Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1891-03-03
The Mesanpe Of the MAYOR.

The annual message Of the Mayor to the
City Council, which we publish this morn
Ing, is pithy review of the operations OF
Che various departments of Richmonds
government for the past twelve months
along with many recommendations ior 'ne
improvement Of the public service.
II is business-like paper, which shouiu
be read by every person who has the
welfare of this city at heart. From 1t may
be obtained, ia q condensed form, the
chief points Of the reports OF all our heads
of departments. These are things which
every citizen should know and yet OF
which the great majority are ignorant De
cause they do not think them OF sufncient
consequence 10 be studied.
The financial exhibit shows that the city
As living beyond its income. AS yet no
great damage has been done, but recog-
milton of this tact viii prevent the people
from making extraordinary demands upon
the Council and deter the Council from
granting them If made.
Our revenues from the new assessment
sre very much larger than from the old,
but TO q considerable extent they have
been spent in advance. The Mayor shows
chat the municipal debt is Offset by ample
assets and oongratulates our people that
our credit is good.
II is the custom of many people to attn
butte the great increase in our expenses to
The building Of the City Hall. That is but
pne item. The annual interest charge on
account of this work does not make any
very great showing in the grand total OF
annual expenses. The truth is thatinrecent
years we have been rapidly increasing our
expenses in every direction. They have
grown with-perhaps a little ahead of-the
growth of the city. However, tor our own
part we now see only one very important
need 10 be supplied out of the current reve-
pues, and this is a sufficient expenditure
for the Improvement of streets. No city
of our wealth and population has better
streets than Richmond, but they will not
continue good if money is not spent upon
them, Old streets must be renewed
. and repaired, and new ones must
be constructed 10 keep pace with the
enlargement of the city. For these pur-
poses it is to be hoped most earnestly that
the CITY Council will be able to appropri-
ste 100000 this year, but if the de-
mands of all the other departments are TO
be allowed before the claims of the Com
nittee ON Streets are considered it is
doubtful if anything like this sum will re-
main for such disposition. The wants OF
the Street Department have been presented
90 often and so vigorously of late that 1t Will
be impossible for the CITY Council to plead
ignorance on the subject or of the wishes
Of the people.
The Mayor recommends that the city
should become the possessor of an electric
light plant. This is the irresistible logic
of the situation if the city means TO con-
tinue her ownership of the gas-works. As
this would be a paying investment-an IN
yestment that would yield immediate and
continuous returns-the City Council
might, with propriety, issue city bonds for
the amount needed to buy the machinery,
DC. and build the house.
The Mayor recommends that commit
Zee he appointed 10 consider the question
of the extension of the corporate limits of
abe city.
Perhaps this is better plan than that
suggested by the Dispatch, from which il
differs, as we understand, in suggesting
that the movement be inaugurated by the
city instead of by the suburbs.
The sooner We urbans and suburbans
come 70 On understanding the better. II
there is that concurrence of opinion or
this annexation question which will justify
us in going to the Legislature IN Deem
Der, we can forthwith proceed to draft
our plan. If, however, as seems by nc
means unlikely. public opinion in the city
and in the county is found to be not YET
matured sufficiently to give promise o
united action, then we would do we'll t.
defer our application to the Legislature.
We must be united to succeed.
To make an application and have it re
jected viii be to give the movement set
back for many years.
1t is situation where VIC can very pro
6tably adopt the maxim OF DAvY CROCK
xrr-" Be sure you are right and then g
ahead"
The suggestion of the Mayor that W
make an enumeration Of our populatio
will meet with general approval. Th
United States census was taken here mos
unmethodically, and we shall ever beliey
Ahst not less than five thousand peopl
were omitted from the lists. Nodoubt th
City Council will order census to b
taken In the spring of 1892.
The Mayors figures show that Richmon
A steadily growing in wealth, business
and population. Our community enjoye
marked prosperity last year and the pres
emit prospect is very gratifying. AL tha
he says on this point is true andhe Nigh
have said much more. The reassessmer
INSIDE throughout the State last summt
when the blooming towns" were boon
ing most, and when there was no pretenc
chat there was anything Of the kind her
shows that we keep our distance head
ell our sister cities in Virginia.