The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1892-03-15

poi."s mas been, In the main, wisely in
Tor nearly every dollar of our bonded deIt The
.ise,s "l the city, IN the shape OF gas and water
Pian,s pubic PARKS City Hall and other pu bic
S"su ~, , are estimated to be worth more than
% rr ana IN this calculation the gas works
a. ~ put Gown az ESQ 900 and the water works ut
S.W1VVy, which is much less than their market
na,ts ~ our gas works. water works, pubic
lhhS. market houses and other property repre-
sc",ed D( these bonds were sold at public sale
Today they would realize enough to cancel
INers dollar OF orr indebtedness and leave
handsome surplus in the treasury. city that
can make such an exhibit rs this certainly has
reason 20 congratulate itself upon the uniform
good management OF Its finances rev ciuesin
lhe country can make such an excellent snow
ing Tor their bonds as this.
OUR HEALTH.
The question Of public health is OF paramonnt
importance, since II vitally concerns the
Der of Commerce aided by the Academy OF
Medicine. has rendered most important pub
lie service 10y is careful inVestlgnuQn OF the
many matters affecting the public health. The
reports OF tho Chamber have been submitted
70 the Council and will doubtiess receive your
most earnest consideration. IL ls gratifying 10
note that the total number OF deaths, from ali
diseases IN 1891 was III less ihan IN tho prece-
ding year. Tho Board OF Health IN their inter-
csting annual report make number Of valu-
able suggestions rs 10 how the death rate can
be still further decreased and the healthful-
ness of the city improved. The most pro-
life source OF disease IS defective plumb
q.
usage and that which was rendered so in its
original construction In many houses the
sewerage pipe connections are made with
almost criminal carelcs ness and freluentlv
offer no resistance whatever 10 the ineress II
ras from the main sewers. Many deaths are
directly traceablc 10 sources of this character.
out OF total Of 2i3 houses visited by
diphtheria the plumbing Of 100 was defective:
OCt OF 55 houses containing cases OF typhoid
fever defective plumbing existed in q: in all
the houses invaded 10y scarlet fever imperfect
HlHfn n 10
these evils ] would earnestly recommend the
appointment OF an Inspector OF plumbing AMI
house drainage ana ventilation. whose duties
should be directed and supervised by the
health officers OF the city. Il Is an anomalous
tact nat the ,coiorcd people. living in what are
considered the most unhealthy parts OF the
city, were singulary exempt from diphtheria.
90 which the inhabitants Of houses possessing
every comfort proved 50 susceptible.
Idpung FOOD.
Impure milk penCiDus meats and decayed
vegetables are also prolific causes Of disease. 1t
Is very important that their saio should be pre-
vented. Persons ling milk IN the cit should
De no lulred 20 keep their diaries and sd les and
faces OF business zen % The INSPECTION OF The
Health Department Vendors Of meats and
vegetables shout be required TO su init TO
hkc inspection and TO- abide by the decision OF
the Board OF Health. To make this inspection
most eueclVe il is Important that we should
have an inspector of meat and food supply,
which heartily recommend.
The benefits derived from he appointment OF
physicians TO the poOr have been widely expe-
renced and appreciated Their services have
been especia ly helpful to the colored people
during the past year. There was in 1891 among
this people decrease OF i03 in the number dy-
ing as compared with lS9O-nlnety-hye fewer
deaths occurring among cnlldren under nNe
years of age i'm 1891 than IN the year previous |
would again call your attention 10 the urgent
need Of a city hospital the absence Of which IS
more and more keenly felt every year. he con-
ditiOn Of ShOckOe creek Is constantly lncreas1
ing menace to the health of the city, and l
would earnestly urge that meas ures FOR ITS I'M
prOvcment be promptly adopted. Inc CITY mas
recently erected q CrematOry for the destruc-
lion OF garbage by fire, and We are now IN the
pos session Of the latest and most improved
method Of destroying hat large bulk OF dan
gcr0us and Objectionable waste which has here
toforc caused such great ANNOYANCE, IL Is con,
fdently believed that the benefit 70 be derived
from this furnace viii be a large factor IN the
future sanitation OF the city.
THE CITY WATER.
