The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1908-06-23

ordinance providing for q bond
issue for Il municipal electric
light and power plant. over the
veto of Mayor Mccarthy. X petition
was circulated later to request Presi-
dent Turpin to call the Board of AL
tlermen for tonight to act on the
measure at once, as members are leav-
Ing the city later in the week.
The fight on the passage of the
measure, despite the veto. was princip-
ally in the half hour before the meet
ing vas called to order the position OF
the Mayor being generally understood
before the message was read, and
canvass OF those present showed that
sufficient number were in favor OF
immediate action.
Nine Points AEninst 1t.
Clerk Ben T. August read the veto
message amid a profound quiet in the
chamber. unusually close attention be-
ing given to the text of the paper.
The Mayor gave nine succinct
grounds of objection to the measure
as passed. the principal one. aside from,
criticism OF the text. being that the
ordinance requires that IL per cent.
be set aside each year for q sinking
fund. TO cover the whole issue in
ti1irty-four years. As the bonds are
1,
1908. with no provision for the sinking
fund this year, the bond issue will not
pay itself out in the time limit.
The provision by which one part of
the fund is TO be expended by the
Committee on Electricity for an cleo
trio plant at the Old Pump House, with
poles and wires through the city, and
another part for water pumps and ad-
dftions to the water works To be eX-
pended by the Committee on Water.
was criticized by the Mayor. who
claimed that the sentence was SO con-
structed that it was impossible to tell
where the duties or one committee end
and the other begins. The Mayor rec
nmmended that d special separate COM
mittee OF the Council be In charge OF
what he claims should be one piece of
construction. He also urged that the
bonds be specialized, and charged
against the plant. and recommended
special election in July, by which the
people might pass on the question.
Would Not Take Substitute.
After the message had been read,
Mr.. Graham Hobson moved to hear
from the Mayor, who was present
President Peters ruled such motion
out Of order. stating that the charter
provides that the Mayor shall send IN
his objections IN writing.
This he has done" said Mr.. Peters.
THE question before this body is
whether or not we shall pass the mea-
sure. notwithstanding the Mayors
veto
Mr.. Hobson asked leave to offer a
substitute, and was again ruled out
OF order. the chair holding thnt no sub
stitute or amendment could be offered
until the paper before the house had
been disposed II.
Mr.. Spence was asked to the chair.
and President Peters took the floor in
support OF the bond issue. He held
that the proposition had been sutti-
ciently threshed out.
So far as the defects in the ordi-
nance were concerned he read let
ter from City Attorney Pollard, who
declared that the original ordinance
was sufficient. Mr.. Pollard held in his
opinion that In ascertainns the bond
limit of city. it would be necessary
first to deduct the securities and in
yestments OF the sinking fund COM
missfoners from the bonded debt, show
ing that the city was not SO near the
bond limit as had been pictured.
Furthermore, he said that the ordi-
nance was properly drawn. and when
read in connection with an ordinance
approved April %, 1907. was sufficient
and would accomplish the end in View
in making the appropriation, Mr.. Pc
ters also read extracts of a letter from
City Engineer Boiling, urgently rec
ommendng immediate steps to increase
the water pumping facilities, and
strongly recommending immediate ac-
ton looking to the erection of the
plant.
Ordinance "All Right"
In conclusion, Mr.. Peters urged the
Council to stand by the original ordl-
nance drawn by the Finance Commit
tee, and approved by the city's legal
adviser, who in written opinion
said that 1t was ''absolutely all right"
Mr.{Cutchins supported Immediate ac-
tion on the ground that the Water
Department needed relief; that the flu
ture brought no certainty of any ac-
ton on another ordinance, and that
there would be a new assessment In
1910, which would raise the city's bond
limit we'll beyond all danger.
The roll heing called, the measure
was passed over the Mayors veto by a
vote Of IS to s the negative votes
being cast by Messrs. Bllley, Green,
Graham B. Hobson, Miner, William l..
White and Williams The only absen-
tee at the session was General A., L.
Phillips, who is Sick
The proposition looking to the repay
Ing of Main Street from Seventh to
twelfth was recommended by the Com
mittee on Grounds and Buildings and
feferred to the Finance Committee to
find the money.
W .