Minutes 12/31/1921 - Laserfiche WebLink

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De ce~nber 31, 1921 A petition of the Eity Manmger. J, A. Guth~ie for certain improvements to West Park View was referred ~o · A petition of the Civic League of Mount Hermon for certain improvements in said Section of Portsmouth, was referred to the .City Manager. A communication was read from the Secretary of the Lee Ward Social amd Welfs~e Club, in- .formin_g the Council of a resolution adopted By said Club ,.f~vo~g the opening of Cooke street znto Elm Avenue, and that the City M~nager be requested to recommend to the Council that this project be undertaken. On motion, the communication was ordered to be fixed, and the Clerk instructed to notify the smid Club that land has already been condemned for this purpose. A communication was read also from the Secretary Cf the Lee Ward Social and Welfare Club, stating that a resolution has been adopted by the Club favoring the extension cf Rmce street from Elm avenue, through Prentis End Maple avenues down into a big ditch or creek in that v~i ni ry. On motion, the communication was referred to the City Manager. The following communication from the attorney fo= the Portsmouth-Suffolk Bus Company was referred to the City Manager; "December ~, 1~21. "Hon. Mayor ~nd City Council, Portsmouth, Va. "Gentlemen: -- The Portsmouth-Suffolk Bus Company was granted an exclusive franchise by the City.of Po:tsmouth for the use of certain s. treets in the said City for certain purposes and on account of this franchise has invested about Four Thousand Dollars in equipment, etc., necessary to fulfill the conditions of the franchise. Since spending this money the company ~inds that th~ franchise ~anted by the City can not be enforced. On account of this the ompany' is Subjected to unfair competition from people who pay. no franchise tax or any other tax to the -it.y except $26,00 on each bus operated. Besides this these people are not re- quired~ to mmi~tain ~y schedule~ The holders of the franohlse entered into the mgreement with the City in good faith and know that the City is ready and willing to take any steps possible ~o remedy this s~tuatiOn.' ,Knowing this the Portsmouth-Suffolk Bus Company petitions your honorable body for the following r~lief: FIRET: That you declare the franchise, above referred to, void and refund the money paid to the City therefor. SECOND: That you est&blish Jitney Route number six a~ud make this route from High and Crawford street out High Street to Sixth Avenue to County Street to County line on Oounty~street for machine~ starting in Portsmouth; for machines coming from Norfolk Water ~treet to London, London to Washington, Washington to High and out High over the ~oute above m~choned. We ~ggest that tho number of licenses for this route be limited to six: four white and two colored. This would be a sufficient number to take care off the traffic and render goodservice. Any more would divide the business so no one could afford to maintain a schedule during slack hours. be granted to us. ~!~'-D. That four Of the licenses for this route, two white and two colored, trusting that your Thanking you in advance for your kind honorable body will see the justice of consideration of this matter and our requests, Yours very truly, Portsmouth-Suffolk Bus Company, By Vincent L. Parker." A communication Was rea~ from Thomas K. Farleigh, a citizen, in Which he states that, becoming startled aS s~ggestions uttered through a U. S. Government Official, relative to the dLsposal of the Portsmouth and ~orfolk County Ferries, now being managed by the Goverment, it seems to him that something should be done immediately, in or der ~o head off attempts to place ~hese~Rroperties under private management. On~ motiOa,~ the communication was referred to the Ferry Committee. A commun~cation was read from Robert Eley, in Fhig~ t~e desires $o purchase lan~on~t~e Portsmouth City Water ditch, and same was referred ~o ~ne ,stet ueparument, through ~ne ~imy N~nager. A communioat~6n was read from the Assistant Secretary of the Ham~ton'~ads-Gloucester- Richmond Highway Association, which stated that at a meeting of smi d Association in Newport News on the 16th day of December, 1921, the City Council of Portsmouth was requested to name a person to serve as Vice-Chairman ~d a person to service as Director of s~id organization. On motion, the matter was referred to the President of the Council~ with power to act. The following copy of ~ bill i~ntroduced in the U. ~. House of Representatives to Amend Section 521~ of the U. S. Revised 9tatutes~ relating to National Bank T~xes, and re-conference of taxing Officials at Washington recommending it, w~s re~d; ~nd referred to the Finance Gem-