The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1890-03-04


~ .~ot,onel Rank Of Nlrai ia. and In con-
SEQUENCE. the payment Oi sle,3ol OF niNes
Inc nom these banks Is withheld until tne
rirhf of the city 10 levy said tax mas oeei' "'
sInr .ftcs thc death Of the late ASlctt j.
Wooason. collector OF city taxes, an cNHihiil"-
tlon OF bis books was ordered VII ,'n 49,, W..
completed during the past year, anu VIZ ~
shows "a balance due the city 10y MN on 80
O4ol8 The city Attorney has been lhs'l
led TO take such steps as may be necessary
Tor recovery Of this amount.
STREET rAvIN1.
There is nothing that adds more 10 the
beautv aud taxable values OF CITY 'il"n
well paved streets, ana whlis' W. ,,','b h.I
been able ID do All that We could wish nhl
been done TO improve their conuluoh, ~.
when we remember that We nave more 'nHi,
one hundred and SIX miles OF stfcels' " l,.
that last year The appfoptla iens iVi 49,,
generally was only S6,. 600, when more inth
<afo ODO WAS asked for, we may couAialnHit'
ourselves that 20 much has been done hnu
fhai even now our streets will compare y. ,sl
ftVorablv with those Of any CITY Oh Hi'' Si~'
and wealth In the country. ,,.,...l
Colonel W. r.. Cufshaw. our accom- ilsh,"
civ Engineer. ia his annual report hi'"-
tlons that besides the usual WORK uoht IT. Wy
-frfof 4 oparfmcnf during the year, ilock
street from Eighteenth 70 iwenty-seeoii1'
was rclaid with substantial fithit' l1'
mcnt OF large size prepared blocks, sellen .o
thr heavy traffic OF that thorouRhiaic, uh.
rn thinks shonld be continued throughout
nj extent with this kind OF paving Inc LN-
pinccr suggests that whenever inc P'Nt
mcnts Of the business streets where new
haniinp is done are 10 be rciaid, these hetF4
blocks should be used 10 place OF lhe "9'''
granite sgalls or rubbie Work. ..,.
In no wear before has there been so mncn
curbing and gutterlng laid as duiint iis'
wear As the extension ui paved hmc"HlNo
depends upon the cuibing and gutieiiht,
IN il easy 10 see that this class 81
street work must greatly increase WIN
the building Of new houses. OF Wn.Di,
moro were no less than SIX hunuieu
and one erected during the year Jtst cioseu.
10 great and urgent was the demand lot fint-
,valks that YOU authorized an anticipation OF
appropriations 10y perm ulns proper ~ yM it
crs 10 have the curling and eutitilh- i"iu q.
their own cost. with The understandings ihh
they should be reimbursed out OF lhc HfN'
INSTRUMENTATION Larger appropriate
are much needed for this important class OF
street work.
SEWER SYSTEM.
Nothing adds more 10 the health OF CITY
than a good sewer system. ihe amount 81
apart for this purpose has been entirely lh-
1dc0ratc 10 meet the demands TOT new
sewers and unless moro liberal provision l'
made. we shall be-unable 90 provide lor the
requirements Of health In the growing sec
tiOne OF the city. -
bracinc $50 acres. For the properca ol lhf
trees and shrubDcry IN these p ifNs II nuiht-
rvmau is greatly needed. endorse lne le
Commentator Of the Engineer Tor tne APP
continent of skilled nursoryman. win b, IN
addition 10 his work in the parks shall az.
tend TO the planting, care and trimming ui
trees i'm the city, which should not be iequii
ed Oithe property owners.
CITY HALL WORK.
The work on the City Hall has been COR
tnuod during the year. H. Will be seNeI"i
wears before 10 is finished. but Wnen CON
1lefed we shall have a most beautiful build
inc well ADAPTED to the needs OF our CITY gov
eminent. seven hundred ana nlnci! tip'
sand dollars have been appropriated TOT tni7
building OF which there was expended u"
December n, 1859. s6l0 .o3O.D1; leaving q
balance 10 the credit Of the fund OF sloi'-
1886.
GAS DEPARTMENT.
The Gas Department, under The eihcleht
suucrintendence of Mr.. W. &. Adams, make
am excellent exhibit for despite the NO hei-
eral use Of electricity for Illuminating lui.
poses Die receipts for gas were only 81 .-j2.o }
less than In 1859. would especially can
attention to the limited purifying surface OF
the works. This Is the most important ,HV
Tor in the manufacture Of gas, and unless
something is done TO increase the capfclit
for purifying. we VIII have serious iiounic
from impure gas during the next WIZ. ci.
