The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-05-14
ALDERMEN HALT
PARK LAND BUYING
Plan to Acquire William Byrd
Wedge Delayed by Failure
to Concur.
SALARY RAISES GRANTED
Church Hill Wins It's Fight to
Keep Out Picture Theatre
by Ordinance.

Acquisition or the wedge of land
dividing William Byrd Park into two
sections was indefinitely delayed. If not
the Board OF Aldermen last night The
Finance Committee resolution direct
ing the city Attorney to acquire the
tract by condemnation was referred to
the Committee Public Buildings,
Properties and Utilities, and the reso-
luton directing the Administrative
Board to suspend the grading now in
progress was tabled to get the opin-
ion OF the City Attorney as TO tho
right of the Council TO direct the Adj
ministrative Board. BY the time the AL
dermen meet again the various streets
In the tract VIII have been entirely
graded. and the probable value of the
property greatly enhanced through the
city's work. Promoters Of the real
tate scheme bought for $4,000 an acre
age tract, which. through the city's cx-
penditure OF money in improvements, is
now held 81 800 per front foot or
more.
The session of tho Board OF Alder
men last night was n lengthy one. the
features being half-hour debate on
the ordinance limiting the area or NOV
Ing picture theatres, which was con
Cured in unanimously, and the unani-
mous concurrence in the salary in
crease of the Mayor, hremcn and police
men. returned by the Administrative
Board without recommendation.
Papers Concurrcd In.
without debate the Board concurred
in the action OF the lower branch in
the following matters, which now go
10 the Mayor for approval Instructing
the city Attorney to acquire land to
open Preston Street from Fifth 10
Sixth Street; approprlating $4,000 for
new Springfield Public school building.
=, IT,. re-. -g,,. -
lied to borrow the money until the
general fund Is reimbursed by bond IL
sue: appropriatlng $4,000 for furnish
ing new Bellevue and Sidney Schools,
to be opened in September. ordinance
requiring security OF city repositories:
appropristinR S1.74e to pay unpaid bills
OF the Building Department for 1912.
accepting the dedication OF n strip OF
land for street purposes west OF Blan-
ton Avenue the city TO eNpend $Cg5sl
on sidewalk and gutter in compensa-
tom appropriat!Rg sl,100 for Install
ing terraZ2o floors in half OF new Sid
ney Public School Building; ordinance
concerning the collection OF taxes Civ
Ing the City Attorney power To levy for
delinquent license taxes; ordinance reg
ulating dealers In second hand goods
requiring reports to tho Police Depart
mert, and ordinance granting permits
sion to the Richmond Dairy Company TO
erect a brick stable on Jefferson Street
between Broad and Marshall Streets. to
contain forty stalls
The Theatre Ordinance.
There was present "a large gathering
Of Church Hill people Interested in the
ordinance regulating the licensing Of
theatres, including number OF minis
tiers and many women who oppose the
plans OF NJ T.. Hofheimer to erect n
moving picture theatre az Twenty-ffth
and Jefferson Avenue The ordinance
GenDeS the theatre district the
ton bounded by Laurel. Main. Eigh-
tenth and Marshall Streets. with tho
exceptions OF Louisiana Street, Hun
street Second street. between Clay and
Leigh. and Fifth street, Fulton Mr..
Towers objected that the ordinance
failed TO protect the residence sections
of Grace and Franklin Streets, and
raised doubt az 10 the retroactive fea-
ture OF passing such an ordinance after
Mr.. Hofheimer has secured his build
ing permit. Mr.. Fuller said that per-
sonally he did not think such place
ns Mr.. Iiofheimer proposed would be-
detrimental To tho morals of the East
End. but he respected the wishes o: the
people Of that section. Colonel Grundy
had also come prepared to vote against
the ordinance. but favored the principle
OF home rule. and since the people of
Church IIill didn't want any theatre
he didn't see Why one should he forced
on them.
4 half dozen members turned their
backs on the chair and spoke deliber-
ately TO those outside OF the railing