Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1890-07-31

Our CITY IN the Future.

Richmond is at that period OF progress
when, by proper energy on the part oil
business-m and legislation suited TO her
condition and prospects. snch quicken
ing NAV be given growth and prosperity as
will put her in an enviable position among
American cities
With Manchester. which is az much a
part of our commercial community as If
she were one of our wards, and the suburbs
of the two places we have over 100000
Inhabitants. We have 724 manufactures.
EMPLOYING n. 453 hands, with annual sales
of SS1 .0ss, $50 and jobbiDg trade which
amounts 10 so. OO0. 900 per annum. Six or
seven hundred new houses will be erected
this year. including several public build
inss Of great cost and beauty. Our mer-
chants and manufacturers are extending
their enterprises and population has been
attracted to the extent that. finding little
or no room within the city proper, villages
have sprung up in Henrico along our
boundary lines. and the question of annex
alton has forced itself upon the attention
of the people and will not be Quoted un-
I'll the Legislature has met and passed
bill giving US considerable slice of county
territory. With annexation comes the
problem Of street improvements, including
gas, water, sewers. curbs, sidewalks, and
roadways.
At present Richmond has no street-im-
proyement system worthy of the name.
The fuethought and good judgment of
the City Engineer has served us to great
extent in stead Of well-defned plan of
operations. but he has not always been
able to influence the decisions Of the City
Council and its committees, and hence it
has more than once happened that money
has been spent where not needed and Sec
tions that should have been improved were
left unprovided for. We have never seen
any one who was able to defend our pres
ent method of no method.
What is needed is a system that will
grow with our growth and allow the appro-
priations (nearly always too meagre) to be
spent where they will do the greatest
amount Of good. When We come to talk to
our suburban friends about incorporating
their lands the first question they Will ask
will be What are you going to do about
improving our streetsf"
Yes, what are we going to do? What are
we going TO do about improving many
neighborhoods IN the city? Can we adopt
q scheme of betterments? Can the Coun-
Gil next year make the needed appropria-
tions from the Treasury, or must we issue
improvement bonds? Who can answer
Who is considering these things!
One thing seems certain: after this year
the taxpayers will not longer consent to
see the great revenues which they pay into
the treasury used for every other purpose
than that which. above all Others, would
bring in the surest returns. They do not
admire that plan which gives to every
other department of the city government
with liberal hand and leaves the balance
for streets.
We must do better than this. Surely we
are not so poor in ingenuity and deficient
in enterprise as to be unable to extrlcate
ourselves from our Improbable and un'
progressive policy.
Other communities have found that the
surest way TO accomplish the ends Mt which
we should aim is through the medium of @
board Of public works or street commits
sion. 1t will be we'll for US to consider il
this does not offer to Us solution of the
difficulty. .
We think the present Committee or
Streets az trusty as any the city ever had
and in none of our remarks do we mean tC
disparage them. 1t is not the administra
tors Of the system. but the system against
which we argue and protest.
The public spirit of the city must awake
tothe importance of extending. improving
and identifying our thoroughfares anC
carrying to the suburbs all the convent
ences and comforts Of metropolitan life
Let us aim and work for durable anC
sensible system.