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370.
<br />
<br />April 13, 1915.
<br />
<br />~. C. P.
<br />
<br /> To authorize the Finance Committee to expend $500, or as much of the same as necessary, for
<br />having audited the accounts of the late City Auditor, and of other City Officers.
<br /> Concurred in~
<br /> To refer to Public Property Committee, with power go act, a request of Circle No. 5, Monu-
<br />mental M. E. Church, to use the Court House yard on the afternoon of April 5th, for an egg hun~t.
<br /> Concurred in.
<br /> The Board concurred also in all recommendations of Committees adopted by the Common
<br />Council March 9th, except recommendation of the Finance Committee in regard to payment of bills
<br />due the P. B. & S. Water Co. by the City, which matter was recommitted with the understanding
<br />that the City Attorney should give his w~itten opinion .in regard to pa~m~ent of said bills.
<br /> Sec ond~ ~ Natter~ adopted~.b~ the~ Board.. of..Alde rmen . Narc~i i6th ~ and~ referred.-t 0 th~ ~ ~ ommon
<br />Couno i 1 ~.f ~r. concurrence '.
<br />
<br /> · ~. To appoint a Committee of.five, t~wo from the Board of Aldermen and three from the
<br />Commo~ Council, to consider the advisability ox submitting to the voters of the City for their
<br />signatures two or more plans for City Government, as provided for by Acts of the General Assem-
<br />bly. Mr. Houghton made objection to concurring with the Board in t. his matter, stating that
<br /> the O~unoil had delayed taking up a change in the form of City Government until it fell to citi-
<br /> zens at large.
<br /> Nevertheless, on motion of M~. Hanvey, the action of the Board in appointing a Commit-
<br /> tee to consider the matter was concurred'in.
<br /> To appoint a Committee of Five, two from the Board of Aldermen and three from the 0ommon
<br /> CounCil, to consider the advisability of the City purchasing the property of the PortsmoUth, B~rk~
<br /> ley& .Suffolk Water Co. at the expiration of its contract with the City.
<br /> Concurred in.
<br />
<br />Third. Communications from the Mayor.
<br />
<br /> The following was read from the Mayor in regard to the erection of portable school houses
<br />on the jail lot, referred to him by the two branches of City Council February 9-16th:
<br />
<br /> "Portsmouth, Va., March 11, 1915.
<br /> "To the Council.
<br /> "Gentlemen:-- I am submitting for your consideration a reply to my letter
<br />to Supt. H. A. Runt, of thee Public Schools, ~inquiring the necessity of erecting portable build-
<br />in~s on the .~ai~ lot.' before pe~mission was granted by ~he City Council. '
<br />~ "From h~s retoty~.'cleazly there' Wag no intent or purpose to disregard the restrictions de-
<br />finmng the fire district or ac~t~id~isCourteously towards the Counczt. It seems that the S~hool
<br />Board and Superintendent~ anticipating an absolutely necessary condition that was to o~Cur on
<br />February tst, knowing that a favorable report had already been made to the Council, lost sight
<br />of the fact that no permission had been gzven for the erection of said houses.
<br /> "I am willing ~o take the explanation given with the personal assurances from those in
<br />charge that the .danger from fire is very slight.
<br />
<br />"Very truly,
<br /> "F. S. Hope, Mayor."
<br />
<br /> On motion, the communication together with letter from the Superintendent of Schools to
<br />the Mayor were ordered to file.
<br />
<br /> The Mayor, in answer to a communication from the Common Council March 9th calling his at-
<br />tention to the fact that certain Hebrews in the City keep their places of business open both
<br />on Saturdays and Sundays, submitted a report from the Chief of Police as to same.
<br /> The Chief, in his report, gave a list of Hebrews doing business in the City and stated that
<br />there are none doing business both on Saturdays and S~_ndays.
<br />
<br /> In this connection~ the following opinion was ~eceived from the Cit~ Attorney as to
<br />rights of Hebrews to keep their places of business open both on Saturdays and Sundays:
<br />
<br />"Portsmouth, Va., April 1~, 1915.
<br />
<br />~To the Hon. City Council,
<br />
<br /> "Portsmouth, Vixginia.
<br /> "Gentles en :--
<br /> "Replying to the questionmreferred to me, by the City C~mrk, f.rom the CommO~
<br />Council, ~That certain Hebrews in the City are in the habit of keeping the same places of busi-
<br />ness open both on Saturdays and Sundays,' I beg to say:
<br /> "The law prohibits their so doing and if any member of the Council who knows such to be the
<br />case will make report to the Police Justice he~ will find that the law will be pr*perly administer.
<br />ed."
<br /> "Respectfully submitted,
<br />
<br /> "Jno. ~ Happe=, City Attorney."
<br />On motion, the communication was ordered to file.
<br />
<br /> The Mayor returned also his approval of the following matters adopted by the ~wo branches
<br />of City Council ~"Mar~ch~7- $-16th, 1915:
<br />
<br /> To make available $~50~:~allew~d ink,he
<br />
<br /> To ' ~ 'Rep~iz.s~to ~Umien F~z~ H~se, ~ '~eofi~g ~d
<br />D~as~g ~the s~e.
<br /> Fin'~moe ~O~mittee au~horize~ ~o expend $50D.~ oi Jas much ef same ~as~necess~y, for ~having
<br />a~i~ed~t~ ~$co~t~ ~ef ;t~he
<br /> To-authorize the T=e~sure~ ~o borrow $~0,000. ~o mee~ ~=ent ~penSes~and $iO,0~. to meet
<br />
<br />
<br />
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