Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1910-04-09
SESSION BEGINS AND
ENDS IN FUTILE TALK
some Members Favor Substantial Re
ductlon, While others Decline 10
Consider Any Reduction AT All
Purchasing Committee Proposition
Referred to Special Committee.

Practically nothing was accemphsn-
ed al the adjourned meeting oi inc
common Council which was held last
night for a further consideration vi
the report of the retrenchment com
mlttee. The solans were uLahle W
reach any agreement as &c Tie ep'
propriation for the police department
for the coming fiscal year and, AFTER
spending more than two hours IN
futile wrangling and balloting, they
adjourned with the two tactions-the
one favoring a big cut and the other
opposing any cut-almost as far apart
rs ever.
Three separate propositions as to
the cut in the department were OIL
tered but each failed to muster che
twelve votes required to pass IL. the
first proposition was for the reduction
OF the appropriation from S26.ISO 10
s23,140. but this was lost by a vote
OF six TO eight The second was Tor
a reduction of 1920. making the APP
preparation s26,760. but that was lost
by vote Of nine TO six. The third
proposition was for n reduction OF
sl.7s0. making the appropriation 800
GOO. but that too. was lost by eight
votes 10 seven.
No Prospect of Agreement.
After the meeting adjourned. sew
eral Of those who had stood out for
the same appropriation for next year
as was made for this year. but who
voted for the cut of 81 .o20 as COM
promise. declared that they will stand
out now for theo figinal s26.760. At
the same time several o. The MEM
hers who wanted large CIT, but who
also voted for the compromise propo-
sition. declared that they will insist
on a cut of several thousand dollars.
The budat for the coming year
cannot be adopted until the council
agrees on the appropriation for the
police department and present indi-
cations are that an agreement will not
be reached any time soon. The law
requires that the budget and the IL
cense tax ordinances shall be passed
before May l and II the law is 30 be
compiled with, the council will have
to hold several special meetings be-
fore the end OF this month.
Purchasing Committee.
Besides failing to get together on
the police appropriation. the council
men were unable TO agree on the or
dinance providing for the establish
ment of purchasing committee.
which was a part OF the report OF
the retrenchment committee. and the
measure was referred to a special
, committee 10 be composed of one
member from each of the standing
committees of the council. The spe-
cial committee no doubt will make
several changes in the ordinance be-
fore reporting it back to che lower
branch.
Thirteen Members Present.
When President Jones raped the
council to order the following mem
bers were present: Boiling. Cheadle
Cox. Fellows. Ford. Hutchens. W. f.
Jones, w. A. SpruilI. w. +. Spruill.
Via. Wallace. Whitley and ID. s.
Jones. Rev. Lloyd T. Wilson. u. D..
pastor OF the Newport News Baptist
church. offered the invocation.
Before the council proceeded to the
consideration OF the report of the re-
trenchment committee. Councilman
Cox said he would like to ask the
clerk how many meetings of the low
er branch Councilman r. Lee Davis.
of the Fourth ward. had missed Presi.
dent Jones said that about six weeks
ago Mr.. Davis had sent him his resig.
nation and that at the request OF the