The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1873-03-11
"THE JAMES RIVER IMPROVEMENT.

ueHuQucHtS afe ueSTOSs, WHO appear W CoE-
found their Services ,at the polls with the
payment OF the poIl-tax.
"THE JAMES RIVER IMPROVEMENT.
"The very interesting report Of Major W.
G:Iurpin, engineer of the James River inn
provement, [the substantial facts in which
the Enquirer published 1st Of january is
presented herewith. 1t shows the expenses
on all accounts for the thirteen months ex-
pired December 81, 1872, TO have been
S92, $3.50, Of which S35, 5,499 was for construc-
ton, making the working expense $56, ,731.
The appropriation made by the United States
has been expended in concert with that made
by the Council, to the manifest advantage of
the work. The shortest and, as experiment
proved, the most difficult reach in the river
that from Rockets reef to the hrick-yard, on
which formerly the greatest depth ut mean
high-tide was less than eleven feet-has been
excavated so as to afford throughout its
length channel seventy feet wide by six
teen feet deep. During the year it is conf
IDENTIFY predicted that vessels drawing fif-
teen feet will be able at mean high-tide
easily to reach our wharves, when the neces-
stiles and the capital Of the owners of river
farms will enable them to replace the dykes
destroyed during and since the war. This
depth will be materially enhanced by con-
timing within the river banks the vast vol
ume of water which at every rise Of the tide
is wasted, so far as river depth is concerned,
by being spread over the adjacent meadows.
The engineer recommends the straitening of
the course Of Shockoe creek, to prevent the
great washing Of the banks which now fol.
low every heavy rain; and this Improvement
would be found valuable, also, on sanitary
grounds. This stream is the receptacle of q
great quantity of offal of various kinds, which.
in times of food, is washed up on its banks,
and at all times is obstructed in its flow to
the river by it's windings.
"a small annual expense, estimated by
the engineer not to exceed $4,000, will
keep the channel clear when it is once eXca-
waited and ensure permanent depth of SIN
teen or eighteen feet. At present vessels
drawing twelve and half feet can at mean
high tide reach our wharvc5. The obStruc-
tionS at Warrick'S bar and Drewry's Bluff
have been completely removed, and the
Dutch Gap canal has been in constant use.
"wATER.
"The report of the Superintendent of the
Water-W orks shows the receipts of the past
year to have been $5s,962, while the dis
bursements are 594,77S. This excess is &C.
counted for by tue large items of expendi-
ture chargeable to construction account
Sal ,245 were expended in enlargement of the
Works and S2l ,223 in extension of mains,
while over 1000 were expended for extern
sions on Oregon Hill and Clay street. De-
ducting these, the running expenses will he
reduced to less than $4,000. Even with
these deductions the net income of the de-
partment docs not amount to more than
three and q half per cent. Of the value of the
Works-a fact which shows that if the con-
sumers of gas are taxed for the general pub
lie, the general public is taxed for the con.
sumers of water.
"For many years there have been'repcti-
tons of seasons Of Eigh water in the river as
stops the revolutions of the wheels at the
prlmp-house, to the great Inconvenience of
the people and to the hazard Of the city in
case of tire. Arrangements are now in pro.
gress which will remove this risk altogether,
and before the rainy season of next fall q
turbine wheel will be in operation which
will insure continuous work at the pump
house irrespective of the condition of the
river. This, with the new reservoir under
contract, will, for many years to come, meet
every requirement in the matter Of water
supply.
HEALTH.
"The report of the Board Of Health will be
found unusually full, both OF statistics and
suggestions. / venture to supplement but
one of theSc-thc one respecting an ordi-
nance preventing the conduct of manufactc-
ries within the city whose processes or pro-
ductions are detrimental to the public
health.
at the Council should deem it wise to
lerislate on this subject, recommend that it
20 further, and prevent the storage tor. sale
within the city of the dcleteriollS products.
Some of the manufactured fertilizers, for ex-
ample. are more apt to imperll life than gun
Dowtler, and as richly demand storage with
out the walls.' very heartily second the
suggestion that the compensation of the
members of the Board should be placed at 4
figure bearing some relation to the trouble
and value Of the services rendered.
"Tbe very gratifying success with which
the spread of smallpox was prevented dur
ing the last winter--the second consecutive
wear of its appearance-Was n service Of
whose value no estimate cln be made, save
BY a comparison with the terrible expert
euce of Washington, Baltimore, und Phila-
delpbia, and the unhappy results in some
counties of our Commonwealth.
"TuE FIRE DEPARTMENT
The report of this department covers a
neriod of but nine months. Hereafter, in
pursuance of an ordinance of your body, it
will date from like period with the reports
Of other branches of the public service.
The loss by fire during these niue months
amounted to S0,330, a sum equal to about
onp.tifth of | per cent. Of the taxable pro-
nerty of the city. During the nine months
hut len fires of any consequence occurred,
and the general efficiency of the department
ia iustly commended by the chief. suggest
tho eynerimcnt of one or more portable fire
eytinpuishers, now coming into use else
where. bv way of testing their efficiency.
That there Is period in every con-
f,oration where timely bucket Of water
would eytingush it seems so obvious
as to he trivial; but the practical apprecIa-
tion in tic shape Of cheap, portable, ana very
active cxtinguiShers Of flames Is OF very re-
cent origin, though destined, l believe, to be
among the most beneficial Invention, OF our
times. During the year the 1re-aarm teie-
graph was of indispensable service, de-
rapoemcnt occurring but once at time OF
fire. I concur in recommending the estab.
lisbment of large central a!arm-bell, both
for the reasons stated by the chief, and for the
further reason that the simultaneous striking
of several bells often renders it impossible to
ascertain the box.
"THE ALMsH0USE.
"The statistics in this department will be
found in greater detail than heretofore, anc
a different system of accounts having beer
adopted, rs promised in my last annual mes
sage, the financial information is for the first
time satisfactorily exhibited. During the
year an average of 237 paupers were fed at {
cost per capita of S42.34. The admission: