The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1914-08-04
COUNCIL PASSES
BOND ISSUE ACT
Lower Branch Concurs in Meas
ure Appropriating $500,O0O
for Streets.
FIRST IN CITY'S HISTORY
Represents Departure From
Fixed Practice of Bonding for
Tangible Improvements Only.
FIRST IN CITYS HISTORY

/ I'lE against the measure, the COmmOn n
Council last night concurred in tho
/ ordinance authorizing an issue Of
! 100000 in short-term bonds, the pro-
! cceds from the sale OF which are TO
/ be devoted TO street improvements
! The ordinance specifies that $4,000 OF
! the proceeds shall be used in extend
/ Ing the smooth paving on Broad Street,
but makes no other specifications be-
yond providing that the money shall
! De expended under the direction Of the
| Administrative Board
! The measure needs now only the
signature OF the Mayor to become ef-
| fec;ive. 1t was introduced BY Alder
man Gunst at the June meeting of
! the board. after the Finance Commit
/ tee had considered for two months and
! failed TO submit report on resolu-
! ton from the board requesting II to
report plan for a bond issue OF this
/ size for street improvements II was
/ passed ny the board under a suspen-
/ sion Of the rules. but at the meeting
OF the Common Council In July the
! measure struck an unexpected snag.
and upon the motion OF Councilnan II
/ tmlauf il was referred to the Finance
] Committee
! MEM FINANCIAL
+ POLICY FOR CITY.
| Much of the objection 10 the meas
| ure came from Councilman Powell.
I "ho opposed II on the ground ;hat it
? III 'Stil Ati Il ffpdI tuIe IRON! the Es-
I tablished practice OF the city 10 issue
/ bonds only for permanent tangible i'm
/ proveuents TO adopt Il policy OF is
! suing bonds for street improvements
he thought. would impair the value Of
/ the city's bonds and indirectly njure
: its credit.
! MIR. Powell opposed the bond issue
! when the ordinance WAS discussed be-
/ hind closed doors in the Finance Com
/ nittee. but committee, by divided
! vote. on July Il recommended the
! measure for passage. IT came before
, the committees approval. and was con
CURED in BY a vote of IL to J. Coun-
Gilman Powell made no opposing
speech but voted in the negative
The bona issue authorized under it
Ia the first in the city's history de-
signed exclusively for street i'm
. proVements. Its passage is due direct
ly TO the efforts OF Alderman Gunst,
who pushed the measure through in
} the face of opposition which towards
the last threatened 10 throttle it. AS
/ early s TWO years ago he sought to
amend a then pending bond issue or
. dlnance to Include 81 $1,000 600 appro-
priation for street improvements
ALL TO he EXPENDED
IN SURFACE IMPROVEMENTS
II marks the largest single appro-
priation ever made by the city to sur
face improvements. Larger sums have
been provided for sewers and u,,der-
ground construction. but the su face
improvements. including paving, have
been left to the annual item for -cets
generally. There has been provided
Tor this fund during the current fiscal
year about 100000. out OF which
must come the maintenance 'T the
city hands and carts. Engineering De-
partment pay rolls and other overhead
charges. leaving a lesser sun for the
"ctuai payment of contractors for
street work. The half million fund
provided By the bond issue II Is point
ed out. Will be entirely available for
contract work on the suriace improve
inent of streets within the present cor
porate limits.
The Common Council spent the bet
ter part OF an hour last night in an
argument over the advisabilitv al
placing the proposed municipal EN-
ployinent bureau under the direction
and control of the Administrative
board instead Of under an independent
hoard OF lVe members, to be elected
by the Council from list OF ten. 10
be submitted by the MAYOR. Success
siVc motions, designed TO effect this
change, offered by Councilman Rat
clinc. were ruled out of order by
President Peters, and. upon an insis
tchi call for the pending question the
body inally passed the ordinance in
the Finance Committee
EMPLOY iMt:NT BUREAU
ORDINANCE ADOPTED
Ihc measure a$ passed provides 70,
q paid manager. to he appointcd NV
the board. of five members for a tern,
oi TWO years, at a salary of sl.5OO a
year. and for Il clerk to the manage,
al $500 year. Councilman Wonder
!chr offered an amendment, making the
salaries Sl.S0U ana 5 900 q wear re-
spectiveiy. hut the amendment was
voted down.
Councilman English sustained Coun-
Gilman Iiatclimc in the view that the
employment bureau should be oper-
ated under the direction of the Admin
strative Board. The multiplication of
independent boards, they pointed out
was undesirable. Mr.. English pointed
Ia the Board of Public Interests. con
ssting Of Coumcilmen and lay mem
bcrs. as an example of the lamentable
failure Of independent mixed boards
serving without pay and apparently
without interest
"NIsAR-SIDT" ORDINANCE
PASSES UNANIMOUSLY
The body passed by unanimous vote
the so-callcd "near-side" ordinance. II
provides that street cars shall stop 10
discharge or receive passengers only
on the near side of intcrsecting streets
except AT transfer points having di-
vcrging lines, where stops arc to be
made on both the near and the far
sides
Upon the adverse recommendation OF
the Finance Committee the Common
Council rejected the resolution author
ring the acquisition OF property in the
! Smiths Hill section of the city FOR
the establishment of a park designed
for the exclusive use Of colored people.
! The project had been agitated for many
months. and had received the approval
/ of tho Committee on Public Buildings
Properties and Utilities.
The body refused To concur in the
| ordinance passed by the Board OF AL
| dcrmen authorizing the settlement OF
the claim for carriages used in con
| Continued on I'iftA Page.l