The Water Department has been well admin
stered under the careful management OF
Superintendent J.. c. Boiling. I he receipts Tor
the year aggregated 1874, S5149 an increase over
the lrevious year of Ss,74G2S The total eX-
pendltures amounted 10 SjSt0hS}; the annual
cost of maintenance and ordinary repairs was,
however, Oily Si2.5sS.l5. showing an excess OF
receipts over ordinary eXlendltufts OF SJs'@'3'p'
and II 90 this we should add the price or wafer
furnished 10 all the other departments OF me
city, TO churches charitable INSTITUTIONS anu 10
the many poor persons who receive water 1ree'
a low estimate of which would be SS3tOl. our
net revenue from water would be not less than
Ihe work Of raising the canal bank between
the Dump-house and tho hge-mile lock mas
EN- completed The new wheels are giving
entire satisfaction and all The machinery AZ the
new pump-hOuse j. ID first class condition;
The race WAYS are IN fair condition. J. no head
and wings walls at the iye-mile lock should be
raised 80 as 10 conine flood water 10 the four
mile lock. The uudmg, machinery ana dam
of the old pump-hoIso are very much IN need
of repairs. Which should be made at once.
The superintendent again calls attention 10
h4 - a
unless some remedy is promptly applied to- pre-
vent it, We hall 10 cons trained 10 increase our
pumping capacity. and that to do tins and fur
nsh the necessary means, would require an
outlay ef g., i.5Ol The average daily pumpage
by the new water pumps Tor the month OF
December was l0,523171 gallons. The total
cauaclty of these pumps with everything III
first class order is Sl2O O,O0O gallons per day
AcLosE MARGIN.
This is entirely TOO close margin. 1t IS true
that there Is an auxiliary steam pump with
ca acity of 6OO1.O00 gallons daily, hut II costs
SIX times much to pump water by steam
rover as ii does to pump II by water power.
Or present pumping capacity Is suihclcnt 10
supply population OF 2huNi WIN o. g.Iions
per iplta per day. provided the excessive waste
can be stopped. IN tho judgment OF the super
luteudent THIS can be best Accomplished uy the
general introduction of wa CT meters. There
are now in use in the CIT Us mel ers. an increase
Of IS over last y, ar. Each meter ser during the
year was purchased and set at the request OF
the water IA CT. anu none so lar nave ma cause
to reg et taking wafer uy meter measurement.
In me case OF private families the wafer ills
have been from 20 20 3 yer cent legs than they
would have been by ordinance rates Ine lew
cOnpla nj. received were found TO De caused
either b. carelessness or wasting fixtures.
our drlulln- water has been analyled during
the past autumn by three different chemists
Dr w. ii. Taylor State chemist, T. o rssOr d.
" Naliet, of the University OF Virginia. and
Professor +. a. fuertes OF Ornell University.
IL was examined chemically. micrOscopicaIy
and Internationally and these distinguished
chemists furm he'd mo o fayOla lereports upon
the purity and hcaithfrlness of our drinking
water. The city should never hesitate 10 do
whatever j. necessary IOr the lreseN alton OF
our water from pollution. The senlm d. pre-
walls that our waite il somewhat con am tea
ly tho tri putarles of luckahOe creek and 81 lew
small strenms flowing into tna canal. heartily
ind use tho recommendation o the uierlh en-
q iiereLt channel into the river at p IN some
miles q OvD iis pres ni iuNcture with %, leedcr
trOin the rlyer.and that the three other ranches
flowing iniO tne canI be conducted over or
under the canal, so hat their flow viii 10 ne
Tweed into the river below our n ke a owe
BOsle Dam II TINS is done believe that az
fear uf contamination from these sources "ouid
be removed.
EOB CHARITY.
The total amount appropriated iythe ouncj
on account of charity during the year was I, ~,
0D.5D OF this amount 1lo,H2NO was cAteuuet
under the direction OF tho committees OF the
tliy Council. and the remalnde @lJoj'..e Was
Appropriated o the ladies' Oi the Guy MISSION
richmond Nale Orphan Asylum H. i' Zee
Camp, lnlrderate Veterans. ana various oibcL
chauta le institutions The almshou'e, uiatI
the efficient management OF a. ~ aIt9.
lU.H IfsI IHl.H. tra "a