Object to Secret Meetings.
Tho duble overhead system, 1t is ad
mitted, has its objectionable feature.
According to Superintendent Boiling
however, it is that or the constant an
regular destruction of water-pipes
While there are certain members q
Council vino believe that 1t is possibl
to perfect an arrangement by whic
the question of damages may be ad
justed. they resent the attempt of
Joint committee to make void tn
work of years.
These secret meetings are obnoNiou
to members. who believe in dayligl
work, and the executive session ha
been so generally denounced that ther
may be no others hereafter. From q
accounts the meeting of Council TIC
night will he one OF the most inter
esting of the yeah.