The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1876-03-07
TcosmNugp FROM FIRST rAaE.I
= =. ,rcreass Of one hundred and fifty
lOQ--ah I'M Anfora Tuanfy th0n

eand.- an increass VI wv r....tr tho,,
n,;iS;ons over the year before. twenty .nou
..na s;x hundred and sixty-three feet OF llon
s sauo uvere laid during the years larger
apnannnt than 10 any year since the WORKS
VIZ" The ,urbine-wheel pumps and the SIX
sr,alier pumps baye an aggregate pumplsg
cansci,p OF Within small fraction OF 3,oOo,.
one gallons daily, or o daily supply OF 100
osl,ons 20 each inbabitapt. This exceeds the
snnniv Of any city 10 the Union except the
rjtv az Washington, and to largely il excess
NJ every European city of whose water sup
niv Thsye statistics. From this estimate l
exclude the steam pump, the use OF WHICH
is only designed as auxiliary, and whose
pumping capacity Is $4,000 gallons per
dav. The division Of the city into TWO "aoef
districts Is made By an Irregular iins, com.
mencing at the corner OF DuVal ana rou,,n
streets and proceeding through Caual, o'Atu'
Cary. Seventh, Msin. Tenth, BANK, 1Wento'
Franklin, Mayo, Broad. Union. NineteenIn'
Grace, Twentieth, FranEiip, I"enty'nito'
Maiu, Williamsburg avenue 10 sne gas
works. rr.u
The high service supply to Church Hill
nasses down Broad TO Twenty-seventh street,
and there branches. The two main systems
Of supply unite at the corner OF Main ana
reservoir streets. apd are 90 connected tnat
each may be supplied from either reservoir
as occasion may demand. .,....od
No CITY improvement has been anticipated
with more interest than the compietiou "
the new reservoir. The interior Oh ooth
comnortments was nearly finished before Inc
frosfs- of winter suspended Work, ana the
necessary arrangements for dividing the ci'y
into two districts, With reservoir 10 eacn
having been previously made, water wsS ie'
khA OF III NJ
on from the new reservoir on tne 1stoi oau
nary, The advantage of the greater e,esa"
ton and ample supply was at once lev ~
every part OF the city, and few places IN sne
Union Dow have water supply more le,A
BILE for ordinary use. or more aYaiiaoie I'VE Wv
eXtinguisbmeDt OF hres. LA
The original storage capacity OIL Tue oIu
reservoir was 10000, 600 gallons, out accu'
mutation of mud OF many years nas o'.nln.
ished This to about 5000. 900. The new
reservoir ia divided into TWO compartments,
each ri which. when filed within four rect
of the bank, will contain 20,0OO,0O0 gallons
the aggregate storage capacity OF the TWO
reservoirs being 4s,000,000 gallons. 1
The water base Of the new reservoir
seventeen feet higher than the water ieVei OF
the old one when full, and the water level OF
the new tbirty.seven feet higher than the
water level Of the old.
This insures satisfactory supply IN all
parts OF the city, aud at some points The nesd
Is sufficient to dispense with engines IN Inc
extinguisbment OF fires.
The; only problem demanding the atten-
ton OIL those having this department IN
charge !s financial one. ln many citles
water Is supplied by private corporations,
and ia profitable. If Richmond bad received
1ifly cents for each 900 gallons Of water de.
liyered last year her income from this source
would have been increased $4,000. True
economy ia this department does not lie 30
much in checking the waste Of tcoter as 10
rigid scrutiny of expenditure and in juster
apportionment Of charges.
CONCLUSION.
Having been connected as Mayor with the
government of this city from the period OF
the Reorganization of the State under the
reconstruction acts of Congress, with the ex'
ception Of few Of the earlier months, While
q municipal contest was pending, may De
pardoned If close this, the last message !
Shall have occasion to address to this Council,
with o brief review Of the condition OF the
city when 1t came into the hands which now
control Ii, and its career since.
AS Yindication of the prudence and
fidelity with which the important interests
involved have been conserved, OF the success
with which formidable obstacles to munich.
pal prosperity have been encountered and
conquered, OF the steady and healthy ad-
vance which our city has made In every
direction that promises permanent pros
perity, land of the courage and liberallty WITH
which unforeseen and menaciDg dlff1cultles
were met and overcome, such retrospect
cannot be without value.
Nv own share 10 this labor bas been too
humble, and my claim to any credit therefor
entirely too insignificant, to give such state.
ment the slightest coloring either OF personal
yain-glory or personal defence and make
the exhibit simply In the interest OF our city,
whose credit depends on the public estimate
of the honesty and capacity with which 1t is
governed, and as an act of justice to you, gen.
tlemen OF the Council and yeur predecessors,
and to the public officers In general, whose
ample title to the respect OF their feiiow'citi'
zens Is to be found 10 the simple and lndis'
putable facts of our history. think also II
NAV not be without value as offering ground
of great encouragement as to the future,
when the time of commercial lethargy which
now prevails shalt have passed away, anC
our city. in common with the rest Of the
country. viii feel the impulse Of the genera
recovery from the present universal depres
sion. rg@
| shall indulge In no speculations as to
what would have been the fate Of the inter.
ests and credit of Richmond If her control
had fallen into other hands, sufficient IS are
the materials for forecastlng that result fur.
nished by the record OF less fortunate com.
munities. .....
When, 10 1870, the city government passed
into the power OF her own people, her bond
ed debt was S2,10O,000. Nearly 100000 o.
this debt had either already matured ant
was dishoDored or was to mature durinE
that year. The Supreme Court had affirmed
the liability Of the city for the liqnor de-
stroyed at the evacuation, and debt of abou
$75, 900 was pressing Tor settlement on tha
account. The channel of James river wa,
INSTRUCTED at various points between tb.
city aud Dutch Gap TO such an ex
tent that the navigation by large
steamers was tedious, haz ,rdous, ottentiRes
A impossible, aud the vessels of the New
York line frequently grounded at our very
wharyes. An expensive system of free
schools was required OF US by the Coustitu
ton and enforced by legislation. a H,atiue
debt of Si00, 900, the legacy of the military
goverrraenr, was carried from quarter Il
quarter at most usurous rate of interest
An unprecedented freshet during the yea.
made q wreck of the James River canal, anG
ind cted damages requiring most costly out
lay for repairs upon the gas and water
works. A aew eas.holder, large multi
plicatlon Of the pumping and storing power
OF the water-works, and q general over
h,uling Of the main and service.
pipes OF the lstteEs were needed.
The United States asserted and en-
forced claim against the city by
way Of tax on its gss production, as though
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