The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1878-02-07

increase during tnesyear. III
january lst. 1873, the schools stood thus
AcademyWhite boys OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES 1856
,,.+,t;,.o :. girls ........"...........-. 50 50
Anst..ote noys l 81
Timberlakes building colored boys......... So
. -" girls.-..... II
Madison street boys.... SO
girls 40
Total. 7ss
There are sixteen teachers. with an average
number OF ass pupils to each. Vocal music is
| taught in all tie schools by Dr. Brown, with sat
isfactory results. These schools are growing in
popular favor each year, and will, OF course. re-
| ceive the fostering care they so richly deserve
| STREETS.
/ The street improvements have generally been
OF substantial character. Much work is still
needed in the way Of grading and paving, but the
severity OF the times admonishes us to approach
new schemes with caution. Necessary repairs
| should not be neglected, and the approaches to
| the different schools, public and private. ought,
| in my opinion. be specially cared for, and none
Of them remain without good dry pavement
/ The poor department. underline care of Overseer
Kurtz, is we'll ard economically managed. The
| number OF paupers OH his list, running from July
LIST to January LIST. average So per month. OF that
number Is are white and 81 colored. have Wis
| Tied the hospital, and find the inmates comforta-
| bly, situated and doing we'll
FIRE.
| Our Fire Companies are well organized aud
ofncered. They never fail to do etfectual work
| when their services are needed. That depart
| ment should be cared for and kept properly
equipped. I find, upon consultation with the
| chief engineer. that much Of the hose is defec-
| tive and that 800 feet OF new is now needed. He
is also Of opinion that plugs should be placed at
| fho fol nnc Of bo Of Inn
tic Asylum garden; one on Kalorama street, near
the residence Of W. H. Weller one on Lewis
street, near the residence eft B. F. Fifer and one
on Augusta street, near the old toll gate. sub
init his opinions to your favorable consideration.
WATER.
| Since the completion of the new water-works,
| the city is amply supplied with water in every
! part. 1t has capacity to supply the wants OF a
largely increased population. It's construction
attests the skill and ability Of the city engineer,
Captain Donald Allen. That department in fu-
ture should be made self-sustaning.
POLICE.
The Police force is active, vigilant and effective.
Numbering less than any place know of equal
population, with only from six to eighteen
| months experience. respectively, they have sue
ceeded in the discharge OF their duty beyond my
expectations, and in my opinion give promise of
a proficiency rarely attained in small city.
There were $50 arrests from July, 1876, to Janu-
airy, 1877; l62 from January, 1877, to July, 1877
and 1873 from July, 1877, to January, 187S-aggre-
eating Cos. The amount Of fines assessed and
paid into the treasury is *7s7.3a amount worked
out in the chan-gang. $les.O5-aggregating,
| $s3S.57.
ORDINANCES.
specially desire to call your attention to re-
commendaton made some months ago, that the
city ordinances be revised and put in convenient
shape. 1t is need felt more and more, and one
that can be supplied with small cost.
| According to the provisions of the charter. yon
are empowered, among other things, to provide
| by ordinance:
ITO restrain Migrants, and expel from the city
persons OF lewd indecent and disorderly conduct.
who have not resided in the city more than one
| year.
| TO require and compel the abatement and re-
| moval OF all nuisances within the city.
| To prevent the coming into the city Of persons
| having ostensible means ofsupport, and OF
| persons who may he dangerous to the peace and
| safety of the city.
| would recommend the passage of ordi-
| nance that will meet each case
! CONCLUSION.
| am warranted, from personal observation, in
saying that Stanton will bear favorable com
parison with the cities and towns OF our country
| in regard to order, prosperity and contentment
| OF the people. Our taxes low in the
most favored places where improvements neces-
sary to thrift and comfort have been carried for
ward. But the times demand and we should be
| prepared to practice the most rigid economy. The
maintenance OF such policy our geographical
| situation and the manifold resources by which
we are surrounded, give us reasonable hope that
| manufactures will soon spring up to give fresh
| impetus TO our growth and prosperity.
| WIN. L. BALTHIS.
| Mayor
FINANCES OF THE CITY.
| REPORT or THE CHAIRMAN OF THE FINANCE COM
MIrrEE.
| The following commun icstion from the Chair
| man OF the Finance Committee to the Mayor of
| the city, read before the council on Tuesday
! night last
sTAuNToN, VA, January %, 1s7s.
| Hon. ". L. Balthis, Mayor,
| Dear Sir:-In compliance with your request,
| beg leave to state that the bonded debt OF the
| city is now &266,l00 (Which includes 5000 water
bonds just issued to Menfee & Parkins in full OF
contract price, OF this &l00, 000:debt was sub
scribed to the ST ock of the Valley r. r. Company
and it is claimed by the friends of that road will
| be paying investment. II this be realized, the
city may, at some future day be able to exchange
one for the other and thus virtually decrease its
debt to that extent The balance OF the debt was
| created as follows LOCO to build the new wa
| ter works, which are ample to supply our city
with water, even should it grow to five times its
present population 900 to buy land and wa
ter rights, and which will at most any time sell
for the same amount ; and the remaining $1,000
for general street and city purposes In the above
amount is included $4,000 of Manuscript Bonds
issued to w. w. Donaghe's executors. for the
~
pump house is located.) Said bonds are due in
1881, and hope the council will annually set
aside, out OF its revenues, sufficient amount to
| take up said bonds when due. This will bring
| down our bonded debt to $685., 1G0, and hope
there will be no necessity TO increase it for years
to come.
The floating debt is about $1,000. and the cur
rent expenses to the clcse % tie t.tal3tal will
about $SO0o but we have enough unsolicited tax
es for ls76-77 in the hands OF the Treasurer to
meet this.
Up to 1878 our bonded debt was very small-say
| ABOUT $3O,O00-and there was no fund provided
for its ultimate redemption. Since, however. it
has gotten somewhat larger. the council has ere
ateda sinking fund, to which they appropriate
annually one per cent OF the amount of the debt,
which is promptly invested in interest bearing
bonds. The interest accruing on said bonds is
coiiected every six months, and again invested.
and IN that way said fund grows very rapidly
our ponds are made payable 80 years from date
OF issue. 1t is generally conceded that when a
deoe Is created, and sinking fund provided for
its ultimate redemption, it will take said fund if
properly managed, 80 years to accomplish its
purpose but as our sinking fund committee very
wisely concluded to buy the city's own bonds,
WHICH they have been able to do so far at con-
siderable discount and if they can continue to do
.
years TO extinguish the debt
The sinking Fund Committee now holds FIJI 900
u the Guys bonds, land have funds enough in hand
70 Duy $3.50 more--all OF which has been accom-