|
December 22, 1925
<br />
<br /> 4thai- ~X"am-in receipt of a-report fro~ the Norfolk-Portsmouth Freight .Traffic Commission
<br />covering the period from December l~th, 192~, to ~December 15th, 1925, giving a resume' of
<br />the work of the 0ommissio~
<br /> This includes the question of North Oarolina rates which a~ present operate to
<br />the detriment of Virginia cities, the EasternOlassRates question which, if approved by the
<br />~nterstate 0ommerce 0ommission, would increase rates from Virginia points to the territory
<br />east of the Missiseippia~ud north of the Ohio River; the Norfolk'& Western-Virginian consoli-
<br />dation; efforts to g~t more favorable consideration of Norfolk and Hampton Roads on tobacco
<br />rates; the successful termination o~aneffort to secure importation of tanning extract through
<br />this port; efforts to equalize the rates on wood pulp as between Norfolk and Portsmouth on
<br />the one hand and Newport News on the other; a successful effort to get cheaper rates on auto-
<br />mobiles by the Oape 0haoles ferry; efforts to secure better rates on the Chesapeake ferry;
<br />successful efforts on peanut rates; petition to Interstate Oommerce Commission for better
<br />lumber rates; successful efforts to get favorable rates on bricks; efforts to get better re-
<br />frigeration charges and lower minimum weights for carload shipments of strawberries; favorable
<br />decision by the interstate Oommerce 0ommission on definition of tank cars; protest against
<br />the Southern Olass rate decisio~ of the Interstate Commerce Commission still pending with the
<br />confident belief that ~ more favorable decision will be made; successful issue in maintaining
<br />the Boston Differential cases; defeat in efforts to establish through rates by way of Clyde
<br />Steamship Oompany via ~ilmington mhd New York; efforts to secure uniform practice between
<br />the railromds on switching c~h~ges on transited traffic; opoosition to the pToposed increase
<br />in Belt Line switching charges, opposition to the proposal ~a~oriugthe piaci~ of port to port
<br />int~rcoastal water ra~es'under the Interstate Oommerce 0ommission; consideration of Niokle
<br />Plate Oonsolidation and pilotage charges and various other miscellaneous activities.
<br /> The complete reportis on file ~n my office and is available to any one who cares
<br /> to go more into the detail of it.
<br />
<br /> I believe that the Oomm[ssion has fully justified its creation and is doing
<br /> valuable work impartially for the cities, of Norfolk and Portsmouth."
<br />
<br /> On motion, th~eport was ordered to be filed.
<br /> 5th. "Pursuant to you~ resolutions paSsed on March 24th, 1925, and November~2~th, 1~25,
<br /> I offered for sale at public a~c$ion on Monday, December 14th, 1925, at l~:O0 o'clock noon,
<br /> the following property:
<br />
<br /> let? Let of la~d belon~in~ to the Oity of Portsmouth fronting on Lincol~ St. 25 ft. aud
<br /> beginnimg ~ a~potnt ~0 ~we~t Of the southwes~ intersection of Lincoln smd Third Sts. The
<br /> highest bid received for this property was $350.00 a~d was submitted by Mr..P.j. Lyons, A~-
<br /> though the ve~lue of the proper~y, inmy opinion, is s~ewhat greater, it is recommended that
<br /> the bid be accepted. ~ ·
<br />
<br /> 2~d-_Lot of la~d belom~i~g to the City of'P~rtsmouth, known as the Old Jail Lot, situated
<br /> at the southeastcorner.of High and Washi~gton'Ste., frenting~O feet on High St. This property
<br /> was first offered for sale free of i~cumbran~e, exceRting restriction that the rea~ lO feet~
<br /> of. the lot should not be built u!~on so-long as the Oity of Portsmouth or the School Board owned
<br /> the prOPerty o~ the south. The highest bid received on .~hi~ basis was~$3O,O00,00 and was sub-
<br /> mitted.by Mr. R. S. Brooks. As, in my opinion, the value of the prope, ty is at least $54,000.00,
<br /> it is recommended that this bid be rejected.
<br />
<br /> The property was the~ offered for sale with the restriction that a modern fire proof hots.1
<br /> with at least one hundred rooms should be erected on the said land and a bona fide con%r~ct
<br /> for the erection thereof and g~ound broken within six months from the confArmation of the sale.
<br /> ~he highest bid under these conditions was made by _Mr. Frank.Law~ence, who bid $1.00 for the
<br /> privilege.
<br />
<br /> On acco~ut of the very grave' importance o~ this matter, and its many augles, it is recom-
<br /> mended that it be referred to an executive session of the~ Council, which Mr. Frank L~wrence,
<br /> Chairman of the Portsmouth Hotel Committee, should be invited to attend.#
<br />
<br /> On motion, the oom~mu~ioa~ion was refer=ed to Finance Committee.
<br /> UNFINISHED BUSINESS
<br />
<br /> ~ The following ordinance which had been placed on its first reading December 8th, was taken
<br /> up, read, and adopted on motion of ~r. Brooks: AN ORDINANCE AUTHORIZING TEE 0ITY MANAGER OR HIS
<br />
<br /> DULY APPOIN~EDAGENT TO IMPOSE EXTRADUTY ON MEN--RS OF THE POLIOE~ND FIRE DEPARTMENTS.
<br />
<br />And by
<br />
<br />the following vote:
<br />
<br />Ayes--- Brooke, Maupin, Oast, Smith,
<br /> stewart (R.E.B.)', White, y.
<br />
<br />Stewart (J.R.),
<br />
<br /> On motion of N~ Cast, the following ordinauce which h~ been placed on first reading
<br />November lSth, was continued on the table:
<br /> An Ordinance Prescrib~ngRates of Fare in the Oity
<br />of Port~mouth of For-Hire Oars and Penalties for Violation Thereof.
<br />
<br /> The regular reports of the-City Treasurer, Oity Ooliector, a~d Oity Auditor for the~month
<br />nf November, 1925, ware presented and were referred to Finance Oommittee.
<br />
<br />NEW BUSINESS
<br />
<br /> 'A request of.the City Oollector to have relieved from his books persons~l property which
<br />has been approved by the Oommisslonsr of the Reven~e as~beimg erroneously assessed, was referred
<br />~o the Finance Oommittee.
<br />
<br />
<br />
|