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<br />
<br />for 191~.
<br />
<br /> To authorize the Treasurer to borrow $S0~000.00 to meet general expenses of the City for
<br />February; and $10,000.00 to meet expenses of Public Schools for February a~d Y~ar~h, 19lB.
<br /> To make a~special appropriation of $44Z.3~ to pay City taxes of the Y. E. C. A.~on the
<br />building lately owned by said Association, for the years 1897, 1898, 1910, and from January 1
<br />to September 1, 1911.
<br /> To make award to H. H. Richardson ~ Son, of ~orfolk: Va~, for building the new Clerk's of-
<br />fi~e, according to plans and specificatzons, for ~he sum of $E?,97~.00, that firm being the
<br />lowest bidder for same.
<br /> To make award to the Art Metal Construction Comoany, of Baltimore, Md., to supply the new
<br />Clerk's office with metal furniture, for the sum of ~5,981.05, or less, in accordance with plans
<br />and specifications for'said furniture, that firm being the lowest bidder for s~me. To authorize the Treasurer to renew notes to amount of $?6,000.00.
<br /> To make awed to The Gamewell Fire-Alarm Telegraph Company, of New York, to furnish the
<br />City with a Six Circuit Standard Switch Board, for
<br /> Requested to investigate the report of the Water Committee concernzng a fire in Park View,
<br />on. January 15~ 19lB, and to take such action in the matter as he may think necessary.
<br />
<br />Fifth. Reports of Officers and other unfinished business.
<br />
<br /> The regular reports of Officers for February: i91E were presented and were ordered to take
<br />the usual course.
<br />
<br /> The oaths of office of Martin Leavitt, C. H. Williams, J~rhes S. Wellener, M. H. Hudgins:
<br />and P. S. Bunting, lately elected to the Board of Health, and T. A. Talbot, Jr., to the Police
<br />Force, were ordered to file.
<br /> (Er. Reynolds excused from z~rther attendance).
<br />
<br /> The following opinions were read from the City Attorney, in answer to instructions given
<br />therefor February ~0, 191i ~ud~ December. lB; 191~:
<br />
<br /> "To the Honorable "Portsmouth, Va.~ March lB, 191~.
<br /> City Council for the City.of Portsmouth.
<br /> "Gentlemen:--
<br /> "Replying to your request that I give my opinion as to the legal right of
<br />the City to furnish the Clerk of the Court with three typewriters, I beg ~o say that it is my
<br />opinion that the City has such te~al right. Typewriters are, at this time, as necessary for
<br />use in the Clerk's office as pens and ink were before typewriters came into use. As to the
<br />number, I am not prepared to advise you; Mr. Thompson, however, informs me that by taking the
<br />three at this time a saving will be effected by the City."
<br />
<br /> "Replying to your instruction that I give to you my opinion as to th~ legal right of the
<br />Virginia Railway and Power Company to require consumers to pay bills within ten days after
<br />the meter reading, in order to save a discount on same,. I beg to say that the Company, in my
<br />opinion, has no such*legal right.
<br /> "The contract ehtered into between th~ City of Portsmouth and the Norfolk and Portsmouth
<br />Traction Company, (of whioh~he Virginia Railway and Power Company is the successor), August
<br />19, I910, is very plain, and seems to me to admit of.no misconstruction.
<br /> "After stating the rates to consumers the language is as follows: 'less ten per cent, if
<br />Daid within ten days after the first of the succeeding month.',
<br />
<br /> "On February lB, 191E I gave to you my w~it~en opinion as to the claims of ~essrs. Law-
<br />rence, Alexander, and Mulvey, having previously given my opinion as to the claims of the Clerk
<br />of the Court and the City Sergeant, which was ~o the effect that, after consultation with Judge
<br />Bain, I recommended $300~00 *be allowed for the Clerk of the Court and $150.00 be allowed to the
<br />Sergeant, as I was advis&d that these allowances were less than the fees their respective of-
<br />fices would have amounted to.
<br /> "Respectfully submitted,
<br /> ~Jno. W. Happer,
<br /> City Attorney."
<br />
<br /> In regard to the right of the Virginia Railway & Power Company to require consumers to
<br />pay bills within ten days after the meter reading, in order to save a discount on same, the
<br />Clerk was instructed ~o forward a cppy of the City Attorney's opinion to said Company.
<br />
<br /> In regard ~o pay of Clerk of Court and City Sergeant for their services in the late re-as-
<br />sessment of City real estate, Er. Brinson moved~that,:as the report*of the Finance Com~nittee,
<br />recommending that the Clerk of Court be paid $300. and the City Sergeant $150, had already been
<br />adppt~d by Council, said amounts to these officers, respectively, be now appropriated.
<br /> The motion was adopted, and by the following vote:
<br /> Ayes~Hall, Benson, Parrish,
<br /> Hanvey, Bilisoly, Eoore, Baker, Johnson, Heath, Brinson, Withy, Tyler, Hawks, Hutchins, 14.
<br />
<br />i . T~e Audito~ r~ported the following bills to foilowin~ amounts~ held up by him because of
<br />ac~ o~ approprzatmon for them or because, they exceeded l/lB of appropriation allowed for same:
<br />Fire, $~1~.95; Cemetery, $14.50; Police,
<br /> On motion, said bills were referred to the Finance Committee.
<br />
<br /> Cancelled coupons to amotuut of $67~691.50~ reported by the Auditor, were referred to the
<br />Finance Committee.
<br />
<br /> The Auditor reported also that he had examined the fine book of the Mayor referred to him
<br />January 9th, and found ~aid fines to amount to $1,7~8.00.for the six months ending December
<br />1911.
<br /> On motion, said ~eport was adopted.
<br />
<br /> The bond and contzaot of H. M. Lucas for moving the "Armistead house~" next to the court
<br />house yard, back from its oresent location, were or~t~- ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ .... ~ ~_
<br />
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