Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1846-03-31
lCoNnUSicArIp.
INONhVNICATth
To the Voters aud T.A-p.y.r. OF sienmona.


To the Voters aud TnN-p.y.r. OF Richn,ond.
Ii appears that your City Council has submitted I, you
to be 'ecded tie Ward elect "Wednesday n It
the important quesuon-N neither borne down you al
ready arr, by pEostrany and almost u,decmabc debt
willing to submit q further ineumbtnrce Of one
hundted aud twenty hundred and City, perhaps
hundred thousand dollars for the purpose trying the
doubtful experiment of lighting the city with gasl Who
believes in tue estimates sPecously presented to your
Councillor who believes in the mates Of public
work, after all the signal sborons aud lamenabe failures
which occurrcdi nothing present OF the
debt contracted by this unfortunate corporation u
pay the James River subscription: allu1e only
mud that the Of the annual interest is Of
the chief OF that grinding and oppressive taxation
which hangs like milestone around our necks. Many Of
you doubtless remember that there enthusiasts then
there row. and there always will be, who predict
cd that tic James River subscription would produce i'm
measurable Vt benefit the city; but how cruelty
have those predictions been busted. so Of the City Wa
ter Works No one ever dreamed, when they
sTucted, that the outlay 10 exceed SlOOOOO; but we
have now the authority vt a Committee ct the Council
for saying that the expenditure has already exceeded
S2OO,OOO. Not satisfied with doing moderately WELL our
then Council most un~isey threw away $4,000 tor the
purchase Of little strip OF ground adjoining the pump
house. which yet 10 learn has been OF the least
value. Nor this all Some imSginary necessity
eested that reservoir indispensable; that the
surrounding entertainments should be elevated; aud that
santal dam shoud be erected in lieu OF the
been incurred found out that main pipe the
CITY absolutely and essentially desrsbe-which will
doubt BE- granted and VIII Co. OF course. will involve hcyy
And what ali these eXUavagant expenditures
tori Why that ca liens tor halt ct the year should
be literally supplied with dirty water. have great PEI
respect ur the pr Cay Council aud many Of
predecessors; but really does thai for
past they have eVnced most inordnate passion for
spending the public money. Was there any thing
absurd than the project OF throwing gigantic street
or embankmen the Shoekoe Creek Wiley for the
purpose OF meeting the two hs IL was at hrst esti
mated believe, by the City Surveyor, that the work
could be done Tor SlO.UOO and cretibly inform
ed that its completion will require much nearer S3Ju00.-
Oh what benefit the work will be when competed. am
utterly loss 10 understand How does It happen that
portions OF the city receive unbounded iavors and dis
bursements, and that others paying large unit OF Tx.
have been neglected Tor yeas IL but the oIher day
that tor the purpose OF enargng alley nIetectng the
MlIu he ob.taut OF $4,000 paid
individual tor % feet OF ground, that individual himself
being greatly benehtGed b tie purchase The Nam
beca favored by large and expensive cuver for
which doubtless much necessity real imasi
And now understand that, in order to the
corporation funds from lying idle # indeed there any
le the whole pavement OF that city artery Is 10 be rip
ped up. and 4 one laid down.
Fellow CIizens. am neither prophet the If
prophei-but does require the gift OF inspiration 10
that uoess you yourselves and inst into
city auihu!es a ,mical spirit, tie time i not
dis when pr, perry will be serou y deprecated,
your popua drained and the ciy hopelessy involved
in debt: gre vOu this solemn irdTHIRg.
To return for few moments - the Gas-lshuEg-why
table, be uudertakeI b. puyate enerpriZe DEPEND
upon it, every thing OF that kind better done by udiy
duas than b. corporations Ii they established by
private Company the expense will be borne by those who
benefited If by the city, the greater part OF the eN
pense wal fall upon Iaose who will not be benefited at all
Who 60 ereiuuus suppose Ghst more than onefIh
Of this city, laSe N territorial extent viii u lighted
certainly do not believe word OF it, aud predicate
my u15esf upon the fact which will hardly be eonlrovet
ed EgAf the cho!s city would require an outlay
varying from two TO four hundred thousand dollars.
Before | conclude allow ME 10 make aHoheE susges-
ton Il impossible that these Gasworks car be prom
be either corporation rvate company unless
gass Itself extensively inr duced INTO dwellings
long lime eapss before this be done. Serious
preJudices fist bC u many the od1ur OF
gas light. exceedingly offensive, and without skill and
experience in the management OF the pipes there Is con-
slant danger Of explosion aud oouaagrapn Reoc!ect,
aso that introduction of gass into building insured,
will in oil probability yitaie the insurance That II
would DO attended by that consequence IN the Mutual
Society Of Virginia, do not certainly know,
but have doubi OF II.
Feo~.cizens, invoke You soiemn'y 10 paase before
YOU sanction this Wild expensive and unproht1be scheme
AN UNFORTUNATE TAXPAYER.
IpIaa ra0v