Minutes 08/10/1943 - Laserfiche WebLink

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August !Oth~ 1D4~. Ayes: Fox, Grimes, Hall, Howard~ Hutchins, Lawrence, Warren, ~i!son Nays: None' The report of the City Auditor for the month of July was received and or - dered filed. The following letter was read: "The Miller Day Nursery and Home~ respectfully invites the 0ity Council and the Manager to visit the Nursery to observe the ~rk personally of the institution which h~s for thirty-three years, November let, 1943, served the underprivileged negro children of the City. Tour appropriation through the ms~uy yeaMs, has been appreciated by the Board of Directors. The Board is very anxious that the Council ~tness the result of its. nurturing of this institution to ~nich the citizens of Portsmouth have so generously contri- · buted funds and materials~ Gratefully yours, Miller Day Nursery, W. H. J~nnings~, President." Motion of Mr. Howard to accept said invitation with thanks, was adopted. The following letter was read and on motion of Mr. Howard, referred to the City Manager: "We are bringing to your attention the condition of Hamilton Ave., in the 900 block. It is very bad at this part of it, and when it rains~ it is almost an impossibility for vehicles to get in and out of it at this section. Last winter the people on tD~s ~treet were faced with severe difficulties in getting heating fuel to their residence. Unless ~ome- thing is done they a~e going to be faced with the se~e thing again this winter. Sometime ago the ambul~uce could not get in to get a very sick lady.~ud in the event of fire, the truck would have difficulty in getting in to lmy a line of hose. ~e are afraid great damage would be done before this could be done. The condition of this street has been brodght to the attention of the Coun¢ilman o f this ward and he was supposed to do something temporary about it. That is all we are asking. We are not asking for a paved street, but Just something temporary to remedy the condition for it is terrible. The ice man and the garbage collector has trouble in getting in now, and -when it rains and right after it they don~t come in. During or after the next rain, if you we~ to attempt to drive your car through this street, you would see it is the worst or one of the worst streets in Portsmouth for surface condition° With the above information in your hands and the scene we have 'tried to picture to you, we are hoping that something will be done shortly. Your's - Young Men's Civic Organization, James Mooay, Vice Pres., John H.Lewis, Sec'y." The following letter ~ms read~ and on motion of 'Mr. Eox, ordered fi!ed: "It may seem like a little ~tter, the layinM of concrete sidewalks to- day when in the immediate post-war ycu~ll be thinking of tearing uo those same walks to bury the overhead wires underground. Nevertheless, I have the audacity to speak out of turn - with your kind permission to spesk with the strong conviction that the boys returning from the fighting fronts are going to demand that you do Just that little thing. Putting the electrical wires underground and your tommyhawks in beside them. Burying the hatchets so many people sw~ng wildly overhead every time the question o f the incorooration of Tidewater into one big municipal comes up. It has been said that the City Council re-echoes only the sentiment of the people. The Council acts only in the interests of the people they represent. Such is the way of good democratic government. If that is so, then it would profit every member of your august body to take an s~rplane ride over the 0ity, over all this srea, some sunny day soon. For the people of tomorrow will be the fighting men of this war who got a birdseye view of things. They'll think Gig, and talk big, because they have tasted of the freedom of the air and no longer will be content with ~ne poverty of the land.. Aviators know no municipal, state o r national boundaries. They'll ac - c~pt no such limitations from their home town on their return. For them, for yourselves, for all of us I ask that you give more than a passing ~hought to the enclosed blueprint for tomor- row. Let's do our battling now, so we'll be ready for the boys~ home coming - be ready for the day when the lights go on again all over the world. YoUrS truly, (Signed) Larry Smith." The following letter was read~ and on motion of Mr. Hutchins, ordered filed: t~If you have not already done so, we shall appreciate it if you will bring the plans for the annual meeting of the League of Virginia M~unieipalitiss which will be