The new fetOrt house. containing ten Dencn'a
of 6's. was completed last April. and the 2, %
suits from these benches have been pefecili
! satisfactory The walls OF the Oh icioii
house were raised zen feet. and nov roof
put on, which conforms the old Duiiulns lo
| the new and adds greatly 10 the comfort %
| We are stlll IN urgent need Of new hold
or. aud as soon as practicable one hhculu ID
| constructed ,,,.
| reduced the revenue Oftnis department 10 Cd
SLIGHT extent last year, but We are eiaduallf
regtining our customers, ana inc ruptllH-
tenaent thinks thIt we VIII send out more
gas in 1890 than In any preceding year tllte
the works We're started.
/ vonld recommend that efforts be made
TO increase the consumption ot gas ~ lhe
use Of gas stoves. This business admits ~
large development and would greatly aqH
to the revenues of the gus department ~,
Springfield, Mass. over 900 heating and
cooking gas stoves are now IN use
think the time is near al hand when @
will be hbls tOreduce the price OF gas 90 sl.2o
Der thousand feet. We should az OF sc adopt q
graduated scale OF prices by Mhicn
large consumers could be ohcitu
inducements TO continue the use OF gus
for unless we do we viii IND tha'
more Of our best customers VIII substitui,
/ electricity for Gas. 10 Is the large cons me
I that are leaving us. and we must meet th'
/ competition that cOnffOnts us. or cOnlinu,
to witness a falling OH In our gas receipts.
ELECTkIC LAAfs.
The city is now under contract with tbe
/ Richmond Schuyler Electric Light Company
/ for electric lights We are using one hun
bred and tnrty-lOur Of tnclr lamps on our
streets and M our public parks, Wnich cos
one hundred and foriy-iour doilus each pea
I annum. The present contract expires l
| 1891 and I would earnestly renew my rec
OmmendatiOn that The CITY purchase an'
| erect au.clcctric plant of IFS own. 10 ls NciA
imnorfant mat Tie council shouldn't once De.
/ DIN the consideration Of this question. IT wt
| arc To continue TO furnish The people WIZ
artificial light. 10 is just as important mat Wt
/ shonld furnish the electric as the gas ileNt
i ..f .I4n b.
GRAFTON early in the year and promptly acicl
upon 80 that we may have our own lionl
ready when the present contract expires.
FIRE DEPARTMENT.
Tho Fire Department was never i'm better
/ condition than IL Is now. lNntr inc wise
/ supervlsiOn of the Board of tine Commits
/ sioncrs and CHEF ". O.. Pullels The depart
ment has attained high degi CD Oi olAci sn'
cy 10 now consists OF SIX steamer cohpA
MES. three hook and ladder truck conph'
! MICS two hose companies, with member
/ shin of one hundred and thiriy-thice men
! of which tWcutN-nine are permanent
/ members and one hundred ana ioui
are call members lheic are nov
/ i'm the department sixteen lhouaanl
! iour hundred feet OF fabric hose, most of lt on
/ GOOD condition. The addition OF an extra
i man al each engine house, recently author
/ ized ~ the Council. was a most Wise ano
/ humane measure, which viii give 10 the sla'
! non men much me- dcd relief, and insure
/ The city rctter service ON the part OF aii. Nc
! better evidence OF the eilciency OF the de-
i nsrtu,enf can be furnished than Is found bon
/ fbe met that the net loss ~ fire ln
| 1850 was only twenty three thousand. one
! hundred and fOrty-two dollars ana sixteen
cents.
Ne need q new englne-house In the north
crn part OF the city, und the addition of 81
Ipht steamer i'm Fulton. The board is of The
/ opinion that not less than ten new fire alarm
| stations should be erected this year. They
also urge that a large eloctro-ccniral bell
be placed upon the new CITY Han, 20 Toe
| Oporated under the supervision Of The super
intendcnt OF Fire Alarm, and that our public
schools should bo equipped with the fire
alarm wires
Imost heartily endorse the recommends
tion Of the board for the appointment of nn
inspector OF buildings, ana the adoption OF
AN ordinance requiring the erection of fire.
escapes upon an public buildings tulcC
| stories high. occupied as manufactures ol
| otherwise. especially upon buildings where
females are employed. There are az present
MANY such establishments which have uU
adequate means of escape IN case Of IRE on
panic.
FIRE ALARM.
The city has now i'm operation over one
/ hundred miles of flre-alatm telegraph wire.
| SUPERINTENDENT ". III. Thompson calls attcr-
| tlon 10 the necessity OF some leg station 20
| prcVent the lndiscrimluatc construction al
| electrical and mechanical wires within ihc
city limits. This Is a meter OF great impur-
| lance. and earnestly recommend That you
/ Give the subject your prompt and most care