Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1909-04-07
AIdermen's Ordnance Eliminating
First From Division Concurred
IN BY Lower Branch.
We HAVE TO ROB the ROBBERS
Councilman r. Lee Davis Says First
Ia. Had More Than It's Share Of
PAVING in Past-visorous Opposition
Offered by Messrs. Jones, Via and
Ford,

1.-THE First ward has been robbing
the others all this time. SO now we
have to rob the ROBBERS to get our
share OF the improvements. said
lCouncilman r. Lee Davis last night
In reply to the vigorous speeches
| made by the members from the First
ward in opposition to an ordinance
dividing what Is known as the crema.
itory fund equally among the Second.
Third and Fourth wards for permanent
Estreet improvement purposes.
This ordinance, which was adopted
by the board Of aldermen at its last
meeting. after violenI opposition on
the part OF the First ward aldermen
, was concurred in by the lower branch
last night, the vote standing twelve
to three. President Jones and Mcssrs
Via and Ford, representing the First
ward. voted nay. and MIR. Cheadle.
the fourth First ward member. was
absent All four OF the members
from each of the other three wards.
voted aye. making the necessary
twelve, or three-fourths of the total
membership.
When this measure was read Mr..
Cox moved that /, be cCncuIrcd in.
Mr.. Via moved as substitute that
the crematory fund be divided equally
among the four wards,
UAA~>A s~;-,,;<>.
President Jones spoke against the
measure. declaring that it was the
most iniquitous thing ever sent to the
council from the board OF aldermen.
He said he would not be a party to
such a thing for 10000: that it was
an improper and dangerous thing for
three wards to combine against one
to deprive that one of its share of
the city's funds. Messrs. Ford and
Via spoke along the same lines. In
reply to statement that he had
promised not to ask for any of the
crematory money for his ward, Mr..
Ford said that that promise was made
upon the condition that the bond is
sue money should be divided equally
between the four wards. and that as
the division was not equal, the prom.
Use did not hold.
First Ward Loesn't Need It.
Messrs. Harris Davis. Christie. Wal
lace. Jones, W. E.. Cox and Ketchum
spoke in support Of the measure.
They said that in the past the First
ward had been given the largest
share of the paving and that street
Improvement is not needed in that
ward now as it is in the others.
The speeches were all comparative
ly brief. and it was apparent before
a vote was taken that the aliermen's
action was going TO be c2ncurred in.
Mr. Was substitute was lost by
vote Of to 12-Ayes. Ford. Via and
Jones. d. S..-3: nays. Boiling. Chris
tie. Cox. Davis. Fellows. Harris.
Jones. W. E.. Ketchum. Spruill. W. A..
Spruih. W. E.. Via. Wallace and Wash,
burn.
Coneurred, Twelve to Three.
When the roll was called on the
motion to concur the vote was re-
versed the motion being carried.
twelve 20 three.
The money known as the crematOry
fund amounts to about &Sy00o. II was
derived from a bond issue for the
building Of a crematory. and when the
crematory plan. proved to be a failure
and the city refused to pay for it. the
money was transferred, by special act
Of the legislature. to fund for pcrma-
nent street Improvement, The pur-
pose Of the council is TO add the
shares allotted TO the respective
wards to the money derived from the
recent paving fond issuc and use II
in completing the work now under
way.