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December ~ 1921
<br />
<br />Council' December i3th with regard to Bank taxes for the Years 1919 and 1920, was taken up
<br />and adopted: "That the City accept the proposition made by the Finance Co_mmit~ee to ~he Banks
<br />in letter dmted September E2nd amd ms contained in communication from Mr.. oroc~er, mttorney
<br />for the Banks, d~ted November 18th."
<br />
<br />And by the following vote:
<br />
<br />Ayes-- Esleeck, Hall,
<br />Nays-- Brooks, I.
<br />
<br />Hutchins, Smith, White,
<br />
<br />(Mr; Oast excused from voting)
<br />
<br />The following communication was read from Mr.
<br />
<br />"The Council of the City of Portsmouth,
<br />
<br />Portsmouth, Vir gi~ii a.
<br />
<br />Crocker, attorney for the School Board~
<br /> "December 2?th, 1921.
<br />
<br /> "Gentlemen:--
<br /> The School Board of the City of Portsmouth has purchased from Charles F.
<br />Hamper, and wife, lots 59~o~ ?S~ inclusive, on the plat of land at Pinnexs Point, Norfolk_
<br />County, Virginia, purchased by T. J. Wool, H. L. M~ynard and A. J. Phillips, from Emeline
<br />Thomas, and of land owned by Emeline Thomas, which plat is recorded in mmp book 5, page56,
<br />in the Clerk's Office of the Circuit Court of Norfolk County, together ,with all the right,
<br />title and interest of Charles F~ Harper, and wife, in the Street laid out on said~pl~t known
<br />as Thomms Avenue. The School Board desires to use mll of this~ property, including Thomas
<br />Avenue, for the School Building and grounds, and for this purpose requests your honorable body'
<br />to close Thomms Avenue. A suggested ordinance for that purpose is enclosed herein~
<br />
<br /> Thomas Averse is a s~ort Forty (~O} fopt Btreet extendin~fro~'First Street
<br />on said plat to Scoffs Creek. The property purchased by the School Boamd inClUdes '~1 of the
<br />lots on both sides of Thomas Avenue, for its entire length.
<br />
<br /> Unde~ Section 23 Sub-Section 7, of the Charter of the City of Portsmouth,
<br />the City has the right to'close S~reets, and while no speciml procedure is provided for in the
<br />Charter for ~this p~rpose, the 0hatter gives the City the power to pass all ordinances, and ~e-
<br />lutions tha~'may 'be ~ecessary to carry into effect the Charter powers. I have been'informed
<br />by the City Attorney of Norfolkthat he has just made an exhaustive investigation cf the ~wers
<br />of cities to. close' streets, i~ connection with th~ closing of a short Street inlNorfolk', upon
<br />which the City owns ~1! of the abutting property and the conclusion torched by him ie that.
<br />the City. has the power to close the Street by ordinance. Thomas Avenue has never been physi-
<br />cally opened or graded or used as a street.
<br />
<br /> i am writing this letter on behalf of the School Boa~vd of the City of
<br />Portsmouth,.~amd desire to.s~y that the School Board w~nts to let the contract for the erection
<br />of the School Building' theearly part of January.
<br />
<br />truly yours,
<br />
<br />"Frank ~. Crocker,
<br /> Attorney £or the'Echoot Board of
<br /> the City of Portsmouth."
<br />
<br /> The following is the ordinance:
<br /> AN ORDINANCE TO CLOSE AND DISCONTINUE THOMAS AVENUE AS
<br />IT tS LAYD OUT tN THE "PLAT OF L~DS AT P~NNERS POINT, NORFOLK COUNTY, VIRGINIA, PURCHASE9
<br />BY T. J. WOOL, H. L. MAYNARD, AND'A. J. PHILLIPS, FROM EMELINE THOMAS, AND OF LAND ONNED BY
<br />EMELINNTHOMAS," OF RECORD IN TP~ CLERK'S OFFICE OF THE C~RCUIT COURT OF NORFOLK COUNTY, IN
<br />MAP BOOK 5, P~GE 56.
<br />
<br />On motion of Mr. Esleeck, the ordinance was placed on its first reading.
<br />
<br /> The following communication from~Frank L. Crocker, local counsel for the U. S; Housing
<br />Corporation, was referred to the Ferry Committee:
<br />
<br />"December 13th, 1921.
<br />
<br />"Council of the City of Portsmouth,
<br />
<br />Por%sm~outh, Virginia.
<br />
<br />Gentlemen,s-
<br />
<br /> The United States Housing Corporation are desirous of selling the Ferry
<br />8teemer ~orfolk County. H~vi~g advertised for bids f6r the purchase of the Norfolk County,
<br />the highes~ bid was from the Wenck Marine Corporation, of G~eenwioh, Conn., for the sum of
<br />$2500.00. As the Norfolk County is enrolled in the Custom House in the~n~me of the Norfolk
<br />County Ferries, we are advised by the Bureau of Navigation that it will be neoessary for the
<br />authorized-officials of the City of Portsmouth and Norfolk County tO, sign the bill of sale~
<br />I am therefore writing to request that you authorize the proper offiolals~of the City of
<br />Portsmouth to execute this bill of sale. Of course in doing So'it is understood that the City
<br />of Portsmouth is not t~ereB~'a~eeing to the Price obtained_for the Norfolk Oounty~
<br />
<br />"Very truly yours~
<br />
<br />Frank L. Crocker,
<br /> L$cal Co~nsel for the ?~'
<br /> United S~atesH$using ~orpor~tion."
<br />
<br />
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