The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-07-31
MEASURES !
TO new COUNCIL
Many Matters OF Importance to
Die in Commit
tee.
------
NO NEW CAR FRANCHISE
Incoming Body to Wrestle With
Changes in Form of City
Government.
NO NEW CAR FRANCHISE

Despite the efforts which will be
made tomorrow night by the Common
Council to clear It's docket, 1t is evil
dent that many pending measures of
Importance which have been before
the two branches of the City Coun-
ell and the various committees, are
destined to die on the table or in
pigeon hole of some committee clerk.
The meritorious ones will have to be
reintroduced and referred to the prop
er committee when the new Council Is
organized in September, and again be-
gin the weary round of committees
through which any measure must pass
before receiving final approval.
The Common Council meets to-mor-
row night at s o'clock, and the Board
OF Aldermen on August s. There are
many matters that will not be
thrashed out in the various commit
tees in time to be taken up in the
Council. Unless special meetings are
called, these will be the last sessions
OF the law makers until the new
Council meets to organize.
Street Cur Franchise.
Probably the most important ordi-
nance that will be passed on to the
new Council is the one regarding a
new blanket franchise for the Virginia
Railway and Power Company. The
street railway system is now operat-
Ing under number OF franchises
granted to as many separate lines,
which have been consolidated under
one company. The power company has
asked for new general franchise
rIrf1 1,a
Its lines in the city. 1t proposes a
Encouragement of its trackage and
routes in certain sections of the city;
to eliminate duplicate or parallel lines.
and also proposes the construction OF
several new lines to relieve congested
sections. This ordinance is now in
the hands Of subcommittee from the
Street, Committee. with no chance of
any action being taken during the life
of the present Council
Executive Commission
The ordinance contemplating
change of the present system of CITY
government will likewise be passed
by. This measure has been recon-
mended by special committee and
by the Ordinance. Charter and Reform
Committee, but the Finance Commit
tee has about agreed to disagree for
the present. allowing the new Coun-
ell to wrestle with this matter.
The ordinance proposes the ap-
pointment Of an executive board TO
perform duties now In the hands of
standing committees of the Council.
While there is much opposition 10 the
pending ordinance on the ground that
such board would usurp many
rights and prerogatives of Council
men, yet influential leaders of the
city government freely admit that the
incoming Council must seriously face
the problem of simplifying the meth
DDS Of operating the city departments
SO there will be less friction and less
waste.
Equalization of Salaries.
The special committee appointed to
eaualize the salaries of city EMPLOYEES
has not been able to get quorum as
yet. 1t is quite likely that no fur
Their effort will be made to hold
meeting, but simply let the matter
rest for the present, and there is
some doubt as to whether it will be
reintroduced.
No Clay Ward Sewer This Year.
1t seems evident now that this
Council will fail to settle the perplex-
ing problem of the Dooley ravine
sewer. and from all indications the
whole matter OF building the drain
that is to give relief to the greater
part of Clay Ward will go over to next
spring, unless the new Council shows
more ability to get together on the
matter than the present body has
done. The Engineers department. can
not be blamed 1t has been ready
with its maps and blue prints and es-
Inmates for six months. And tho
money to build the sewer. raised
by a bond issue, has been in
bank since last year. Presumably
Major Dooley is ready to put up the
$4,000 that he has offered to pay the
city. But the two branches Of the
Council have not been able to agree
as to the advisability of taking the
money. Having reached practical
deadlock, the whole matter has been
referred back to the Street Commit
tee, where 1t will probably remain un-
til the new Council is organized.
The city has an undoubted right to
run the sewer through the Dooley
property. Major Dooley offered to pay
$4,000 If it will relinquish that right
and go some other way. City Engl-
neer Boiling estimates that sewer
along Virginia Avenue would be cheap
err than the Dooley raVine route and
would afford the same drainage. The
Street Committee heartily recommends
the new route and would accept Ma
jor Dooley's Offer but the Council has
not as yet indorsed the recommends
ton of its committee,
May Abolish Local Assessments.
The measure which has for It's object
abolishing the plan OF local assess
ments for paving sidewalks at the ex-
pense of the abutting property owners
will also die with this Council and
will probably be reintroduced at onco.
1t has been referred jointly to tho
Committees on Finance and Streets,
and no joint meeting has as vet been
held.
There are other ordinance OF all
kinds in the committees, including
many salary increases, but they will be
sraintroduced in the incoming Council.
All matters which are not acted upon
by August 81 Will have to be taken up
as new business by the incoming body.
City Clerk Zen T. August said yes
8terday that the present Council has en-
acted many new laws and that probably
IL