The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1911-12-16
MAYOR WILL SIGN
ORDINANCE TODAY
Administrative Board Measure
Is Now Ready for His
Signature
WOODS ARE FULL OF
LIKELY CANDIDATES
Beck Appears to Be Chief
Favorite in Running-Po-
lice Board Comes In
to Limelight

Mayor ftlCnarQEon Will sign tn0
administrative board ordinance this
! morning
The paper was properly engrossed
yesterday by City Clerk August, the
signatures OF President Whittet, Of the
Board OF Aldermen. and President
| Peters. OF the Common Council, being
| appended to 1t early in the afternoon.
| An hour or two later. II was in shape
| for submission to the Mayor who
| had left his office for home q little
while previously.
| Clerk August will send the ordi-
| nance down to his honor's office the
| first thing this morning, and the rest
| Will be easy.
Mayor Richardson signified his in
tention OF signing the ordinance, when
| seen soon after it's successful passage
| through Council Thursday night In
! fact there has never been any doubt
that he would attach his signature to
| the measure.
To make the ordinance effective in
law. 1t will be necessary to amend the
city charter by Legislative enactment.
| steps In this direction will be taken
rs soon as practicable after the Cen
| eral Assembly convenss in January.
Council Fixes Salary.
The board Is to consist OF nve MEM
| bers. elective by the people. Their
| salary Ii to not less than 81 900, which
| will be fixed by Council. Their duty
will be to direct the heads OF the vari-
Gus city departments. with the excep-
ton OF the police, fire. and health do
partments. which are to remain in
| tact.
| Election OF the commissioners will
| take place next November, and they
will go into office on January l, 1918
| The term of Office of each is to be
| four years. except that those first
elected to Office shall be elected to
serve as foilows Two for a period
OF two years, two for period Of three.
ana one for period OF four years. 40
cordins to the terms Of the ordinance.
the respective length OF tho terms OF
eacn OF the five mem beers so elected
shall be deterrnind by lot by the COM
| missioners of election
Some Power Left.
In council will stirl be- vested tbe
| legislative function and the power TO
make appropriations.
| Council. under the new regime. wifi
consist of twenty members in the
lower branch. and twelve in the up-
| per branch. as a result Of the redj.-
tHcting ordinance. which reduces the
(. eight wards of the city to four.
| Although the administrative board
is to be elected in November at the
regular general election. other city
oHoeT VIII be chosen In June as
usnal. with the primary In Aprn.
Exactly what salary council will,
fix as compensation for each Of tha
nve commissioners was the subject
OF some speculation yesterday, al
though the prevailing sentiment
seemed to be that the figure would
pc nxed at the round snug sum OF
| $4,000.
Looks Attractive
This. It IL admitted. will attraot a
good many more candidates than the
minimum figure Of $4,000. MANY
prominent business men who are be-
ing suggested as candidates are un-
derstood to be reluctant to enter the
arena on account OF the small salary.
IN view and the disagreeahle features
OF q political contest, out In the open,
However, 1t Is limited that more than
one OF these men will be found in an
exceedingly receptive frame Of mind
ere the lapse OF many moons
A number Of prospective candi-
dates are lurking in tho BACKGROUND
for the time being. They want to
feel that they are being urged. They
want to have little moro pressure
behind them before proclaiming thor
intentions to the world.
May BE Winners.
II was rumored yesterday that this
group might prove q winner: Henry
p. Beck. Carlton Mccarthy, John ].
Iynoh. Jacob Umlauf and e. A. Cat
LIN.
Mr.. Beck n known to b in. a ~
ceptive frame Of mind. and It may
be that he will announce his candi-
l dacy shortly. This also applies to
the others in tho list.
It IL pretty generally conceded that
! Mr.. John r. Don Leavy, Of Clay
Ward, will be another in the running.
| Likewise Captain Charles F. Taylor,
the veteran president Of the Board
of Fire Commissioners. In fact. Cap
tain Taylor may be said to have al
ready entered the neld.
Others might be mentioned by the
dozen, including Captain Morgan r.
Mills, the Hon. Gilbert K. Pollock.
Colonel Marx Gunst. and Mr.. Chris
Manning. Jr.
Here are some more names wor-
thy of consideration: Colonel Barton
4 Grundy, Mr.. Henry r. Pollard. Jr..
Mr.. James N. Boyd. Colonel John b.
Purcell, Major Julien Harrison Hin.
Mr.. R L. Peters. Mr.. w. Douglas Cor
don.
Mr.. William NJ. Habiiston, whose
name r. being mentioned. II likely
to b barred from the lists - q re-
suit Of maintaining his residence In
Hspttoo county. II 10 conceded,
though. that Mr.. Habliston would
make . hrst-clAss commissioners.
| II II rumorsd that Mr.. Clyde W.
/ aaundorN and n few otheP machsna
! leaders are busy making up . slate,
for the most part. from the elite ctr
/, cleA % ~ 70 g1vs tone to the per-
| sonnet Of their ticket With this end
in view. II II Understood that they
have already closely scanned the NOM
lCoof3aue1 . ssoS11 p9SaJ