The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-02-26
COUNCIL FAILED
TO BREAK BUDGET
Ordinance Stands as Drawn, No
Item Being Added for Orna-
mental Street Lamps.
GOES TO MAYOR SATURDAY
New Resolution Provides Funds
for School Sites, Lester
Street and Markets.

Efforts to break the annual budget
by inserting an additional item of s3o.-
600 for ornamental lights in the down
town business section failed in the
Common Council last night. the APP
preparation ordinance being adopted
after several hours of debate exactly
as 1t came from the Committee OH III
nance. President William II. Adams.
of the Board of Aldermen, issued at
once call for II joint session of the
City Council for Friday night at $
o'clock to elect school trustees and for
the Board of Aldermen for Friday night
ut $3.50 o'clock to act on the budget,
which if concurrcd in will be in the
hands of the Mayor on Saturday. and
the appropriations for public improve
ments Will be available by the first
OF next week.
Some Items Criticized.
The appropriation ordinance was read
by items last night and while Il num-
Der OF questions were asked of Sub
| Chairman Fuller. of the Finance Com
mittee, who was In charge of the paper
on the floor, no serious objection was
raised to any item. and there were no
amendments save those of verbal
character to correct errors in the titles
or departments made in copying. There
was passing comment on the item OF
$4,000 FOR expenses and automobile for
q,
dition of S11,616 to the Fire Depart
ment payroll to make sixteen of the
call men station men. and on the in
clusion of police telegraph linemen I'm
the Police Department payroll but
the Items were allowed to stand In
connection with the street item. which
shows "a reduction from the total pro-
vided for last year. Mr.. Mills asked
why no appropriation had been made
for Improvement of Shockoe Creek
Plans FOR Shockoe Creek.
Nr. ruler explained that the Ad-
ministrativc Board had advised that
small sums could not be used to adj
vantage. The Finance Committee. he
said. was fully aware OF TIE great
importance OF making Il permanent i'm
proVement OF the entire creek bed. and
expected at some early date to make a
recommendation covering this and 9TH
err matters as soon as the proper finan-
ciai arrangements could be effected.
On conclusion of the reading Of the
paper carrying n total of $3.477,O35.95
the exact amount OF the estimated re-
ceiptS of the city for the coming year
Mr.. Mills moved to amend by insert
ing AN additional item to place orna-
mental stro5t lights on Fifth, sixth and
Ninth Streets. from Broad to Main. on
seventh and Eighth. from Broad to
Byrd; on Grace and Franklin. from Fifth
to Ninth. and on Main, from Fifth to
Eighteenth; with ornamental lights at
Bank Street entrance to Capitol Square
and on Fourteenth Street from Main
Street to Mayo Bridge. the total item
amounting to $4,000.
Opposed To Riders.
While not opposing the lighting of
| the downtown district, Mr.. Fuller pro-
tested that the resolution should take
It's regular course and be given due
consideration. He was opposed to hav-
t,Ntr
rider or amendment to the appropria-
ton ordinance by bare majority
vote, as mere effort to get around
the rules OF the Council recurring
t"o-thirds vote on appropriations. The
electric plant, he said, was well taken
care OF, both as to its payroll and en-
tensions. and had already cost the city
S452,32i.i2 for erection and equipment
Mr. Powell called attention to the
estimates OF revenue. and thought II
bad business to start the year with
top-hcaNy balance sheet, overdrawn
by more than $4,000, leaving no mar
gin Tor emergencies. The Administra-
tive Board had once turned down the
proposition. The Finance Committee
had seriously scaled down the estI-
mates of the school, Fire and Police
departments TO get within the citys
income, and he thought 1T no time for
friils. Mr.. Umlauf agreed that if the
city had 100000 10 spend 1T had better
put 1T on some OF the muddy streets
or give II 10 Pine Camp, or clean up
conditions in the colored section
which were spreading disease eyerv-
where negro servants are employed
Need the Money.
Mr.. Seaton had children going to
school but half Il day because the ac-
Communications were not adequate. and
would not vote 100000 for ornamental
ton: Additional arc lamps could
readily be placed on any Of the streets
named. and he favored their ample
lighting. The amendment was reject
ed, 10 10. whcrcupon Mr. Mills i'm
mediately offered second paper iden
teal save that it also included Ninth
street to Byrd Street, instead of Main.
me debate went on for an hour long
er, MIR. NILS contending that the city's
revenues always exceeded the csti-
mates, and Mr.. RatclTe the patron
OF the downtown lighting proposition.
that the money should be spent as de-
sired by the business community paw
ing the largest taxes.
Mr. Seaton didn't think ornamental
iights We're needed for freight yards
or III the wholesale and business sec
tlon locked up after o'clock, and the
second roll call resulted exactly as he
fore, as follows:
Ayes-Atkinson Huber. Jones. Mills.
Moore Pollard, Pollock, Ratclire.
Peters-9.
Noes-Butler. Fuller. Haddon. L.ums-
den, Powell. Rogers, Seaton. Sullivan.
Umlauf, Wclsh--IO.
The budget was thereupon adopted
as presented 10 to O.
supplemental Appropriations.
supplemental resolution from the
rinance committee appropriatiug
sa''32o Tor n school site west of the
Boulevard. $4,000 for Il new site for,
oakwood School. s25.5O5.O5 for Lester
street property and $4,000 for new
market building was adopted without
dissent. the Finance COMMITTEES being
authorized to borrow these amounts,
to be later reimbursed by an issue OF
bonds
Just before adjournment Mr. Pollock
oiiercd by request an ordinance amend
ing the traffic code requiring lights on
all vehicles after dark. which was re-
ferred to tho Ordinance Committee
President Peters stated that he had
prepared an amendcmnt to the budget
increasing the appropriation for Pine