The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-03-04
WANT STRICT LAW
FOR POOL ROOMS
Jacob Umlauf Declares They
Are Far Worse Than
Saloons.
ELECTRIC PLANT AssAILE0
Ordinance Creating Position OF
Superintendent IS Rejected
by Council.
ELECTRIC PLANT AssAILED

Not satisfied with the mild plan Of
regulation for 200, rooms recommend
ed by the Board Of Police Commission
crs. the Common Council last night
recommitted TO the Committee on Ord
inances the papers on the subject, with
the understanding that more compre
hensive restrictiG:.s OF such places
would be prepared. When the ordi-
nance requiring persons proposineto
conduct pool rooms TO get "a certificate
from the Board OF Police Commission
ers IS TO the character and location be
fore license is .a.ued by the Commits
sioncr OF the Revenue was presented.
Captain Mills objected to giving the Po-
| lice Board power - fix the number OF
pool rooms. as teGding 10 create a mo-
nopoly. Mr. Rat life agreed that il
was limiting the power Of the Council
itself. and proposed az AN amendment
that The applicable n. must he approved
by the City Council. as in the case of
public stables. instead of by the Po-
| lice Board
Should Iia,It Number.
Mr.. Moore thought the licenses
should he issued by the Judge of the
liustings Court, as in the case OF sa-
loon licenses. but that the Council
should limit the number. and provide
other restrictions and police resuia-
tons. Mr.. Moore suggested that Coun-
cilmcn might find the power TO grant
OF refuse such licenses useful in time
OF political campo gns, but at no 9th
Ell time and that ii would not give
the city the results sought.
Mr. Cmlauf considered pood rooms
tar worse than bar rooms and more
damaging 10 the morals Of the com
nunity. He wanted the number limit
cd, defining the character of the places
ana the persons operating them strict
~ enforcing a rule now almost "A dead
letter as 10 minors. and forbdding sec
! ond story and basement pool rooms al
ioGether The paper. with several
amendments. was finally recommtted
TO he recast- The companion ordi-
nance. !imitngthc number OF pawn
brokers' and providing for licensing
I by the Judge Of the Hastings Court
was concurred i'm. Notwithstanding the
protest that II wculd put such licenses
AT great premium and enable peo-
| pie 10 speculate in them. il has been
! charged has been done already in the
case OF saloon licenses
suburban street Car Loop.
On rcpor: OF the Committee on
I Sueets. the Council adopted the flan-
chise ordinance allowing the Virginia
| Railway and Power Company to oper-
ate a suburban loop along franklin
street from Seventh to Eighth. by
means OF tho present Seventh and
! Eighth street tracks. Permission was
( given to Murphy's Hotel 10 erect five
/ overhead shelters over the entrances
( of the new building. projecting over
the sidewalk. When objection was
made to the obstruction OF Broad
/ street, President Peters stated that
/ ihey were not Objectionable as show
cases. and several members agreed
! tina. all distractions should be re-
moved back TO the property line The
petition OF the Mayo Land and Bridge
! company 10 construct a railway track
on Msyo's Island, crossing the right
! o! way OF the new bridge at grade was
| rejected, no allowance for such con-
ccss:on having been made in the con-
! demnatIon price. when the city paid
! tor the right to construct the bridge
across the island
Electric Plant Ordinance Rejected.
The ordinance creating the Office OF
superintendent Of the Electric Plant
and liking his salary At s2.150 was re-
jected, after an hours debate It came
| I'D on recommendation OF the Commit
tee on Finance and has been pending
| for several months Captain Mills OBJ
! jected 10 the plan o. charging AGAINST
the Water Department for current used
| IN water pumping. when no credit was
| given for the valuable site and water
| power rights turned over by the Old
| Pump House when the electric Plant
| was started Efforts, Captain Mills
! charged, were being made 10 ride the
| Electric Plant TO an apparent success
on the shoulders OF the Water Works.
| Citizens were told that the Electric
| Plant had cost 100000 and what
| the lights were costing OIL that outlay
but they were not told that the site
| Of the electric plant with its water
| power rights could have been sold
al $l,0jo.0o0, and that efforts were
| being made TO charge the Water De-
! partmenr more for water pumping than
the current could be obtained else
where. The roll cali ON the ordinance
| stood 10 to 3. the noes being AIessrs
| Mills Moore and Peters Not receiv-
two thirds vote. it was declared re-
| jected
An ordinance to create the posi-
| ton OF police matron at SEQ mouth
was adopted
Assessor of Damages.
Tho ordinance creating the position
OF Assessor OF Damages a, $1,000 a
| year was recommitted after debate.
| Ny Rogers wanted it amended 10 re-
quire the assessor 10 give all his time
to the city. Mr. Iaddon thought the
| position most important and far
reaching one. but other members be-
lieved all the duties could be assigned
to some present clerk in the engineers
Office. without creating any new posi-
/ tion--in fact ii was stated the work is
| now being most acceptably done by j.
VI. y. Allen, n clerk in that Office, and
! takes but portion OF his time 10
! adopt the ordinance was merely to ere
| ate another job, and add that much 10
| the fixed pay roll, contendcd several
members.
! The Committee on Public Buildings.
Properties and Utilities recommended
special appropriation OF $4,000 for
ornamental lights in the business sec
tiPn proposition already several
times rejected. The paper went to
| the Finance Committee
| The petition of j. G. West for $2S5
| damages for stumbling over a sur
! vcyors peg in street was rejected.
/ On roll call. Mr.. Radcliffe offered an