The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1873-03-11
LOCAL MATTERS.
Annual Report Of the Mayor.
INTERESTING STATISTICS FROM THE AU-
DITOR, TREASURER, CHIEF ENGI-
o. NEER OF THE FIRE DEPART
BIENT. &C., &C.

The third annual message of Mayor Kelley
was submitted to the City Council last eve
ming, accompanying which were also pre-
sented the reports Of the City Auditor and
Treasurer, Chief Engineer of the Fire De-
partment, Committee on Light, and Superin-
tendent of Gas-Works, Superintendent of
the City Aims House, James River Improve
ment, and Board Of Health. The statistics
Of those departments will be found of in
terest:
"MAYoR's OFFrcE,1
RICHMOND, VA, March 1, 1873.
ITO the City Council:
"GeDtemen,-Thet tenth section of the
city charter imposes on the Mayor the duty
OF communicating to you annually, as soon
| as may be after the commencement of the
| fiscal year, general statement CT the situa-
| tion and condition Of the city in relation to
| its government, finances, and improvements,
with such recommendations as he may deem
proper This duty is less onerous this year
than usual by reason Of wise regulation Of
| the Council requiring the various reports of
the heads of departments to be made directly
| to the Mayor and in time to enable him to
communicate them to you with his annual
message.
1.-The general prosperity of our people du-
ring The past year is matter Of just con-
graduation. The return of personal pro-
perty for taxation shows an increase of about
| two millions (S2,000,000) Of dollars over the
preceding year, and il the prices obtained
| for real estate ut public sale are a fair index
| OF worth am satisfied that new assessment
| of the realty Of the city would show all in
| crease i'll its value to an amount at least as
great.
81" During the year many events have tran.
splred Which have frightened the prospects
| of Richmond. The gap so long and so mex
| cusably existing; in railroad communication
with the North has been filled by the con-
struction of road from a point beyond
Fredericksburg to Washington. The con-
nections OF the Danville railroad, opening to
us the great cotton region of the Gulf States,
| are advancing to an early completion. Our
| river depth has been so increased that YES
sells more easily reach our dock Of a draft
| four feet greater than could approach our
wharycs last year; and finally, the dream Of
Washington, of q line of communication
| uniting the james river with the Ohio, has
| been realized by the completion on the 29th
of january Of the Chesapeake and Ohio rail-
| road, which places the minerals and grain Of
the Northwest within reach of our manutac-
| tories and mills.
SIN addition to these sources of congratu-
lation, it is worthy of note that we have been
| unusually exempt, not only from those terri
| blc accidents involving loss of life which
| have been of such frequent occurrence in the
| recent history Of Richmond, but also from
| lire, peStilcnce, and those great crimes OF yu-
| lence and fraud which have been almost ep-
! demic throughout the cities Of the land.
| FINANCES.
"The financial condition of the city is not
as satisfactory as l have heretofore had the
city. which on the 3lst Of january, 1872, was
S2999,2Sj, was on the 3lst of January, 1878,
$3,4lS, ,5O3-an increase of SIl9,21S. This
sum must be diminished, however, by $50, FOG
| Of six per cent. bonds hypothccatcd and not
| yet returned.
"Our hiIls-paya1le account reaches the un-
prccedentcd figure of S2S5, 90, with a balance
OF appropriations still due amounting to
| S2SG,S9S more.
40 meet these two items and the general
expenditures OF the cily for the current year
it is estimated by the Auditor that sum OF
| 81 ,3j0, ,33JJi will be required. Of this sun the
following items are payable in bonds:
| Extension Of the Water Works.. $1,000
| james River bridge. ge................ 23,O0O
Improvement of james river. ....... 56,4O1
Aggregate. .S240, i44
This leaves to he raised By taxation, or
otherwise, during the year, the sum Of
s., ,l00,093.
| The estimated receipts from other sources
! than taxes and licenses are $33l,40 Re
ccipts from taxes and licences, at the present
rates, s500,000. Aggregate, SSS4,4G
| Leaving to lie provided for S325, ,493. 70
meet this deficit three ways are open: First,
the easy but profiSate way of further is
sue of bonds. Second. an increase of TAX
| alton. Third, q reduction of the city's cX-
penses,
"In my Judgment, neither of these means
should be relied OIL alone, but the burden
distributed between them.
1T will be observed in the report Of the
City Engineer that the expenses on account
ofstreetS during the past fiscal year amounted
| to one hundred and twcnty-cigbt thousand
| FIVE hundred and twenty-three dollars
| i3l2S,j23). | see no rea2On to change the
opinion ( have heretofore uniformly ey-
pressed that lit least two-thiris of this charge
should Le borne by the citizens for whose
especial benefit it is incurred, and to whose
especial profit it enures.
| "In the next place, do not see how an
| increase, to some extent, in the rate OF taxa
ton is to be avoided. a new assessment
and accurate and just valuation of the real
estate of the city would probably achieve the
| same end, and achieve it with more justice to
individuals; but in one way or the other the
property of the city will, it seems to me, have
I to Bear an enlarged burden. The business
of the city is now, think, sufficiently taxed;
for, While it is true that the whole revenue
derived from licences is only thirty thousand
| dollars, it is likewise true that this is in q
great degree horne by small aud compara-
| lively poor class, who would, by an assess
ment rate which their weath!er neighbors
could bear, be taxed out Of business.
| "And, in the third place, think large
portion of the bills payable account may well
| he provided for by an issue of bonds, re-
luctant rs l am to see the permanent burthens
| of the people thus increased.
| .'In this connection mist be indugcd to
express most respectfully the opinion that
with the authority to sell bonds to meet the
| indebtedness Of the city, the borrowing of
money at the rate OF II per cent. and COM
mission OH the clty's negotiable paper, amply
secured by hypothecation, Is costly source
of revenue.
..Of the S23j,762 of bills payable due by
the city, Sl5s, ,426 are reported as issued In
payment of loans If Indebtedness like this
Is ultimately to be met by the issue of bonds
Il would be better 10 meet them at once,
even though the bond should be sold Tor
or 2 per cent. under the present, market
values, The discount aud interest on the
bills payable reported is set down at $4,000
representing loss of 7 per cent, which,
might have been easily met by loss OF z
ner cent. ON the sale Of sufficient bonds.