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R. C. P.
<br />
<br />299
<br />
<br />Bosman, .~_~.igned, was taken up.
<br /> '~l~er~upon, Mr. Esleeck nominated R. C. Barclay, J~., as part time attorney, for an
<br />indefinite term beginning July let, 1921, at a salary of $3,O00.00 per annum.
<br /> There being no other nominations, Mr. Barclay was elected, and by the following vote:
<br />
<br /> A~es-- Brooks, Esleeck, ~lth, Hall, Faltchins, Cast, White, ?.
<br />
<br /> On motion of Mr. Eeleeck, the Clerk was ordered to hmve published the Annual Reports of
<br />the City Manager and financial Officers for Year ending December 31, l~O.
<br />
<br /> The next matter ts~ken up was a resolution adopted by Portsmouth Local $~1, Brotherhood
<br />of Railway Clerk, as to possible increase in rents in Portsmouth on October let, l~l; same
<br />hav~.been lald on the table by the Council June l~th until this meeting of the boc~.
<br /> 7 The resolutions were read, and i~ this connection, the following resolutions were resml
<br />from the Portsmouth Metal Trades Councils
<br />
<br /> "RESOLUTION
<br /> "~FfIEREAS, Several members of organizations affiliated with the PORTSMOUTH ~TAL TRADES
<br />COUNCIL, residing in Norfolk and Portsmouth have received notice that effective 0ctober~lst,
<br />1921, there will be a further increase in house rents, which is understood to be a fore,runner
<br />of a general advance and,
<br />
<br /> "WHEREAS, The present house rent is, in most cases, excessive; and a furt~er increase
<br />would be unjust to the tenants as well ae detrimental to the interests of this vicinity, there-
<br />fore be it,
<br />
<br /> "RESOLVED, That the PORTSMOUT~ETAL TRADES COUNCIL r~e~enenting over 4~)00 families, do here-
<br />by ea~estly ~d vigorously protest ~ainst such action and ~ call upon the business bodies
<br />~d individuals of this vicinity to exercise their influences thereby assisting in
<br />lng ~d satisfactorily conclu~ng the intent 0f this p~etest.
<br />
<br />"PORTSMOUTH METAL TRADES COUNCIL
<br />
<br />"L. C. MAJOR, SECRETARY
<br />
<br /> "L. F. SAVAGE, PRESIDENT."
<br /> The Metal T~ades Council presented with the resolution letters from several citizens
<br />saying that ~hey:hadreceived notice that their rents would be increased.
<br />
<br /> On motion, the privilege of the floor was granted to Mr. Savage, President of the~
<br />Metal T~ades Council:, who spoke in fa~or of the resolution presented from that body.
<br />
<br /> Then Mr. Hall presented the following resolution, and on motio~ of Mr. Eslee~ sams
<br />were adopted:
<br /> "~HEREAS1, It has come to the attention cf the City Council, Portsmout~h, Va.,
<br />through petition and the press that there is a disposition on the pa~t of some of the pro-
<br />perty owners to further increase the present house rent effective October 1st, 1921; and
<br />
<br /> #WHEREAS, Both through the press and public k$owledge it is als~ known that the price~
<br />of milk mhd ice in PortsmOUth s~re excessive, being higher than in almost a~y other section,
<br />
<br /> "WHEREAS, Through advertisements in the press the price of c0al is to be still further
<br />increased on July 1st, 1921; and
<br />
<br /> ~WHEREAS, The receding cost of both material and labor clearly precludes any reason for
<br />increasing rents; a~d
<br />
<br /> "WHEREAS, Both the cost of production and delivery of milk and ice does not justify the
<br />continued high prices ~of these necessities cf life; and
<br />
<br /> "WHEREAS, The advance in price of coal is neither borne out by demand and supply~t this
<br />time nor by any increase in coster production; and
<br />
<br /> "WHEREAS, All wage earners, who comprise 85% of our population, both in the Navy Yard and
<br />at the Seaboard Air Line Shops, will suffer a reduction of from 15~ to 20~ effective July 1,
<br />19~1;. and
<br />
<br /> "WHEREAS, Over 1500 men,' mostly heads of fs~ilies, lose their jobs entirely du~ing the
<br />next month;
<br />
<br /> "NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, By the Council of the City of Portsmouth, in regulax
<br />~eeting assembled, That in view of the general decrease in cost of labor and material, we
<br />consider any increase in house rents as unwarranted and not only tending to hamper the growth
<br />and development of the City but imposing an additional unjust burden upon its citizens; and
<br />be it further,
<br />
<br /> "RESOLVED, ~at we deplore the abnormal prices of milk, ice Sad coal, the necessities of
<br />lif~ especially to those potential ~uture citizens the infants; and be it further
<br />
<br /> "RESOLVED, That we solemnly call upon all the citizens to reflect ~m these serious oon-
<br />dition~ ~d we hereby call upon those responsible for the proposed increase~n rental and
<br />those now controlling the necessities cf milk, ice and coal, to refrain from ~he proposed
<br />rental increase and to reduce the price of milk, ~ce and coal to at least the level of other
<br />communities to the end that ou~ citizens may receive proper and just treatment and o~tr City
<br />
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