Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1893-01-05
THURSDAY. JANUARY 8, 1892.
rhe Cost Of Living in the CITY Hall

The Cost Of Living in the City Hall.
The expenditures already incurred on
account Of the building OF our new City
Hall exceed q, 900. 600. and 1t is estimated
that about $3Oo.00O or 100000 more will
be needed TO make ii entirely ready tor
occupancy.
This is a greet sum OF money TO be spent
by US for such purpose, but there Is no
ilse in crying over split milk unless we
take 70 heart lesson from II. The people
voted S3O0, 900 for the erection OF the hall.
though IL was even then supposed that the
building would cost S50O,00O But no one
IN those early days Of our daring venture
ever dreamed that il would cost over
S1.250.O0
The peculiar condition OF local politics
at the time that the hall was undertaken
made ID desirable that the work should be
done by day labor rather than be let to
contract, and the community generally
acquiesced in this arrangement There
fore IL there is blame We are all blamable.
II is more than likely IL We had our time
10 go over again We should pursue diff
ferent course. And yet who knows but
that our Liberation from the party then in
power was not worth all that we had TO
pay therefor?
II is worth while 30 look back over those
bygone days 10 see if we cannot find in
them some light to guide US In the future.
Our City-Hall money has certainly been
honestly expended and nearly oil OF 1t has
been kept at home and has thus protited
many worthy laborers, and certainly we
shall have beautiful structure. Tho
building, of course, must be completed
and 1T 10 steadily going on (chehy under
the contract system). aud in the course OF
year il will be occupied by the courts OF
this city. the City Council. and the various
other officers Of our municipality.
II will be worth while now for the City
Council TO consider what it Is going TO
cost us TO maintain our fine house after we
have cotton into IT.. If we mistake not. II
will be found quite expensive. 1t is far
from likely that many of the persons who
nre now employed as servants and sub-ofli-
GERS Of the courts aud city offices can be
dispensed with, aud we should know that
60 live in the new City Hall in n style in
leeping with its grandeur we shall have to
have engineers and fremen 10 run the
boilers which will furnish steam to heat
the building and power to run the oleva-
tors, electricians and mochanicians to ope-
rate aud keep in order the electric lights
hnd bells. men TO run the elevators. &c.
AL Of these aud perhaps others will have
10 be employed. Then there must be
superintendent OF the City Hall, 10 whom
shall be committed general charge Of the
building.
We do not venture into the domain OF
figures, though we are at a statistical Pc
riod of tho year; but We shall have to ig-
p6re all Of the teachings of the past in this
and other cities If we do not set 1t down as
certain that these fred charges will grow
year by year. IL is certain, too. as any,
thing in the future can be that repairs aud
alteration of tho building will always
amount 10 considerable SUN.
So II will DO seen that after we have
completed the hall and furnished it in fine
style. and moved into it, our expenses will
not be at an end. The annual charges,
however. will undoubtedly be paid out of
the city's yearly revenues, and thus will
not add TO the interest account of the
bonded debt of Richmond, which, though
quite as large as we could wish to have it.,
Is entirely manageable, and is Offset 10y
such valuable city property holdings as
the water and gas-works, &c.
Perhaps our councllmen have already
given some thought to these matters; if
80, 1t will not hurt to give them good
- al
ing when all these questions will have to
be acted on, and we cannot forget that
where expenses are once provided for they
are not unlikely TO remain as continuing
charges for all time.