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Au~j~st l~tb: ~ q~.
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<br />were present:
<br />
<br />At a regular meeting of the City Council held August 14th, 1945, there
<br />
<br />George L. Grimes, James N. Howard, Frank D. Lawrence, E. Robie
<br /> Sturtevant, C. E. Warren, Pearle J. Wilson and Arthur S. Owens,
<br />City Manager.
<br />
<br />Chair.
<br />
<br />In the absence of the President~ Vice President Pearle J. Wilson in the
<br />
<br />rant to lead the body
<br />
<br /> Minutes of regular meeting held July 24th were read and approved.
<br />
<br />The C~hairman presented the following statement and called on Mr. Sturte-
<br />in prayer:
<br />
<br /> "I feel that inasmuch as our President has proclaimed
<br />'V-J~ Day that the people of the nation who have been pray-
<br /> ing for peace and singing 'God Bless America' should get
<br /> down on their knees and thank God that this great conflict
<br /> has ended instead of resorting to drunkenness and the de-
<br /> 'struction of property."
<br />
<br /> On motion of Mr. Lawrence, the rules were suspended and the privilege of
<br />the floor was granted to Mr. Marshall Butt, Chairman of the War History Commission. Mr. Butt
<br />stated that the work of the Committee had increased and it was necessary for The Committee to
<br />have a permanent meeting place.
<br />
<br /> Motion of Mr. Howard that the City Manager work with the War History
<br />Committee to secure such meeting place, was'adopted.
<br />
<br /> On motion of Mr. Warren, the privilege of the floor was granted acom -
<br />mittee from the Soft Ball League, who asked permission to hold a Soft-ball tournament in the
<br />stadium on September 2nd.
<br />
<br />Motion of Mr. Warren to refer to the City Manager was adopted.
<br />
<br /> The Food Committee made the following report:
<br />
<br /> "In furtherance of your instructions to try and secure a more adequate
<br />food supply for-the City of Portsmouth, a committse composed of Mt. Horace T. Sharpe, represent-
<br />ing Labor, Mr. Ray J. Dunn, representing the Chamber of Commerce, Mr. Jessie Ov~rton, represen~
<br />ing the Retail-Merchants Association, Commander 'C.C. Stutts, representing the Norfolk Navy ~
<br />Yard, Councilman J. N. Howard, Pearle J. ~ilson,H. Earl Weiseman, C.E. Warren a~d the City Man~
<br />acer went ~to Washington on July 31st, 19~5 for appointments on August let and 2nd with refer-~
<br />ence ~o food shortages. - - ~
<br /> We called at Congressman Ralph W. Daughton~s office and there appoint-
<br />menZs were made for us to confer with-Mr. J. J. Madigan of the OffiCe of Price Administration
<br />and Dr. D. A. Fitzgerald, Assistant to Mr. Clinton Anderson, Department of Agriculture; B.R.
<br />Smith, Department of Agriculture; J.E. Kelly, Office-of Price Administration; and Russell E.
<br />Bender, Department of Agriculture.
<br /> Here a very earnest plea was made with these officials to send a spe-
<br />cial allotments of beef and meat to this area ~o help alleviate hardships caused by severe
<br />shortages in this congested s~ction which is recognized by Federal Authorities as the third
<br />most congested section of the country; Portsmouth in three years having grown from a popula -
<br />tion of 50,000 to a City of 150,0OO within a five mile radius of the City Post Office.
<br /> It was also ~rought to,the attention of these officials that the Fed- ~
<br />eral Housing Authority had built ove~'lT,0~O h6using units in this section to take care of thai
<br />growth but that a roof over a man's head was not sufficient that he also had to be fed and that
<br />Portsmouth was proud of its contribution ~o the "War Effort" and thatour appeal was being made
<br />to them to assist us in helping to ke:ep these vast throngs of workers satisfied so that we
<br />could maintain the high efficiency of ou~ effort until we had completed the war and won the
<br />victory.
<br /> The resolution adopted~by the Council and recorded in the minutes as
<br />of Tuesday, July 24th, were presented to these gentlemen as well as Congressman Daughton and
<br />Senator Harry F. Byrd.
<br /> Mr. Madigan pro.mised that a study, and a ~urwey would be made of this
<br />area and if any meat could be secured it would be sent into ~he area to relieve the condition~
<br />Later on Monday,August 6th, 1945, Mr. Mundy of the Office' of Price Administration at Richmond,
<br /> irgin~a, advised us that G. J~ Pierce~ J.P. Gwaltney'Company and JoelHarrell of Suffolk and
<br />J.P, Tranf at Chinese Cross Roads in Princess Anne County, h~d all received quotas for meat
<br />that should relieve the acute shortage on the local market. The Committee is checking now with
<br />distributors.to see if there is any increase in meat and we respectfully urge and request that
<br />dealers in Portsmouth keep our committee advised when relief appears.
<br /> In a telephone conversation, Monday,~Mr~ Madigan again informs us of
<br />his additional efforts and that all national packers had been requested to ship more beef
<br />and meat to ~his area.
<br /> Attached hereto are copies of letters from the Hon. Harry F. Byrd~
<br />
<br />Very truly yours,
<br />
<br />James N. Howard, Chairman,
<br /> representing the above
<br /> Committee."
<br />
<br />The President stated tha~ the President of the United States and ~he
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