The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-02-12
Chairman Of Joint Committee
Tells Council About Plan
for Union.
SMALL SOUL MEN HURT CITY
Explains Agreement Upon Which
Consolidation Ordinance
Is Based.

In presenting to the Common Council
last night the report of the Joint COM
inttoe and the annexation ordinance,
Chairman III. H. Pollard, Jr., said:
AS chairman of the Special Commit
tee on Consolidation OF tho cities OF
Richmond and Manchester, and having
been elected to the Council in tho
place of my lamented friend, u. H.
spence--would that he had been spared
to finish the work-I hand YOU here
with the report that we have made.
With your permission. Mr.. Presi-
dent, [ wish to discuss briefly the
agreement between the two cities,
which is embodied in the ordinance as
drafted by the City Attorney, and
Which we present to you tonight.
l wish to say. Mr.. President, in the
outset tina. l am afraid that the minds
of some of YOU gentlemen, and the
public generally, have been poisoned
by the fact that during the sittinss Of
.he committees it became necessary
for our Richmond committee to give
OUT certain statements to the press
that made it appear that Manchester
was demanding too much, bu. / say
TO you now in all earnestness that
.'a l peen member of tho Manches-
eer committee should have contenGol
enormously for everything that Is en-
pou.cd IN this ordinance, and nerhans
some things tina. they overlooked
Advantages Greatest.
=. Ley us weigh the proposition. Ia,
~. 20 pus IL on the scales, and 1 am SIRE
that you must confess thai tl,o ~
.ahtases far outweigh the disadvan.
.ases OF cost of the consolidation A.
Ter me most careful study or tha
proposition, tell you that nv an o,,,
lay OF not more than s5o,ooo NJ
anhuln for the next five years we can
40 everything that We have promised
anu even more The above named
a . III addition to the receipts or
lahchester, estimated at $4,000. vii,
pay al salaries, make all improve
mems. u, as agreed upon, pay interest on
the present debt of Manchester. whicb
is 100000. less amount in s,nk,n..
fund, pay interest and redemption on
the cost of bridges estimated at s4oOI.
600.
In regard to the bridges, Mr.. Presi-
dent, l respectfully contend that this
should really not be charged as part
or cost of consolidation. for no matter
the union is perfected or not.
1t is up to Richmond to build these
we must have. and
Manchester is in no condition to build |
them. Some may argue that we do
not need to have them, but this is
narrow and contracted view. A city, IL
she wishes to grow, must have good |
and commodious entrances.
But If you doubt the necessity OF
these bridges, go to Seventh and Main
Streets and spend an hour there in
the morning from to 7:l5 o'clock and
see the wonderful stream of people
that either live in Richmond and work |
In Manchester. or vice versa; therefore
/ stout!y maintain that the cost OF the
bridges should not be charged as a |
part of cost of consolidation. which
Will reduce the excess annual charge
from $4,000 to $4,000 per annum.
Now, sir, what becomes of the argu-
mcnt that has been made that 1t Will |
cost over 100000 per annum in addi-
tlon to interest charges. ETC.?
Stand In Way OF Progress.
Oh, Mr.. President, long to see the
day when the sh0rt-siEhtcd, narrow
smull-s0ul men In Richmond
are told to take back seat aud not
TO try to stand In the yvny OF progress,
prosperity md happiness OF her peO-
PIE. have, Mr.. President, the utmost
confidence In the growth and advance
mcnt OF RichmOnd, and II these So
called prominent citizens don't clear
the track they will be run over. All
fair-Endcd men with even reason
nDie amount of intelligence, must
that Richmond never had
greater impetus of prosperity than