The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1914-01-30
SHARP DEBATE
OVER GUM BILL
Hcnrico Member of House of
Delegates Seeks to Limit
Annexation.
BILL HAS FIvE-YEAR CLAUSE
Limits Amount City May Take at
One Time to One-Fourth of
County's Assessment.
BILL HAS FIVE-YEAR CLAUSE

sharp debate over the bill offered
by Delegate Julien Gum, of Hcnrico
seeking to limit the area to be annexed
TO Richmond, took place yesterday
morning before the House Committee
on Counties, Cities and Towns The
Gum bill provides az an amendment
to the general law on the subject of
annexation that not more than 20 per
cent of the assessed valuation OF any
county may be taken into an adjoining
city at one annexation. and that there
after there shall DO no further annex :
alton for five years. The Henrico citi-
Zens claim that the lines us drawn
by tho City Council of Richmond, talk
Ing in Barton Heights. Ginter Park,
Highland Park, North Richmond and
the intervening suburbs on the north.
together with considerable section
east and west of the present city limits,
Will take from the county 35 per cent
of it's taxable values
Chairman Saunders, OF the county
Board of Supervisors. said II was
realized by the county that an annex
alton OF the moro thickly built-up
suburbs was probable. though the
county seeks to limit it as much as
possible, through Fthe fear that the
burden of supporting the county gov
eminent VIII then 'fall with greater
weight on the remaining taxpayers.
When 1t was suggested that under the
Gum bill Richmond might annex terri
tory at this time and again I'm five
years. Mr. Saunders said that tho coun-
" would have had in that time an op-
portunity to recuperate, and to adjust
it's finances.
Wnddill supports Bill.
:. r. Waddill clerk OF the Hcnrico
county circuit Court. spoke I'm support
or the Gum bill, charging that the
Richmond papers were so ardcntlv in
favor Of annexation that the county
side of the case had never been fairly
presented. Mr.. Waddill argued mt
length that the city should not be per
mitted to absorb more territory at one
time than it was prepared Immediate
~ to improve.
City Attorney H. r. Pollard spoke
against The bill telling the committee
OF Richmonds congestion and OF its
desire to lay off streets in the sur
rounding area and so provide homes
Tor its people at less exorbitant rates
Chief Health officer +. c. Levy. OF
Richmond. favored annexation. Dis
ease did not recognize arbitrary or
imaginary lines, he said, making the
point that all contiguous territory
should he under uniform health regu.
lattons, in order that ono section might
not spread diseases to another Rich.
mond, he said. had In four years re.
duced the number of closets from 1000
TO l.20O, and was rapidly eliminating
these. The county had no arrange
inent for contagious diseases he said
and from the very territory to be an
neNcd had sent smallpox cases to the
city smallpox Hospital. State Health
Commissioner Il. G. Williams spoke in
favor of annexation. as did T. NJ Car
rington, president of the Chamber OF
Commerce: DR.. II. II. Pitt, OF Barton
Heights; Augustine Royal, of Forc>,
Hill and others.
In answer to Mr. Waddill. Mr.. Pol
lard wanted to know what the county
had done for street Improvement
street lighting, sewers. water. fire pro
lection, health and police supervision
or for the sanitation OF the territory
in question.
The argument will be continued this
afternoon at o'clock.