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R. C. P.
<br />
<br />April
<br />
<br />C
<br />
<br />Portsmouth, to amount of Ten Thousand Dollars ($10,000.00), to meet School Expenses for the
<br />month of April, 1915; said amount to be repaid from revenues of the City for the current year.
<br />
<br /> A request of the City Treasurer to be allowed to borrOWm from General Account $Z50. to be
<br />placed to the credit of the Sixth Ward Bond Account; and $1,000. t6 take care of Seventh Ward
<br />over-drafts and to pay a number of 'bills that warrants have not been made for.
<br /> It is recommended that $Z50. be transferred from Sixth .Walrd General Account to its
<br />Bond Account, to pay interest due on bonds; and $1,000. from City General Account to ~eventh
<br />Ward General Account, to meet notes, overdrafts, &c., by said Ward..
<br />
<br /> (With Fire Committee) A communication from Agelasto & Miller, attorneys representing claim
<br />against the City amounting to $5?.?5 in favor of the Ohemo Co. of Buffalo, for goods furnished
<br />the City on account of the Fire Department.
<br /> We report that this bill was made without authority of th~ Councii ~cr of the Fire Com~
<br />mittee and we 'have instructed the Clerk to write to the attorneys representing the Chemo Co. and
<br />state this fact. However, sinGe:the goods were furnished in good faith, believing that they were
<br />properly ordered, it is reco~m~nd~d that the bill be paid. -
<br />
<br /> Authorized to expend $500.00, or as much of the same as necessary, for having audzted the
<br />accounts of the late City A~ditor and of other City Officers.
<br /> We report that the Oommittee is looking into the matter.
<br />
<br /> i(With Ordinance Committee) Nattez of creating the office of City Electrician.
<br /> Progress as to same.
<br />
<br /> A re~uest of the Sixth' Ward Board that the Sixth Ward be credited with ~.50 and
<br />now c.redited to the City Proper.
<br /> We report that the Commissioner of Revenue ~tates positively that the $4~8.50 and
<br />$~$~.B0 were properly credited to the Wa.rd for the last year. expenses
<br /> A request of the City Nission Board for an appropriation of $25. pe~ year to defrny
<br />for maintaining white children given into the hands cf the "white probation of~ficer," who is
<br />Captain of the Salvation Army.
<br /> We report that, while the Committee fully sympathize with the Salvation Army in this
<br />directien~and realize that they are doing good work, in the present condition of City finances,~
<br />it can not recommend ~this appropriation.
<br />
<br /> Referred by Board of Aldermen Ma~ch 16th.
<br />
<br /> Recommitted. Natter of payment of bills due the P. B. & ~. Water Co. b~ the City.
<br /> We report that the Committee has dl~mssddt~helbills with the City Attorney and the
<br />Audit. or; that it is the opinion of the City Attorney that the claim of the Water Company in the
<br />premmses is legally juet~~ and that .the Auditor rel~orts that the calculations and amounts of
<br />bills of said Company are correct.
<br /> We submit herewith .the opinion of the City Attorney on this matter and the report of
<br />the Auditor:
<br /> The following is the opinion of the City Attorney:
<br />
<br /> "Por'tsmouth, .Va. April 1E, 1915.
<br /> ~To the Hon. City Council, '
<br />
<br /> 'Portsmouth, Vir ginial
<br />'Gentlemen :--
<br /> 'At the last meeting cf the Board of Aldermen a question was raised as to
<br /> my failure to respond by written opinion on matters referred to me by the City Council. This
<br /> question arose on the claim of the P. B. & S. Water Company for taxes withheld by the City. I
<br /> beg to state that at no time have I failed to give the Council, or to any cf its C~mmittees, ver-
<br /> bally, or in writing when required ~o to dc, my opinion on matters referred to me.
<br /> 'As early as March 5, 191S, I presented my written opinio~ ~Don the claims of the P. B. & 8.
<br />Water Company, and have 'done so since, verbally and in writing, t~ y~ur Finance Committee, both
<br />in the presence and absence of that C~mpany's attorney.
<br /> "After the Judgment of the Supreme Oourt .of Appeals Of.this State in the suit of Phillips
<br />and Wool agains~ the City to ~ecover that port~on ~ehe-h~lf) of the taxes withheld by the City
<br />from said CompanF~ which one-half had been assigned to them, in the latter part of last year,
<br />at the request of Nr. E. L. BarlOW, a member of the Fina.nee Committee, no formal request having
<br />been made upon me by the City Council, I gage another written opinion to the Finance Committee
<br />setting forth that the decision in the Phillips and Wool case fully determined the principles
<br />of the claim of the P. B. & S. Water Co~Dany with reference to the other one-half cf taxes with-
<br />held by the City, and that the City would be required to~pay the same. Therefore, it is my o-
<br />pinion, that the City should pay the claim of the said P. B. & S. Water Company when properly
<br />a~mdit ed.
<br /> "Respectfully ~ubmit t ed,
<br />
<br />The following
<br />
<br /> "~o. W.
<br />is the statement from the City Auditor:
<br />
<br />Happe~,
<br />
<br />"City Attorney.'
<br />
<br />"Hon. City Oouncil.
<br />
<br />'Portsmouth, Va., March ~9, 1915.
<br />
<br />the
<br />
<br /> "Gentlemen:--
<br /> "The following statement was taken from the City Collector's book and gives
<br />amount of tax paid by the Water Co. with interest:
<br />
<br />Tax Y~ear Amount Paid .Dante Paid Interest To Teta.1 Amt. Paid.
<br /> lpg- 15-1914
<br />
<br /> ~06 - 984.~8 ~0~ 450.~5 1,~4.t~
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