The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1876-03-07
eral access, on grade which would Invite
the construction f,S street. rail IWay thereon |:

/ eral access, on grade which would Invite
the construction OF q streetrailway thereon |;
would greatly enhance the value Improperly
on both margins; would utilize succession
of worthless bilsldes; would greatly faciE.
tate communication between the two sec
tions OF Richmond, and would afford TO the
country people means Of entrance to the
I city, which at that point, Is peculiarly desi-
rable. The cost Of the construction should
be borne in part BY the property immedi.
ately benefited, and in this connection 1
submit to the Council the propriety Of
adopting some general system by which
improvements OF an extensive character
may in part be charged to the property pc.
culiarly benefited. The details could not,
of course, be expected here; but 1t seems to
me that on the application OF fixed proper.
tion Of property-bolders in number and
the Committee on Streets, improvement
bonds. redeemabIe from fund assessed on
1.-THE property benefited, might safely be Is.
sued for the whole or portion OF the cost Of
| making any improvement. II cannot be diff
| ficuls to frame an ordinance for this purpose
which would have ample guarantees against
an oppression Of the citizen, and at the same
| time would secure most valuable results to
the public, as well as to the improved neigh.
borbood. I think it must be apparent that
| the time hiss come when general taxation
will not suffice for the street improvement Of
Richmond. I have earnestly urged this IN.
! popular view in several communications TO
the Council, and believe that its proprfety
will vet be generally acknowledged. Al
ready the principle has been adopted in the
matter Of culyerts and sidewalks, and 1t must
ultimately have wider application. All
that is. needed is to make that application
gradually, and with cautious regard to the
ability of the people to bear the assess snents.
A cty's beauty or convenience would be
dearly purchased by the general oppression
of its citizens. Cities are made for men, not
men for cities.
Another Recommendation which beg to
renew is the adopting OF some plan by which
the Gas, Water, and Street Committees can
ACT in concert when the bed Of street Is to
he opened bv either. 1t would be we'll also
If the CITY would when laying water or gas
mines or sewers, lay its connections at once
to the line of the curbstone, and by this
means insure the roadway from continual
disturbance as each house makes its connec-
tions. It would be an additional convenience
and hardship to no one, If property.o wners
were required to make the house. connections
at the same time, and thus at once restore
| the sidewalk and road.bed.
THE GAS WORKS.
am glad to be able again to commend the
excellent management, the economy, eff.
cheney, and satisfactory results of this de-
partment of public administration.
The consumption OF gas during the year
| amounted to 77,139,4 ,402 cubic feet-an in
crease of nearly 1900, 900 feet over the year
! before, of which one million four hundred
4 thousand represents an increase In public
use. This enlarged production was realized
from the consumption of II $40 bushels less
of coal than the preceding year-a result due
partly to more effective carbonizatiou, but
| largely to the superior. richness of the coal.
Forty.two public lamps have been added
| during the year, and four thousand two hun.
| dred and fifty-four feet Of mains laid, making
the total length OF mains as present amount
to forty.four miles one thousand and sixty.
four feet. The total receipts were SiSl. .703-
a sum So, 800 In excess of the estimate for the
year. The gross expenses were $134, ,678.
The cash profit was 47,025, to which add
the value of the gas, consumed by the city
at consumers rates, and the aggregate
profit of the works will be found
to be S96,50s. This satisfactory ex-
| bibit justified, in the judgment of the
committee, a reduction in the charge for gas
and, as the Council il already aware, the same
has been reduced to $3.50 per thousend feet
During the year sundry improvements have
been made at the works, the simplest but
most useful Of which is process for utiliz
ling the gas-tar as fuel. Costly patented ap.
! plances are used elsewhere for this purpose
| but we have found an arrangement not more
| intricate than closed tank and few feet ot
! piping adequate to the end, and an almost
yalueless material has thus been converted
into valuable fuel, to the saving of probably
twenty five per cent. on the cost OF this item
Of the expense account.
The works are in excellent order. Atthe
upper works advantage has been taken OF the
dull times and low price of labor to accumu.
late large stock Of material at low figures,
aud much larger proportion OF both manu-.
facture and repair is accomplished there than
heretofore. Attention is called by the su
perintendent to the bad condition OF the
holders at these works, which have been fire.
oueutly patched and now require constant
watching. 1t will be necessary at an early
dav to replace at least one OF them, and
probably, with the large holder al
the lower works, one would sum"e
If It should be Necessary 10 substitute
new one, / suggest that 1t be located az Inc
Hover works, with the purpose, whlcn
think should always be kept in view, OF con-
solidating this whole department eventually
at that point.
A. the lower works g new Office Is mani.
fastlv REQUIRED. The present building is &C
L - foH nn.H0
was never fit for its present use. The seYe'
raI wooden sheds at the works should also
he substituted at as early day as possible
hv more substantial structures, both for con-
usnient nae. and In order to diminish the rish
Of fire. ,,,,.,
During the year a number OF Intelligent
Il citizens. many OF them experts, have Visitee
our works. and their testimony has uuant
mor1sJy confirmed our estimate Of the econ
cmy. efficiency, and excellent results OF tb!s
4 densrtment. The purity and high illuml
mating power of the gas have been main
tanned and even improved. The illumi.
mating capacity of our gas from q four.foo.
burner averaged during the year 1874 l4.t
candles during 1876, 1876 candles, Com
!, nlaints have occasionally been made OF tne
irreynlarity in the return of the meters
and the citizens should know that the clty
!. undertakes to test any meter suspected o
mac .uracy By a simple and recognized stand
+ ard inthe presence Of the consumer II h'
desires it. -,
II The inspectors department, as well as 20.
lucrative branch of The works, deserves mig!
nraise for the faithfulness and courtesy VIII
j which its work has been done.
al eg FIRE. e
; The annual report Of the Chief Eoginee