The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-12-10
BOARD REJECTS
:. ENTIRE CHARTER
CHANGE PROGRAM
Resolution Polls 6 to 6
Vote and Fails to
Pass.
TO RENEW FIGHT
AT NEXT MEETING
Board Will Meet Again on Mon
day Night, When Matter Will
Be Reopened Under Recon
sideration-P wers Pre-
diets Passage With One
or Two Amendments.

lncensed by their inability to secure
tho defeat OF the charter amendment
which proposes TO givo the CITY Coun
ell. In It's discretion. the authority TO
place the Police. Fire and Health De-
partments under the Administrative
Boards control. six members of tho
board or Aldermen succeeded last night
In obstructing the passage OF the en-
tire charter change program ratified
Gil.
Iwe!ve Of the fourteen members OF
tho Board were In attendance. and
seven votes were required for passage
an amendment offered By Alderman
Meiton earlier In the reading of tho
resolution. striking from the paper the
cIause providing for tho potential
transfer OF the Police. Fire and Health
Boards. was lost by It's failure to mus
Ter more than six Affirmative votes
The thwartod sextet held n hastv
caucus and decided To withhold their
support from the resolution as Il whole
which evnbodies important charter
oranges. TO which they had earlier
given their votes President Adams put
tho question. and the resolution failed
by vote OF o to G.
How They Voted
rho vote on the resolution as
whole follows:
Ayes-Aldermen Disney. Grundy
U.
Noes-Aldermen Gilman, Grimes. Mel
ton, Nielsen, Powers and Adams-6
Tho vote on Alderman Motions
amendment to strike out the provision
giNihE the Council power in its discrc-
lion. TO put the Police. Health and Fire
Bonrds under the Administrative
Boards direction. was the same as the
vote on the resolution as n whole with
me difference that the members voting
aye on the one voted mo" on the
other
While the official record shows that
the resolution stands defeated, II is re-
harded rs improbable that the Board
VIII suncr the whole charter change
, prosram to so down in defeat 1t Will
PROBABLY be taken up again on Il re-
consideration OF the vote by which il
was last night defeated and passed
with one or two amendments.
Meet Again Monday.
The debate on the charter change
resolution ran without intermission
from until II o'clock. 1t left the
members without the courage to tackle
the mass OF remaining business. and
upon motion OF Alderman Gunst. the
Board adjourned until o'clock Mon
Gay night, when il will meet again to
dispose of the docket.
II Is not the intention OF the Board
to XIII the charter change resolution"
said Alderman Powers. who Joined In
the attack upon the amendment looking
to the transfer OF the three indepen-
dent departments. and voted against
the resolution when 1t was placed on
Its passage. II intend TO move a re-
consideration of the matter next Mon
day day night. and have no doubt that
the charter change program Will be
ratified with one or two changes"
Chairman Puller. of the Charter
Changes Committee. who led the fight
for the amendments as ratified by the
Common Council. declined to comment
N rh' q rftn
Adams Mikes Statement.
President Adams took the floor in
support OF the Melton amendment,
striking from the resolution the pro-
vision for a possible transfer OF the
three independent departments to Ad-
lninistrative Board control
ITO vest the Council with power to
place three departments under the
board" said Mr.. Adams, would be to
create n condition OF unrest among the
officers and men in these departments
1t would give the Council club to
hold over the heads of the commits
s!ons now directing them, and make un-
certain the future OF every man con-
nected with them Once the Council
is given that power, the way will be
clear for any dissatisfied member
whenever something has occurred to
displease him. to introduce an ordi-
nance calling for the abolition of any
one of the three Independent commits
sions. and the transfer OF its duties
to the board.
Mr.. Adams urged the members not
to interfere with the Police, Fire and
Health Departments. which. he said
were admirably and economically man
aged. The board, he thought, has its
hands full managing the departments
now under Its direction, and will not
be in IL position for some years to come
to take on new responsibilities.
Tho time will come when the city
Will find II TO it's best interest to unite
all the departments under the Ad-
r1inistrativc Board" declared Alder
man Gunst. The ultimate merging OF
all departments under the boards di-
rcction was contemplated from the
very beginning. When the board Is in
position to assume this responsi-
bility it will be the most economical
thing to do"
Mr.. Gunst thought 1t would be the
part Of wisdom to give the Council the
right In it's discretion to effect this
union, and urged the board to support
the committee amendment He held
the view, nevertheless, that tho time
for such merger was not yet ripe,
and said he would oppose n motion to
this effect IL offered Mt this time.
Aldermen Disney and Grundy spoke
in the same vein. Mr.. Grundy dcpre-
Gated tho fear expressed by President
Adams that impending control by the
Administrative Boardrwould demoralize
the three Independent departments. IL
Continued On Second Page)