The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-06-08
.RU.SKELL WANTS
TO Be COLLECTOR
Announces His Candidacy in
September Primary Against
Hulcc and Bates.
SALARY NOT yET FIXED
Office May Revert 10 Fee Basis
il Council Fails 10 Take
Action.
SALARY NOT YET FIXED

George Charming Ruskell, sergeant
alarms of the City Council. announced
yesterday his entrance into the race
for City Collector to he decided at
the Democratic primary on September
. and at the ensuing November gen
cral election. Mr.. Ruskel has held his
present position for the past sixteen
years and is we'll known throughout
the city
Candidates already in the field are
Herbert Hulce. formerly deputy I'm
der Captain Frank w Cunningham.
ana now Collector By election of tile
City Council, and Frank It. Bates, the
senior, clerk In the Office OF City En-
Eineer Boiling, and leading candidate
Tor position of chief clerk recently
authorized for that Office. Mr.. Hulce
mas never before been candidate be
Tore the people. Mr.. Bates was a
candidate for City Collector against
Captain Cunningham several years
ago, and was defeated by. large ma
jority. Mr.. Ruslkell has been In poll
tics for many years. In the last race
Tor City Treasurer, In which j. B.
wood, now superintendent of the pen
ttentlary. and then chairman OF tho
Council Committee on Finance, was a
strong candidate, Il was stated that II
MIR. Wood We're elected, MIR. Russeli
would be made a deputy in the rreas-
urer's Office. and the Wood forces
gained strength by that announcemc
but were nevertheless defeated by City
Treasurer James B. Pace
Others May Enter
< There may yet be others. The City
Committee Will receive notices OF can
didacy up to July {. AS the field now
stands there bids fair to be most
interesting race, possibly surprising In
public attention the interests for the
Legislature.
An interesting feature of the night
is that the City Council has never
determined the compensation to be
paid to the Collector. Al present Mr..
Hmlce is serving at a salary OF $500
per month and his deputies receive
from the city under the ordnance the
same compensation they would have
received from Captain Cunningham
had the ofIlce continued on fee
basis.
The Ordinance. Charter and Reform
Committee has expressed itself as op-
poseG to fee offices as unwise in theor
and practice. but at the request OF
Acting Collector Hulce resolution
nXinG the pay OF the Collector and
clerks IN the Office was Reconstructed,
MIR. Hulce making no complaint MS to
his own compensation, but only az to
Inadequate allowances for clerk hire
Even If recommended by the commit
tee, 1t cannot now come UP before the
July meeting of the Council, after
which 1t has to go to the Finance
Committee. making 1t doubtful whether
the omoluments OF the Office and the
humber and compen sation of deputies
Will be determined before the pri-
mary in September
n1nY Revert to Fec Basfa
II no action is taken by the Council.
md Collector is elected by the peo-
pie. and takes Office. the act as to q
Collector and interim expires. and the
Office reverts to the fee basis under
which IT has heretofore been operated,
paying the Collector SIS of per cent
or total last year. according TO tho
annual report of Auditor Warren, of
$11.02T,35. The Finance Committee has
estimated that on the basis OF the new
assessment the Office, on n fee basis
would pay this year $4,000. so that
even With liberal allowance for clerk
hire. the city saves considerable sum
by providing n salary for the Collec-
tor.
An opinion of City Attorney Pollard
shows that the election for this ONCE
Is for period OF but two years--,iot
four years. a S always claimed by Col
lcctor Cunningham. a resolution pro
viding for the abolition OF the office
after January 1. 1914, has been recon-
mended by the Committee on Ordi-
nance, Charter and Reform, the state
mcnt havinN been inade that the office
is entirely useless. anu that ali OF
the duties performed could be readily
transferred to the office of City Treas
nrer who collects all taxes for tho
State. and could perform similar
service for the city with the addition
to his staff OF few clerks.
Mr. Hulce served six years In the
office of Delinquent Tax Collector Wal
ford, and five years as deputy under
Captain Cunningham.
Mcdowell May Run.
Alfred III. MCDOWELL clerk Of Coun-
ell committees. said yesterday that he
was rot candidate for the position
now held by Mr.. Rusk ell but that in
the event that vacancy did occur by
MIR. Ruskcll's election. he might enter
that race. The salary OF the positions
are the same, but the duties or the
Feargeant-at-a arms are less combining
and eXarting. and Mr.. Mcdowell midi
Gated that 1t was possible under GER
tain conditions that he might for that
reason become a candidate for SER
Eeant-at-arms.
The term OF the new City Collector
will begin thirty days after the gen
cral election In November. Mr.. Hulcc
serving under the general statute un-
I'll his successor is duly elected and
Qualities tsi|.li3't