The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1876-01-10
[For the Dispatch.J
Our Streets.

MeSSTS. EIttOTS 1U mOIe iuuy eiaoolatO
the scheme now before the City Council OF
appropriating one hundred thousand dollars
in bonds for grading and grayelllng our
streets beg permission to explain the seVe-
raj provisos contained in the resolution.
First. It is provided that the interest
upon the bonds shall be deducted from year
to year from the annual appropriations for
street and
Second. That not more than twenty-five
Thousand dollars shall be issued in any one
!. Recognizing the factthat the current reve-
nues of the city are barely more than suffi.
cient to provide for its interest account, the
salaries Of officers, and the proper maintain.
ence of its schools, police, fire, poor, and
street departments, the patrons of this mea.
sure deem it more expedient to provide for
the interest upon the bonds from the amount
annually allotted to "streets generally /"
than to incur. the risks either Of increasing
the rate OF taxation or Of having the measure
killed by the cry that would be raised to that
effect.
= For instance, the amount annually appro-
priated to "streets general" approxinates
the sum: of $4,000. Therefore, If $25, 900
In bonds were issued the fret year, the inter.
est upon which is 81, 500, that amount'would
be deducted therefrom, leaving S4S,5O0 Tor
general improvements.
= During the second year the Issue OF bonds
would amount to $50 600, and the interest to
"a. 600. leaving S47 1000 for general improve-
ments and so on until when the " hole SlO0,'
GOO shall have been issued the annual tax upon
The street fund will be SO 600. leaving S44,-
600 for general Improvements
Thus il will be seen that the rate OF tax
'upon property will not be increased. Neither
will the astreets generally" suffer by the
amounts deducted from it for interest on the
bonds. For this reason OF the 100000 an
nually appropriated it is safe to say that from
15 to 90 per cent. lis at present paid out for
grading and graYelling such streets as are
embraced in the resolution; and that fund
beinp hereafterreleVed from such work 1t
would gain, rather than lose, by the ar
,rangemeDt. 55l.qas.f w.
/, The third proviso is that no portion ot
tha bonds 80 appropriated shall be used Tor
grading for improving any streets that are
now guttered, curbed, and pared, until all
ungraded streets are properly graded ana
graveled.T 49,. -. =, y, !. !,
The writer has heard objections expressed
to this feature of the scheme, based upon
the idea, that-it is inimical to the central
wards of the city. Such is not the fact, and
1t is sincerely hoped that q measure which
promises 80 manE benefits to the city at large
will not be weighed down by disrust and
sectional jealousies.
1t is simply deemed best to thus prescribe
the manner of expenditure in order TO pre-
vent Wasteful use of it in attempting to
make costly and radical changes OF grades 10
portions OF the city already we'll improved
and built up. They are willing in this re.
spect to let well-enough alone, and where
perInsnent improyeme ents and good property
now exist not TO disturb them There are,
OF course, some cases OF very defective
grades, even In the heart of the city-sueh,
Tor example, as Eighth, Ninth and Tenth
streets between Clay and Leigh, These VIII
he corrected, as usual out of the fund OF
Gstreets generally = in such manner as may
meet the approval Of the propsrty-owners
interested i
mother objection has been expressed 10
the fear that the money would be partially
distributed -laEorite sections receiving more T
than fair proportion OF benefits. "A sufn.
Hcieut aaswer TO this objection will be found
Fin The statement that the Committee on
Streets (the largest committee OF zoe Sodn'
cir is composed OK tTo members From eae1
ward in the. city -ons representative ron
each branch of the Council il-and al recon-.
snoapdsfions must frst be approved oy q ma
iority of The whole COMMITTEES, and. pass notn
bsanches of the Council, aad be approved by
.fte Mayor, before they take ehee ~ tness
|fSacKs shol,ld not be deemed satisfactory, !