Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1914-12-17
CONTINUE EFFORTS TO
BLOCK USE OF CHURCH.
property Owners Near Fifth and
Leigh Streets Against Sale to
Negro Congregation.
CHANGE SEGREGATION la
Council May BE Asked to Pass
Amendment Which Will Clearly
Apply to CaSe-City Attorneys
Construction Meets With Disfayor.

IianS to block the use OF the I'M
manuel Baptist Church Building. Fifth
and Leigh Streets. by n Colorcd conEre-
saton, were discussed at length last
night at mass meeting OF the white
property owners and residents of tho
neiShborhood threatened by the negro
INVASION. The meeting. which was
held in the auditorium OF the John
Marshall High School. was attended bv
hity or more men and women. all
unanimous IN their opposition TO the
use of the church by The negroes
Efforts will be made. il was deter
mined. to have the City Council so
amend the Segr eEation ordinance as TO
make II apply to the case in point
WITH this end in view. u committee was
appointed to ask City Attorney Pollard
10 decide whether such an amendment
could accomplish the purpose. ii passed
ut this late stage in the negotiations
between the white and colorcd congrc-
cations.
Former Councilman y. l.. Nondcrlehr.
patron of the first segregation ordi-
nance in operation here, acted as chair
man or the meeting, and defined what
IN his opinion. was the purpose of the
city Council in passing the measure
re was followed by John L. Lcary, who
discussed tho legal phases OF the ques-
ton. Short talks were made bv soy
them Rev. w. Russell Bowie, ID. D.,
rector Of ST. raurs Episcopal Church.
and Alderman Joseph T.. Powers.
CITY ATTORNEYS RULING
MEETS WITH DtSFAVOR
Much OF the discussion centred
around the construction TO be placed
"n me lahSuage of the segregation
ordinance. The ordinance. it was
shown. plainly stated that no colored
INF,
which the majority of the houses were
occupied by white families, or vice
versa a letter FROM CITY ATTORNEY
foiiard to Alderman Powers. in which
.he former holds that houses" in fact.
mean Residences" was In. c.ntro or
contention. The letter follows:
Replying To your request TO inform
you whether. under Section /, Of the
s,SGGreSaii"n ordinance, as amended by
1914, Residences" rather thnu ..honscs,:
must he counted in determining wheth
CT or not Il section is whit. or .olorch
rs me case may be, have TO say that
am clearly OF the opinion that. nr-
cording TO the legislative intent Of ihc
oi .i.;nhcc, US Wen as the letter OF The
a .s IN. count must be ascer,ained with
rcsthchccS, rather than "houscs" i'm
inind. Amy other construction would
cause the counting Of a single apart
mirht nous" hc h ha,r = Unit. although there
counted. that is. separate family cso
a adon,nh N, This construction was
ter the ordinance was enacted ana h.,s
been affirmed Il number of times. and il
SO evidently correct that can see no
reason Tor departing from it,
This ruling of the CITY At,ornov w,,
NOT IN accord with the views or the
iinneh i, Ird several directly cues
me city Council clear the aimosphcre
WIN an amendment, the COMMITTEES
headed by Aldcrm;tm rowers, will ask
MI foiinrd to draft an ordinance which
WOMAN DENOI NOES
otNF "BY COOK STOyESy
They are going by cook stoves" ono
,ni',S nun woman said amid the ap-
n ihev c, OF the Others Only last week
uccI"e now many families there was
living in it. they asked how many cook
I.oneS there were. and We We're listed
This statement was verified bv
othe"s, and ii WAS arrceu tnot wb,n
~. caEse 10 cook stoves. the negroes
bors. 1919 "e'Sh-
six or eight colorcd families live
ana cook in one house." said one
DR.. Bowie was The only persou who
even Indirectly favored letting The me-
Erocs acquire the church out of
l rro recs ana am GIhivalry he said the ne
Al
OUT OF us present crowded and in
MANY instances. unSanitary surround
ihES. l'r. Bowie was Interested i'm III.
question, as 81. paul's church main
tains IA home for girls in that neigh
borhood ''S
AS il now stands. the congregation
OF Emmanuel Baptist Church, by court
order. may sell its property. The ne
groes have already paid "a small part
OF the purchase price as an evidence
or good faith. Leigh street on tho
block occupied by the church. is Il
white block in every sense OF the
word, while the Fifth street block
- III question. Before the congrern
non OF negroes are given possession
or the huildinS. the present congrcca-
ton will construct AN, entrance on
fiith street. blocking tho entrance on
Leigh street.
The Fifth Street block, counting each
oMidIng as unit has 81 majority of
whites. Counting the families how
ever. the majority is in favor of the
negroes. This latter count. according
TO city Attorney Pollard. is the true
one.