Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1910-02-02
President Jones Characterizes
Superintendent Jenkins as
Expensive Luxury"
APPROPRIATION MEASURE
FINALLY GOES THROUGH
Members Agree to Vote for Ordinance
Providing Money to Cover Deficit on
Condition That Income Shall Not
be Supplemented Again In Future
Busy Regular Meeting.

Superintendent OF Schools Willis
A. jenkins and the board of scnooi
trustees were severely raped ias'
night Nv several meiGbers Of the com
mon council. II was charged that the
board Is extravagant In It's exDendi-
lures and some OF the speakers wen,
so ia. as to say tina, 1t would be wen
10 esk the trustees TO hand In their
designations. President ID. s.. Jones
characterized Snpt. jenkins as the
most expensive luxury that this city
has ever INDUCED IN and stated tnat
Trustee o. ID. Bachelor had PRACTICAL
ly admitted before the finance COM
mittee OF the council that the super
intendent dictates TO the school board.
The scoi ing of the school officials
came about when the council TOOK
up the consideration OF Il resolution
appropriating $4,000 to cover part OF
the deficit of nearly $4,000 which the
trustees are facing at this time. For
half an hour II looked as II the reso-
luton would not get the required
twelve votes for its passage. but the
councilmen finally decided 10 vote for
this ar preparation on the condition
that no mre special appropriations
should re made to supplement the
regular income of the board. Presi-
dent Jones voted AGAINST the appro-
priarion the total vote being twelve
to one.
Situation Puxxiina One.
Councilman Harris was the llrst
member 10 oppose the resolution. he
declared that the school situation was
becoming n puzzling one. He sead
over the list OF the expenditures OF
the board and declared that many OF
he items could be reduced while
some few could be cut out. II was
time, he said. thst the council told
this board that 1t must either live
within It's funds or get out and let
somebody else try TO run the schools
within the appropriations
Mr.. Ford. OF the finance commit
tee. advocated the passasc OF the res
olution. He declared that the school
board had the bit IN its mouth and
that IL would not adopt policy OF
retrenchment.
Mr.. Ford declared that the city's
finances are in a bad shape just at
present and that during the coming
year the city government would have
to be run economically. The schoo!
board. he said. must be made TO hive
within its appropriation as the coun-
IA n
plement the school fund next ses-
zion.
Useless Things in Schools.
Messrs Boiling and CHRISTIE spoke
briefly against the resolution, de-
claring that In their Judgment there
were many useless things in the
school that might well De abolished
and the expenditures thus curiailed
several thousand dollars a year
The council had busy and some
what stormy session last night and
before the adjournment a; IL O'Clock
the docke; had been cleared of every
thing except the annual budget Tor
the comirs fiscal year. BY anani-
NOUS vote. the body decided to cost
none action on the budget until q
special session. which is 10 he called
by President Jones in the very near
future.
When the body first convened. only
eleven members were present and a
number OF resolutions carrying ap-
preparations were held up temporar-
fl~ as the thIee-fourths vote neces-
sary for their passage were not pres
eut. However. two members came
in later in the evening and those
matters were taken mp again and ais
posed Of.
Improvement 20 Jail.
Clerk Hudgins read a communica-
ton from Mayor Jones reistive 10 the
report Of the commission that recent
iv examined the city jail. asking taai
tie council take some ection- The
commissions reyort was read ane
after the counci, had voted down q
motion Of Mr.. Cox that the report b
referred 70 q spscial committee
Presierf Jones referred the matter
20 the committee OF buildings
grounds ana lights with instructions
10 ascertain what changes are neces-
sarv in order 10 comply with the i1x
on the matter together with TIE cost
Of the same and 70 report back 10 me
council ~ the nexf meeting.
A revolution directing the transfer.
rag o. sn arc light fTom Madison
avenre and Thirtsefh street back n
IVY avenue and Twentieth stree
evoked considerable discussion aui
6rally vac passed AFTER City AtioTnes
Masele ana Mayor Jones had expi,in
<d vhv the light had not teen pui
bach ~ ordered By the couucii some