Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1920-02-09
JOHN HIRsCHBERG FLAYs
CITY OFFICIALS ACTIONS
Mayoralty Candidate Charges Mem.
Der OF City Government Got
Percentage on Purchase.
CLAIMS MONEY BEING WASTED
Addresses Mass-Mecting Pointing
Out So-Called Defects in Present
administration - Says Financial
Reports Arc Held Back.

John Hirschbcrg. candidate for Mayor
addressing more than 500 union men at
the Arcade Building. Foushec and
Broad Streets. yesterday branded the
present city administration az ineffi-
Gent and declared that the Department
OF Puoli1 Works alone has wasted
enough money to pay the Mayors SAL
ary for 100 years
Attendance at the meeting was so
large that not only the hall In which
the address was delivered, but the
landing and stairs outside were packed
to suffocation.
ie charged that man connected
with the city government had aided
IN railroading an appropriation Of
$4,000 through the City Council for
eXpe.nditnre bH the Department of
,rl ruolic safety for motor equipment.
VINO aided in the ''rail-oadinG' of the
appropriation received percentage
from tho motor equipment sale for
winch the appropriation was made
Points to Fire Truck Purchnse.
Mr.. Hirschberg described the Incl
dent as the purchase OF the now La
France motor fire engines for the Fire
department and said that the person
terested in the Virginia Equipment
Company, which was party TO the
transaction.
Further, Mr.. Hirsch,berE charged that
the city government was closed
corporation" through which II was
practically impossible for the average
citizen to get justice. Declaring that
the City Code made it mandatory for
the comptroller to issue monthly
stat ement of finances he charged that
lne onicials were unwilling for the citi-
1eis 10 know how their own money
was being spent, and stated that no
stat M tement had been-Sissued for twelve
Attacking his opponents record. Mr.
| Hirschberg stated his own platform.
Claims Ainslie Failure.
Mr. Afnslie announces that hc will
run again on his past record" the
sbpeaker tbs ern6, declared; 1T Sn't the past
you nave been failure in tho past
IL =, Is what arc you going to do in the
Scoring Mayor Ainslie further, he de-
clared that the Mayor always shifted
reeSsponStoiiity and never met an issue
,....1 won't be dictated to by any no
iitical boss, either" Mr.. Hirschberr
told the assembly.
NJ D5Tsster Msefe s0d of ba nabls Safety William
the Police Department came in for n
severe raking over the Goals at the
hands or the candidate.
Sees Wnste OF Money.
Department did not need additional men
to put the lwo-pIntoon system INTO
etreet, p,,e,ii. cL he said that the Director of
s!tion Of an officer for each trio of
patrolnen on the police force, copying
after the military standard of one
offieer to every three men.
Needless waste OF money through
these appointments was alleged by the
speaker. He asked why it was nee
esSarj to have four lieutenants OF Dolice
for less than 200 policemen.
Next the mayoralty candidate advo-
Gated new city hospital and aban-
Touching on the question OF assess
nents and the policy of raising tho
present tax rate and reassessing prop
present assessment was over 10 per
cent heavier on the little" citizen than
on business concerns.
Streets Are Torn Up.
Delay in settling the Shockoe Creek
Hirschberg touched. He said that there
were sixty-eight suits pending because
of overflow damages. and told the as
the Administrative Board he had asked
Tor wn,,S $4,000 200 to ,. DO the the work. which
city.
Road and street Improvement was
another issue touched on by Mr.. Hirsch-
berg: He said that the Department OF
Public Works should know better than
to dig IN the streets in mid-December
and expect them to be in any kind OF
shape In January He charged that
lives"
Cost of running the city government
will be s11.OOO.oO0. according to Mr..
but s5,ooo,ooo
House of Delegates. also made short
talk.
I,s1ysnn o0orroooo nIrc