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April 13th, 19 ?.
<br />
<br /> On motion of Mr. Fox, the privilege of the-fleer was granted Mr. George C.
<br />Smith, who offered his service in instructing the personnel of the Police ~epartment, in
<br />Red Cross First Aid, the text books to cost sixty cents each, and ~s pay to be such as the
<br />Council would be willing to give.
<br />
<br /> Motion of Mr. Weiseman to accept Mr. Smith's offer and refer same to the City
<br />Manager for action, was adopted°
<br />
<br /> Mr. $. C. Robertson asked permission to operate a minstrel show in Portsmouth,
<br />from May 6th to llth. On motion of Mr. Howard, same was referred to the City Manager.
<br />
<br /> Mr. Pox, Chai-rman of Committee on Bus Complaints, stated'that his committee,
<br />with the City Manager, had taken up with the VirKinla Electric & Power 0ompany, the report
<br />of the 0ommittee, as approved by the Council on March 23rd, and the company agreed to put in-
<br />to effect, on trial, items i and 3 of said report, and on item 2, to extend the time to 10:30
<br />P.M., instead~of 9:00 P.M~, as at present, and that items ~ and 5 are not feasible to put in-
<br />to operation.
<br />
<br /> Motion of Mr. Fox to approve items 1, 2 and 3 as agreed to by the Virginia
<br />Electric & Power Company, was adopted.
<br />
<br /> Mr. Jacobsen, representing the Lions~ Club, was granted the privilege of the
<br />floor and .stated that the .City owned a lot of playground equipment, ~hat had not been used
<br />for several years and that the Lions Club asked ~the use of some of this equipment to estab -
<br />lish a play-ground at the Portsmouth Orphan Asylum, Westha~en.
<br />
<br />Motion of Mr. Warren to lay said request on table until next meeting, was
<br />
<br />adopted.
<br />
<br />The following communication from the City Attorney, was read:
<br />
<br /> air reference to the request of an expenditure of $600.00 towardthe erection
<br />of a monument to the 8panish-American War Veterans, I have~onsidered this .matter very care-
<br />fully, and in my opinion, the City has not the legal authority remake the appropriation.
<br />Without express authority can not appropriate public revenue for such purpose. The Charter
<br />of the City of Portsmouth gives it no such authority.- And Section 185 of the ~tate ConStitu-
<br />tion appears to expressly prohibit the particular appropriation/
<br />
<br /> Motion of Mr. Wilson to refer back to the 0ity Attorney to consider that the
<br />monument wou~d be the property of the~Oity of Portsmouth, was adopted.
<br />
<br />The following ordinance, was, on motion of Mr. Pox, placed on its first read-
<br />
<br />lng:
<br />
<br /> "AN ORDINANCE PROVIDING .FOR THE PAYMENT OF SCHOOL FUNDS
<br /> TO THE S0H00L BOARD OF THE 0I?Y OF PORTSMOUTH, VIRGINIA.~
<br />
<br /> The repor~ of the Accounting Department for the month of March, 193~, was re -
<br />ceived and ordered filed.
<br />
<br />The report of the City Collector for March was received and ordered filed.
<br />
<br /> Mr. Welseman, Chairmanof the newly organized.Industrial Commission, presented
<br />the following:
<br />
<br /> "FOR WHAT PURPOSE AN INDUSTRIAL COMMISSION IS FORMED?
<br /> Business firms choosing factory sites, branch location, must
<br />have information ~hat is not only complete, but is accurate and depend-
<br />able. General information sUCh as usually furnished is not sufficient,
<br />and fac~s must be gathered and compiled in such manner as to show at a
<br />glance the specific information that is demanded by those who have money
<br />to invest; therefore, it is not only desirable, but highly necessary to
<br />have such information available.
<br /> A prospective investor or manufacturer may have in mind tha~
<br />your City or section is the looatlon tha~ he feels might be suited for
<br />his purposes, provided local ~ax rates amc fair, assessments equitable,
<br />labor conditions satisfactory, transportation-facilities ample, and
<br />utility rates in line with other places.
<br /> In order ~o quickly and accurately answer a questionnaire, or
<br />a letter sent out as a feeler, the Industrial Commission should have
<br />available, not only the class of information stated above, but also have
<br />at hm~dthe available factory sites, list of all buildings tha~ have in
<br />the past been used for manufacturing purposes, also prices at which such
<br />sites can be purchased, and rental value of buildings. To s$oure this
<br />information, there should be set up at once means of acquiring this in -
<br />formation.
<br /> In addition the Oommission should secure at once a thoroughly
<br />competent real estate firm, or an individual familiar with sites for
<br />factories, prices forwhich such sites may be purchased or leased~ and
<br />ao~ in a general way as a representative of a¢llent, sending no bills,
<br />but rendering honest service to the new prospec~o
<br /> All information furnished a prospect should be complete in
<br />every detail, and any information received from a prospect should be
<br />held strictly confidential and by no means ~o get in the hands of eom-
<br />peti$ors.
<br />
<br />
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