Minutes 02/20/1912 - Laserfiche WebLink

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February SO, 1~I~ The regular reports of Officers for January, I$1E were presented and were ordered to take the usualcourse. A co~ication was read from the Board of Police Commissioners, in which they requested that the ordinance governing the Police Force be amended so that the Department be allowed two sergeants, or that the pay of a sergeant of police be allowed a patrolman while doing duty as acting sergeant; and said request was referred to the Finance Committee. In answer to instructions given the City Attorney on November 14, and December lb, 1911, as to whether the City or State should pay for hand cuffs and other implements used on jail prisoners, and the legal right of the City to give more than $.50 per day to the late assessors of real estate, he submitted the following: (For said communications see records Common Council February 15th, p. 5?). The communication in regard to claims of Messrs. Lawrence, Alexander and ~uivey was referred to the Finance Committee. The following communication from the General Counsel of the S. A. L. Railway Company, with re- solution connected therewith, referred to the Sixth Ward Local Board November El, 19il for its con- sideration, was returned to this body, and tQgether with the reply of said Board, was read and was ordered to record: .... ~Portsmouth, Va.~ January ~$, 19lb. "Mr. L. P. Slater, City Clerk, Portsmouth, Va. "Dear Sir:-- "I am returning herewith copies of letter from Judge Legh R. Watts, General Coun- sel of the $. A. L. Ry., and form of resolution covering proposed arrangement for opening up Cooke street, between King and High streets, received with your letter of Nov. Seth, advising that at a meeting of the Board of Aldermen on Nov. mist, 1911 the matter had been referred to the Sixth Ward~ Local Board for action-~ in connection with which I beg to state that the proposal meets the appro- val of the Local Board and that $50.00 has been appropriated for carrying out the arrangements when ~nproved by the City Council. "Yours truly, "W. E. Henry, Chairman Sixth Ward Board." "Portsmouth, Va., Nov. 21, 1911. "To the Honorable ~ouncil of The City of Portsmouth. "Gentlemen:-- ~It is understobd from Central Improvement Association that it is the City's de- ~Raire to eden up Cooke street from High to King street, through the property of~the Seaboard Air Line ilway, %nder a license from the Seaboard, expressly revocable at the Railway's pleasure. This the Seaboard is willing to grant~ and I am enclosing herewith a fo~ of resolution which covers the ar- rangement, and I suggest that the same be used in acdepting the Seabeard's offer. This will do away with the necessity for any formal contract. "Yours very truly~ "Legh R. Watts, General Counsel." The following is the resolution referred to.~above: "~REAS~ the City of Portsmouth desires tPmt Cbbke ~tre~t shall be opene~l as a public thoroughfare, from High to King streets in said ~ity; "AND WHEREAS, in order to open said Cooke street, it wiI1 be necessary to use a portion of the prope~y of the-~Seaboard Ai-r Line Railway, and to cross the same; "AND WHEP~AS, the City of Portsmouth, in order to open said street through the property of the Seaboard Air Line Railway, as indicated, is willing to accept the use of the same on such terms and conditions as the Seaboard Air Line Railway may indicate; "AND ~HEREAE, the Seaboard Air Line ~ailway had given, its consent to the use of so much Of its property as may be necessary to extend said Cooke street through the same, provided it be understood and agreed that such use is to be a license or permission only, and that the s~me is granted With the express understanding and condition that it may be revoked at the pleasur? of the Sea, oar,'Air Line Railway; ~See letter of General Counsel Seaboard Air Line Railway of thms date a~ta~hed). "THERE'FORE, BE IT RESOLVED, That the City of Portsmouth accepts the offer of the'Beaooard Air Line Railway. as above set forth, and the terms and conditiOnS specified therein as to the nsc o~ that oortio~'of the Seaboard's n~oo~rty necessary for the openin~ of said street;'~ud agrees to ~eep same mn good condmtmon an~. repazr, whmle used as a street, and to surrender possesszon~o~ the same upon thirty days notice, mn writing, from the Seaboard Air. Line Railway~ or its authorized repre- sentatives, so to do." NEW BUSI~SS. A communication was read from the City 0ierk of Roanoke, in which he requested that the atten- tion of the Finance Committee be called to a bill pending in the Legislature to allow insurance com- panies to substizute "guarantee bonds" with the State, for State, City and County bonds~ and said communication was referred to our representatives in the Legislature and the City Attorney. A petition of L. J. Plu~er to build on the wes~ side of Court street in vicinity of the-con- crete bridge, was referred to the Joint Street Committee. A request was received from the Board of Quarantine Commissioners for ~n appropriation of $~15. to meet its expenses for the current year. On motion~ said request was referred to the Finance Committee. Mr. Williams moved to refer to Street Committee Crawford and Water. The motion was adopted. the advisability of paving North street, between On motion of ~Lr. Nieholson, the City Attorney was instructed Zo give his opinion as to the legal right of ~he Virginia Railway and Power Company to require consumers to pay light bills within ten days after the meter reading, in order to save a discount on same; and Mr. Davis moved that the Clerk be instructed to notify the Company that, %under its contract with the City, electric light consumers are not required to pay their bills until ~en days after the first of the month, in order to save