The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1876-03-07

Captain Bigger and his assistant, Captain w
j. Epps, their watchful attention to End In.
telligent conception OF their duties are ex
hibited in the admirable management, the
cleanliness, good order, economy, and me
thod with which the almshouse is conducted,
and the reasonable requirements OF the in
mates of such an institution are met.
Hospitals. ls.-The hospital department o.
the city cors;s.s of the Almshouse Infirmary
the SMALLPOX Hospital, and the use made
for the care OF lunatics Of the Church 1nsli
tute. An invaluable adjunct Of the Aims
house Infirmary Is the city ambulance, under
the control Of the superintendent. An cleo
trical communication with the various Sta
tion-housss and the Western Union tele'
graph-ofice epables the police to summon the
ambulance readily. It Is always accompanied
by a surgeon with the needful appliances tor
immediate treatment, aud after receiving
such attention ss is possible and useful OF
the spot, the patient is taken to his destina'
tion. The value OF this arrangement is
shown by the fact that during the year the
ambulance wss summoned to and attended
106 csses of sudden disease, wounds, acci.
dents, &e. of which 40 were those of par.
ties removed in it to the almshouse for fur.
ther treatment, the remainder being carried
by it to their homes.
During the year 419 patients we're treated In
the hospital wards of the alms1ouse, of which
188 were cured, 195 relieved, and 80 died ;
In addition to which 365 cases were treated
In the common wards. Forty.two surgical
operations were performed, 81 cases resulting
In cure and In relief, the deaths being but
"A proportion highly credIta6Ie to the skili
and care of tie physician in charge.
Besides this hospital relief, 5,323 prescrip-
tions ordered by practising physicians have
been furnished from the city dispensaries.
The City Hospital, which is only used for
infectious diseases and practically only for
small pox, was not opened during the year
until December, when four patients were re.
ceiyed, three white and one black. In Jan.
nary four more, all black, were admitted. Ot
these eight two died. The building is so
rarelv wanted that it is in no fit order for the
uses to which it Is devoted; but hereafter 1t
will be cared for systematically, and at little
expense.
Bv an arrangement entered into with DR..
7. D. Moncure iu April of last year the
Church Institute AN infirmary attached tc
the Medical College-has undertaken the
charge Of the insane of the city who cannot
be cared for at the State asyl ylums, or who
are awaiting admission therein. BY the
contract made with Dr.. Moncure these pa
tients are cared for at the rate Of five dollar:
per day for FIVE or any smaller number, anC
seventy five cents per day for each patient II
excess Of five. This matter was placed undel
The charge OF committee of the Council
with directions to report monthly. signed
the Joint resolution adopting this plan witt
reluctance, regarding the charge excessive
and am still of the same opinion.
Upder authority of the law, the Judge o
the Hastings Court makes an allowance o
one dollar day for these lunatics, and TIT
price paid under the peculiar form of oul
contract is not less-an aggregate largely ir
excess of the charge at any lunatic asylum
with which I am acquainted. Already WI
have paid during the few months that thi
plan has been in operation 81 ,331 on this &C
count, and like burden is borne nowher'
else in the Commonwealth. What makes th,
charge peculiarly excessive Is the fact that
much the larger portion Of this outlay is fol
the care ofimbeciles who require little medi
cine, attention, or watching, and no restraint
Twenty persons have been received In th'
Institute and charged to the city, and of these
eight are still IN the institution, whose az
gregate stay amounts to 1,Q69 daye, ant
whose cost has been nearly, If not quite
$1,000. AS there Is no hope Of the cure 0
some of them, and as they are imbec'les
not lunatics, and therefore not receiVa
bic in the public asylums, this promises to b.
perpetual and heavy charge on the city.
7 recommend that an effort be made TO se'
cure better terms for the ensuing year, ant
falling that, that We undertake the care OF tn'
imbeciles at least at the almshouse.
The large number Of able.bodied paupers
yagrapts. and tramps which sought assistancl
the past year enforces the Recommendation
have heretofore made, that some compulsory
labor be introduced at the almshouse. In
country Is flooded with Vagrants, the pro
duct of the dullness Of business, and un
happily there is little prospect OF speedy
decrease. Among many worthy objects O
charity, there are not few who choose beg
giug as q substitute for work, and who are
more ready to steal than labor. l have hat
some of these arrested and put in the chain
gang, and those who are not dishonest Du
merely lazy might be accommodated Will
less degrading lsoor, to their own pro1t ant
the relief of our citizens, at the almshouse.
STREETS.
The total expenditure last year in this De
partment was S103, ,516-a sum less by S72'
than that of the year before. On street i'm
proyement proper the expenditure wa
S59. .e97. 90, divided as follows: Marshal
Ward. Sc 321.19; Jefferson Ward. Sl5,
37s.05: Madison Ward, g 1891; Monro
Ward, s7.s55.43; Clay Ward, Slo .seo.ol
Jackson Ward, Sl1, ,50S71. During tne yea
9,298 feet Of sewers were built, 41.ils yara
OF grading, s2,3O1 yards OF graVelllng, IL,
495 square yards of granite gutterine
8 97s feet Of new curbstones. 7,4oz squar
wards OF street paving, and 1875 square yara
of nacadamizing, besides large amount Q
repairs. e~.
seven SQUARE yards of new brick paVemen
have been laid against $3.50 the year before
the great bulk of the paving OF this yea
heine paid for by the property'oW owners
More than double the work OF tue yea
before was done on sewers, and as large q
amount as heretofore on the general Work
the streets, which are in better condltlol
than for several years past.
The City Engineer renews his recommeu
dation of the adoption of some general p'a
of street Improvement and sewer arrange
ment, and points to the considerations Wnie
warrant this suggestion. am persuaoe
that the reluctance to respond to the man
appeals which have been made IN THIS dlrel
tion arises
i. From an apprehension Of the cost
the proposed work.
Q. From the fear that other matters
sopposed superior claim might be neglected
Neither seems to me weli-founded. iaE'
for example,. the matters OF grade an
boundary of streets, which have occasione
more complaint and cost to private ipdividt