Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1891-03-03

PIE market accommodations for the resi-
dents OF that portion of the CITY.
hhkcIRio-LtoHT pLANT-cHRAPER GAS.
One or the most important questions
IoW unqcr consideration Is the citv's
own'ership OF an electric-light plant. In
my last annual message recommended the
,pas n OF such plant, and now renew
cannot long continue to operate her eas.
works with profit. The constantly in.
creasine demand for the electrieyliobt
makes y important that we should be able
20 supply consumers with either light that
NAV be desired
Inc time has come for reduction in the
pIice OF gas. The prompt Introduction of
improved methods of manufacture, which
can be secured at an outlay of not more
tnan $1,000, Will enable us TO furnish gas
at Sl.25 per thousand feet. and even nj n
lower rate stu to largo customers. and vet
ootaln more net revenue than we now en-
JOY. repeat with renewed confidence my
previously expressed convection in the
works,
private monopoly is more TO be dread.
cd than municipal control, and private
competition does not always bring cheaper
gas 1HVato corporations NAV sometimes
Tor season furnish light at a lower price
man would the city, yet the invarlable re-
tOilDgIltlOD
combination or consolidation of rival in
Iedests IN favor of higher prices.
ms is well illustrated in BROOKLYN, n.
L., where. though there are seven gas com
pahles, the uniform price to consumers is
Sl.6O per thousand.
RECEIPTS FROM THE GAs-woRKs.
The ges-works. under the efficient man.
agement OF Superintendent W. c. Adams.
masses most satisfactory exhibit. There
was generated during the year 1876, $4,000
cuDlc feet OF gas, which il an increase of
III s25 400 cubic feet over the previous year
he receipts from gas are equally crafty
ing. showing Gn increase for the twelve
months of $40 1896.
We now have about &c miles of street
mains, 2S6 new connections were made, !
ana f26 seryicc-plpes renewed ndrepalred
Ihe expense account during he year was
somewhat increased on account of the ne
cesslty for replacing ten arches on one
block OF 6's, which had been so seriously
injured IN tho freshet Of August. 1889, that
they had 10 be pulled down and rebuilt.
An engine and exhauster were put in at
the Dock-street station to supply the def
cheney caused by the lack of room in the
holders. The need for another holder is
very urgent. The consumption Of gas has
exceeded the holder capacity 242, 299 cubic
feet, and should an accident occur by
which operations at the works had TO be
suspended for even few hours the
chances are that our supply would be ex-
hausted before the retOrts could be again
fred up.
would once moro urge that special eff
forts be made TO increase the consumption
OF gas by the use of gaS-stoves. This bust
ness admits Of large development and
would greatly add to the revenues of this
department.
SCHOOL BUILDINGS NEEDED.
There is no appropriation from the pub
lie treasury that yields a better return for
the investment made than that which is
spent in the maintenance Of our public
schools. They have been 50 skilfullv con-
Quoted that distinguished educator from
another State has declared that our schools
in point of efficiency entitled us TO be
ranked fourth among all the cities of the
country. We have now enrolled 1l,749
pupils. for whose education the city last
year appropriated SlOj 900.
There Is urgent need Tor two new school
buildlngs-One TO take the place of the
Central building, the use of which has
been granted TO the Confederate Memo
rial and Library Association, and the other
to supplant the present frame buildings
on Navy Hill. which are unsafe and alto;
gether unsultcd for school purposes. and
should be replaced by a more modern
structure.
The usefulness of our schools would be
greatly enlarged by the addition of q
system of manual training, which it is
hoped will be introduced just as soon as
our financial condition will enable us to
do so.
THE NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. INSTITUTE.
Cur military organizations are most i'm !
pOrtant factors in our City's prosperity. |
They contribute In largest measure to the |
attractiVeness of every pubic demOnStra- |
ton, and are always ready TO respond TO |
any demand made upon them for the pre- !
seryatiOn of the public peace. Our appro- |
priatons 10 their support should always |
be generous.
The Virginia Mechanics Institute in its |
night school IS doing a fine work IN the /
education and training of students in the [
scientific and mechanical arts, and Is rem |
derig vnluable service to the community /
by placing the means of education within /,
the reach Of a most worthy class OF boys /
and yOung men, who without the training |
thus afforded them could not hope to win !
the highest prizes Of after life. Three nun
dreG and fOrty-sevcn students have ma /
circulated during the present session, and |
many more desired TO enter, but there was |
no room 10 accommodate them.
An effort is now being made to raise |
ninety thousand dollars TO purchase perma- |
nent quarters and better equipment for |
the institute. / commend this movement |
WATER DEPARTMENT.
The Water Department has been well |
conducted under the admirable manage |
ment of Superintendent c. J.. Boiling. |
The receipts for the year aggregate cl26.: |
lll.2l. beng an increase over 1889 OF |
S1I414.34. New house supplies TO the |
number of Cos were put IN and twenty !
seven new fre-hyCrants were set. Ten |
thousand dollars was expended IN raising |
the canal banks between the three and i've !
mile locks. This work was jointly done by |
the city and the Chesapeake and Ohio /
Railway Company, and was the result of |
a settlement Of o difference between |
the corporations arising from the rail- |
road company's having so raised |
the water in the Richmond level |
of the canal as to seriously impair the /
capacIty Of our new pumps. By TINS sell |
tIpmeut the respective rights OF the CITY |
and the Chesapeake and Ohio Railway |
Company rs TO the use of the water and !
the level al which it shall be maintained III |
the canal are definitely determined.
The raising of the canal-banks places |
them al an elevation above damage, except /
from the very highest floods on the river. !
There is further advantage seen IA tne
more abundant supply of water that can \
he brought down the canal for manufac-
turing purposes.
So rand is the increase in the consump-
ton Of water that the superintendent
deems il necessary TO call attention TO the
necessity at an early date of some addition
To our present pumping capacity. In 1870 /
the per capita consumption was only IA
gallons; in 1880 il had increased to w gal
Inns and IN 1890 1t was 1853 gallons. 1t IS
Estimated that one half the water pumped
each day is wasted During the year 5;5l4
fixtures were reported QUITO order. lhe
old fashion compression closets are tne
most wasteful. and Of all the different
fixtures found leaking or running these
amounted to A per cent. 1t is evident that
unless some way can be devised for check
inc this enormous waste our water supply
must soon fall short of the demand.
THE USE or METERS.
The superintendent thinks that the APP
,,l;cstion az meters TO the class of closets
above mentioned would be very effective
in preventing waste-in fact. he again
urges the general Introduction OF WAFER
metres. 143 Of which are now IN uso ana
have given general satisfaction.
The reservoirs are in good condition, nut