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~*-~ - ~' I regret very much to report the death of color.ed nurse, Rosetta Ba.i~nes, <br />wbn has' bee~-e~noloyed i~ the Public Health Department since Septemoer 8th,~ 1932. Rosemsa <br />Baines died in the K~ngs Daughters Hospital on January llth, 1933. <br /> <br /> On motion ordered filed. <br /> 6th - ,Further in connection with my letters to you of Deoe~oer 19th and 2~th, <br />regarding investigation of public utility rates, which question is now with you. The daily <br />press, under date of January 19th, e~ried a news item from Richmond to the effect that the <br />State Corporation Oommission had emoowered a Rice, mend consulting engineer to conduct an in- <br />vestigation into rates charged by e~eotric power companies in Virginia. The news item fur- <br />ther stated that this work would begin immediately, but would require about one year to com- <br />plete, at an estimated cost of $50,000. <br /> I do not feel that the investigation authorized by the Sta~e Oo~poration <br /> Oommission, as outlined in the o~ess last week~ will be satisfactorT to the people, as it <br /> will require too much time to g~t the desired results. The ¢on~nission plans to take one year <br /> to determine if electric rates are fair or not. On -this basis, it will take another year to <br /> investigate telephone rates, and another for gas rates. This is entirely too long a time to <br /> take to settle such an important question and a question that affects so many of our people. <br /> If any relief can be given to the oeople, it should be done within a reason~ole time, and <br /> not two or three years from now. -'If I ~n~derstand the duties of the State Oorporation Oommis- <br /> sion correctly, it is their duty to make the neoessqry investigations of rases charged by <br /> ut ility companies. <br /> In view-of this and the Lmportanoe of this question to the people, I rec- <br /> ommend the adoption of the following resolution, for the reason that if the rates now being <br /> charged are fair, the utility companies should welcome such an investigation, as it would <br /> settle this question~ ~u the minds of our people, and eliminate the thought that the public <br /> utilities are charging unfair rates. Also, as stated above, I consider this question entirely <br /> too important to the majority of our citizens to be permitted to go unsettled for two or three <br /> years. <br /> ~WHEREAS, Due to the decreased cost of production, it appears to <br /> be the concensus of opinion of a large number of the people of the Oity <br /> of Portsmouth and many others in' the Stats of Virginia that there should <br /> be a reduction to consumers in~ the cost of service furnished by the pub- <br /> lic utility companies operating in the S~a~e of Virginia, and: <br /> ~WHEBEAS, The State Oorporation Oommission has seen fit to start an <br /> inquiry into the rates of the three large companies supplying electric <br /> power in the State, and, <br /> WHEREAS, It appears that under its method of procedure it will <br /> take two years or more before the correctness of the rates of these com- <br /> panies can be ascertained and that the ra~es of these companies and all <br /> other utility companies should be at once investigated in order to de- <br /> termine whether the rates now being charged are fair and reasonable, so <br /> that any adjustments found necessary in rates can be made within a rea- <br /> sonable length of time and not two or three years from now. <br /> NOW, THER~O~, BE IT RESOL%~ED BY THE 0OUNOiL OF THE CITY OF <br /> PORTSNOUTH, VIRGINiA, That the State Oorporation 0ommission be requested <br /> to at once initiate an investiEation of the rates charged by all utility <br /> public service corporations operating in the State of Virginia in order <br /> that it may be ascertained whether or not the ra~es charged by such com- <br /> panies are fair and reasonable and that such companies be at once called <br /> upon %o furnish the said State Oorpo~tion Oommission such s~hedules and <br /> data as may be necessary for the purpose of determining their respective <br /> rates and such evidence as they may have to justify the s~me, and, <br /> BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED That a copy of these resolutions be sent t6 <br /> the State Oorporation Oormmission and to the League of Virginia Eunici- <br /> palit ies. ~ <br /> <br /> Eotion of .Mr. Fox to concur in the City Eanager's recommendation was <br /> adopted (Er. Brooks voting No.) <br /> <br /> ?t~h -'Oaptain H.0. Hall of the Police Department, wroze acting Ohief of Police <br /> Talbot, under cate of January 3rd, as follows: <br /> 'Because of my inability to do ~ight hours strenuous duty <br /> each day, I am askLug through you to the Oity Eanager that I <br /> be reoon~mended for retirement on a pension commensurate with <br /> my time of service and the incapacitating serious injury sus- <br /> tained while in the service of-the department.' <br /> <br /> In view of O~ot. Hall's statement that he was ~.ble to do eight hours <br />s~trenUOus~duty each day, 'I arranged for him to be examined by Dr. J.O; Phillips, City ~Phy- <br />sioian, Dr. Phillips examLued Oapt. Hall and advised me under date of January 16~h of 'his <br />findings and recommended that due to the condition of N~v. Hall~s heart and his previous in- <br />jury, he be retired, as he is not able to do eight hours strenuous duty. Dr. Phillips fur- <br />ther advised that Capt. Hall would probably be able to ~do very light work if such was avail- <br />able. <br /> On receil~t of Dr. Phillips' report, I instructed the Examining Board, as <br />provided in ordinance adopted January 13th, 1~25, to convene for the purpose of considering <br />Capt. Hall~s request and giving me their reeommendations. The Examining Board advised me un- <br />der date of January 21st, tha-t they had consi~tered Capt. Hall's request for retirement, and <br />that the Board was of the opinion that the causes of disability were incurred i~% line of <br />du~y, and they recommended he be retired from active duty as~ a police officer, ~because in <br />the opinion of the Board, Capt. Hall can not fulfill the duties of a police officer, owing <br /> <br /> <br />