Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1916-02-14
ASK ALDERMEN To ACT
ON REDUCTION IN BOARD
Gunst Is Expected to Push POwell's
ordinance at Meeting To-
Morrow Night.
MAY GO BACK TO COMMITTEE
Another Recourse Open Should Meas
urc Fail of Tnssnge-Chief Busi-
ness Up Is Consideration of Bud
get, Amended by Council.

With six votes promised him and
tw" wavcrine on the question. coun-
Gilman Fred II. Powell, of Lee Ward.
hopes that his ordinance for the
dnction of the Administrative Board to
four members may. under "a suspension
of rules. be put on its passage in the
meeting of the Board OF Aldermen to-
morrow night aud be passed by the
requisite three fourths vote Of eight.
In all probability the ordnance will
he introduced by Alderman Marx
Gunst. who has been outspokcnly in
favor of reducing the BOARD to three
members.
If the ordinance should nc adopted
by the Board Of :hldcrucn, Mr.. Powell
would immediately set about 10 have
Il special meeting Of TIE Common Coun-
ell called to concur in III. action. A.
the last regular meeting Of the lower
branch the vOt. To place TIA" ordinance
ON its pasSaG" under II suspension of
rules was - t. :. showing that the
majority of the members present were
actually i'll favor OF thc reduction.
though there WAS not sufficient num-
Der To suspend the rules. suspension
requires Il three -fourths vote.
MAY 60 BACK re-
ORDNANCE COMMITTEE:
If the ordinance fails of passage to-
morrow night, MIR Powell still has re-
course again to the ordinance Com
mittce. TO which the question was re-
fcrrcd after the Common Council re-
fused To sake il up. The Ordinance
Committee is the only one in w!.:.n
Legislation ma! originate ana be in
itiatcd aud though the committee last
week refused IL recommend the rcduc-
. ton ordinance by a vote OF To 4.
it did not thereby rid itself of the
question. and may, eventually. have
TO wrcstlc with II again.
! II is likely, however. that MIR. Pow
I ell will abide by the decision OF the
Board of Aldermen ana rclinuuish the
/ fight if the question is acted upon adj
! vcrsely.
| II the Powell ordinance finally fails
! OF adoption il is probable that Il spe-
cal election to I'LL the Vacancy on the
| board will he called in May, as, under
| the law, Il member OF the dminiStra-
| tive Board may not come UP ut the
/ tim" when memhers to the City Coun-
Gil are elected
! |, is now said in City Hall circles
dent OF the Gas Works. is the favorite
against Graham l.. liuhsou. 1t was
| stated yesterday that ma jority of
both branches had committed them
selves to Mr.. Knowles. and that there
arc only five altogether who have not
u.stut promises 10 t!tnGc CanultIte.
no CONSIDER BUDGET
AS CHIEF BUSINESS
, The chief business before the Board
/ is consideration Of the budget, which.
! slightly amended by the lower branch.
/ Will probably be adopted without diff
I fuse debate. The Common Council
amended the budget so rs TO transfer
! $lU,o60 from the account To bills pay
able Ia the pay roll of the Street Clean
ing department, increasing the latter
item to Sl5".o1o. superintendent COhn
said that the original appropriation
would compel him to reduce his force.
and. at his earnest bchcst, the FiuanC"
Committee recommended the transfer.
Attempt was made 10 transfer the APP
preparation of $1,000 for music in the
parks also 10 tn. pay roll Of the Street
Cleaning Department, but when Coun-
Gilman Jones pleaded that the people
loved to hear a little rag now ana
, t!:cn. and said that music had charms
10 Soothc the working man into for
EctfuinesS OF his toll and mol, the
! Common Council refused to eliminate
the item.
IT is safe 10 say that the Aldermen
viii follow Ike course.