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On motion of Mr. Oast, the recommend~tion of the Ms~uager was concurred in.
<br />
<br /> ~th. Reported the aPl~ointment of hoseman R. P. Sebrell as Engineer, Fire Dspa~tment,
<br />effective June 15th, 1923, at $15~.00 per month, vice R. D. Walker, resigned; a~d the appoint-
<br />ment of Substitute S. H. Hall as hosem4n at $~.1~ per d~y, effective June 15th,-1923, vice
<br />Sebrell, promoted.
<br /> On motion, the notice was ordered to be filed,
<br />
<br /> 6th. Announcement of the disbandment of Park View Volunteer Co, ~3, which was decided
<br />at a meeting held in the Company Hall, June ?th, 1923.
<br /> On motion, the notice was ordered to be filed.
<br />
<br /> ?th. "~wc of the five motorcycles in the Police Department a~e now three yes,rs old and
<br />the cost of upkeep of them is excessive and in addition it is found impossible to get suffiolant
<br />speed out of them to overtak~ violators of speed ordinances or violators of other ordinances
<br />attempting to escape in automobiles.
<br />
<br /> These motorcycleS~more than pay not only the cost of the~machine, but the salaries
<br />of the traffic officers using them. For the months of April and ~ alone~ the fines collected
<br />through a~rests made by four motorcycle officers sum up $1,S00.00, The salaries of these of-
<br />ricers for this time amounted to $1~00.00, leaving $600.00 to go tow&rds paying for the-four
<br />machines, or at the rate of $300.00 a month. This would purchmse one machine per month.
<br />
<br /> Since the first of the year, the two officers using new machines have made a total
<br />of 391 arrests and the fines collected through these a~re~ amount to $2,950.00. We can now
<br />get a credit of $200,00 on the old machines, m~klng the ~et'~ost of the two new machines $~33.
<br />They will pay for themselves in one month. No additio~i appropriation will be needed as I cam
<br />with the authority of the C~ncil pay for them from the.appropriation for salaries of the Po-
<br />lice Department."
<br />
<br /> On motion, the recommendation of the M~nagerwas referred to the Finmnce Oommittee.
<br />
<br /> ~th. "In connection with the identification system authorized in the last budget for the
<br />Police Department, it ha~ been found essential in the photographic work to have a small da~k
<br />room. This, with the necessary sink, will cost $95,00.
<br />
<br /> Authority is requested to spend this amount from the appropriation for salaries
<br />for the Police Department..
<br />
<br />On motion, the recommendation was referred to the Finance Oommittee.
<br />
<br /> 9th. sin January, 1923, the Oouncil~amthoriZed me to advertise and-make contract for im-
<br />proved lighting system on High St., between Chestnut and Sixth Ave. and on Middle St. between
<br />Queen and King Sts. It was estimated at that time that the cost would be in the ~v, icinity
<br />of ten thousand dollars. The contract was however awarded to the Wm~ A. Burok~vd Oompany of
<br />Norfolk, Va., ,the lowest bidder, at $73~2.40. Deliveries of material have started under this
<br />~ontra~t and payments are now d~ly contracted. I therefore request an appropriation of
<br /> ,~00100 from current funds to be repaid later from a bond issue to cover the cost of this
<br />
<br />On motion, the recommended aPpropriation was referred to the Fir~nce Oommittee.
<br />
<br /> · 10th. "In a~oord~nce with your instructions, I am forwarding herewith d~aft of proposed
<br />ordi~noe requiring owners t~ keep prpperty in h~bitabls condition and imposing certain respon-
<br />sibilities on tenants. I would sugges~ that a special dat~ be set for consideration of this
<br />ordinance an~ that both property owners aud~tenmnts be given a chance to be hea~d."
<br />
<br /> The following is the title of the-ordi~nce:
<br /> "An Or~in~nce Requiring Owners of
<br />Residence PropertF to Keep Their Property in Habitable Condition and Imposing Upon Ten, uts
<br />Certain Responsibilities for Damages Deliberately Done by Them to Property Rented by Them."
<br />
<br />On motion of Mr. White, the ordi~noe was pl&oed on its first re&ding.
<br />
<br /> llth. "In compliance with resolution of the Council adopted June 12th, 1923, I beg to
<br />submit the following report on letter of June 12th from the Yellow Cab Company of Norfolk.
<br />
<br /> - The installation of taxi ca~servioe in a City is a step in ~he right'direction as
<br />it is an example of charges being made in accord~.nce with service rendered, in which respect
<br />it differs from street oars, jitneys and for hire ca~s. ·
<br />
<br /> It is notsd that the aDplicants belong to a Norfolk company which proposes to ope-
<br />rate mn indefinite number of care (one or more) in Pgrtsmouth, or, blanket license. It seems
<br />to me that this proposition is rather indefinite as it wOUl~ Se pTactioa~ly impossible to
<br />check~ average m~tmber of oars operating in Portsmouth an~t would pOSsibly~ result in the
<br />City of'Portsmouth not getting its Just share of the license taxx imposed on such cars. The
<br />applicant states that it is not his desire to put for hi~e ~ars~ out of business.~ I do not
<br />s~e how this could be avoided as we already have an excess of for hire ca~s in the City.
<br />
<br /> ~In my opi.n~n~ however, this'should not be altogether the deciding feature. .If
<br />the public generally xs b~nefited by the taxi cab, in the nature of things, the less satisfac-
<br />tory system of tram~porta%ion will suffer.
<br />
<br /> It appears to me, however, that a better solution of the problem might be possible
<br />and two plans have occurred to me:
<br />
<br /> (1) Organize a local taxi cab company and effect an arrangement with the City of
<br />Norfolk by which the cabs of the two. companies might operate interchangeably ~n the two cities.
<br />
<br /> (2) Authorize the Norfolk oompmny to buy four to six-taxi sab~ licenses in Ports-
<br />mouth and to operate these cabs in Portsmouth with an ~~1~ ~~ ~.~+ -~
<br />
<br />
<br />
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