The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1914-09-16
'WARD-L|NE CHANGES
BEFORE COMMITTEE
bo"r1 of Aldermen Concurs in Rcso-
luton 10 Appoin. Special
Joint Body
TO CARE FOR NEW TERRITORY
Proposed Redistricting IIoremos,
Question Before New Council.
Law Requires tccasiing of Boun-
dartcs-EOur Ward PLAN y,ovorctI

BY 4 unanimous vote the no,rd Of
aldermen last night night concurrcJ in
'he resolution. passed by tho Common
Council. appointing npcrin, ioint
committee Of nine mcubcrs-fnur Tr..,,,
the Ronrd OF Aldermen and 6vn frou
the Common Council--to lnveatiu,tc
and report plan for redistrictinn ;hc
CITY into wards so as to take care of
TIN new territory that viii become cart
OF tn city on November j.
Mayor Ainslic is expected to sipr
the resolution this wock. and tho
presidents OF the two branches OF III.
Council VIII name the committee mem
Der. shortly after. The redistrictinr
committee will therefore hc In a posi-
ton to begin it's Investigation within
tho next two weeks
/ Already tho proposed rcdistrIcting
has become the foremost question be-
fore the new Council. rccasting of
the ward lines is required by the
statute which makes mandatory a re-
districting whenever any one ward OF
the city exceeds any other ward In
population by more than 5000 lnhab-
itants.
SENTIMENT TO RETAIN
PLAN OF FOUR WARDS
An unofficial canvass OF the Councils
feeling as TO the number OF wards in
which Greater Richmond should be di-
vidcd. reveals an Overwhelming senti-
hiNht ipl we retention OF the -FOUR ward
plan. II Is felt that to increase the
size OF the Council would be "A step
backward to the unwicldly large Coun-
ell from which the city departed.
The charter OF the city fixes the num-
Der OF Councilman and Aldermen that
each ward shall have. This number
cannot he decreased or diminished cy-
cept through change in tho charter
secured by special act OF the Lcgisl2-
turc. Each ward is required TO elect
live members OF the Common Council
and three members OF the Board OF
Aldermen.
The retention OF the ward plan
would mean the enlargement OF each
OF the present four wards In po!n; Of
territory. but the number Of Council
men would remain unchanged. It Is
regarded az probable that the Council
will approve the present four-ward
system for Greater Richmond.
An effort Will be made to settle the
ward question before annexation be-
comes effective on November 3. Coun-
Gilman Jones. patron OF the resolution
appointing the rcd!strict!ng committee
Is having prepared 4 tentative plan for
:, division OF the city into four wards
10 be presented for the consideration
OF the committee at it's first meeting
The tentative plan follows the gen
erai ward scheme now In force. II
give. Madison Ward ali the territory
south Of the river and the central por-
ton OF the city north Of the river in
cludcd between Fourteenth Street and
the Chesapeake and Ohio Railway line
on the east. the corporation limo on the
north. ana First Street on tho west
Jefferson Ward is given all the east.
crn section Of the city north of tho
river between the eastern boundary OF
the proposed new Madison ward on
the west and tho corporation line on
tho east and north. Lee ward Is given
the north western section OF tho city
bounded by First Street on the east
Broad street on the south. and tho
corporation line on the north and west.
CLAY WARD COMPOSED
or SOUTHWEST SECTION
Clay Ward. under the tentative plan
proposed, would he composed OF tho
whole southwestern section OF the citv.
and would he bounded on the east by
First Street. on the north by Broad
Street on the west and south b. the
CORPORATION line. and the river.
Such criticism against this plan az
has come 10 surface is directed against