Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1896-01-28
FAVOR ANNEXATION.
Subcommittee Recommends the Union
OIL Richmond and Manchester.
The Report Carefully Estimates the
Income and Disbursements Under
Annexation an'i sag Consolidation
Would Prove Beneficial 10 Both.

/ 10 consider the ACCESSIBILITY and feas-
biiity of consolidating the two cities met
last night at O'Clock, in the City Han.
and the proposition looking to annexation
was received with more rayor than ever
before.
Messrs. Walerstein and Utz, the chair
men OF the two respective committees.
who had been appointed a subcommittee
| to prepare report I'm regard to the
/ annexation Of Manchester. presented the
following report, which was read by the
clerk
We herewith submit five papers. mark
| ed. respectively, Exhibits \, b, c, y,
and T.. By referring to Exhibit A you
| Will see that the actual revenues obtain
/ ed by the city OF Manchester for the
/ year ending January 81, 1896. is So, ,g2S. SS,
and the probable revenue Cnder cOnsOli-
| datiOn for the same period would be
| Nil69.9S. The increase of about 5000 IS
| caused by the revenue that will be de-
rived from this year on culvert taxes,
| which is based upon 81 per house for each
abutting house In the same exhibit Is
shown the actual disbursement for the
period referred to above. which amounts
to s65.3jS.54. and the estimated require
l
the government, S79,7O0 under annexed
conditions. Exhibit B shows the assessed
valuation OF real estate, as well as the
amount of the bonded limit and the pres
ent bonded debt. Exhibit shows the
detailed statement of the bonded indebt-
edness. when issued. when due and the
percentage of the bonds. Exhibit ID shows
the cost OF conducting the public schools
CT the city Of Manchester. The object OF
f- frf f- -rf flfa. ,r4H
tanning the same, as a special school-tax
of % cents Is levied for this purpose EX-
tibit T. shows the valuation Of taxable
real estate and personal property i'm the
city Of Manchester
Upon examination Of these figures your
committee will find that the actual reye-
nues for the past year are so. .9ZS. and
the expenditures. $6535S.5l, by which il
is demonstrated that the city government
has been conducted within the receipts.
THE TAXES ESTIMATED.
In estimating the probable income un-
der annexation. we base the receipts for
taxes upon the Richmond rate, which is
a total Of $40. while Manchester is Sl0O
which includes the school tax. In esti-
mating the disbursements for conduct
ing the government you will observe that
We find the actual cost under present con-
ditions in Manchester is Si. l699S, while
the disbursements under annex cOndi-
tions are estimated at 1900. In making
up these estimates we have endeavored
TO make liberal estimates for the con-
duct OF various departments, at con-
siderable increase above the present re-
quirements. as your subcommittee thinks
that under consolidation such changes
will be required as will make the cost
Of conducting the various departments
considerably more than the present ex-
penditure. For instance, we have esti-
mated the cost OF police at about S3,e)0
higher: schools. $3.50: fire department,
$500; poor. $3.50; health. 5000; streets,
$500: and We have made an allowance
OF $1,000 for an additional clerk that
may be required at the Auditors Office.
In few instances we have estimated the
cost less than the present expenses, as
they would not be incurred under con-
solidation. on account of better facilities, |
which now exist. and would not be in |
creased by a larger population. We have |
omitted the present salary list of s2.653s5; |
also, the expense OF Hastings Court, |
390i2 We believe that in making these
estimates we have been very liberal in
providing for better police and fire re-
quirements and additional school IA |
cilities We have also more than doubled |
the estimate for street purposes The /
present item of interest charged, amount |
ing TO S26, 400 can be materially reduced, |
as the bulk Of the bonds issued by the |
city are callable and such az are pay |
ing and 6 per cent. can be called, and /
per cent. bonds issued to take their places. /
The bonded limit of the city of Manches- |
ter. which is based upon ~ per cent
OF tie taxable real estate values, is now |
within $4,000 of the amount allotted, and. |
based upon the rate Of IS per cent. which
is the limit OF the city of Richmond, |
there will be no opportunity for a larger
bond ISSUE under the present limit
FEASIBLE AND BENEFICIAL.
Your subcommittee believe that, from
the figures presented. which are taken |
from the official books Of the city OF
Manchester by representative of your
subcommittee that annexation is en-
tirely feasible, and would prove very
beneficial 10 both cities. When We con-
slider that the two communities are
really about one: that the only division
is the river. We should not hesitate
under these conditions 70 advocate the
consolidation of the two cities. Many OF
the large and prosperous cities OF the
country to-day owe their progress and
larger increase in population TO the fact
that they have taken in their suburbs
at very rapid rate; and in this in
stance we have the opportunity OF join
ing a fairly prosperous city of 1900 or
12,oO0 inhabitants to ours. under favor
able conditions. IL is a Well-knONn fact
that Richmond. advertised to the world
as a city with a population Of 10000 or
ll50o0 people, would attract more capital,
more manufacturers. and more new
corners than she does to-day under the
present rating given us IN the census.
The prosperity OF the two cities and the
common interests are so near alike that
II is i'm our opinion. that this action
should be considered from a standpoint |
of the general good; and We believe
that the consolidation OF the two cities
will greatly inure to the benefit Of both.
The city OF Manchester. 1t is estimated.
spends through its merchants and peo-
pie generally from 100000 to $2.500000
in the city of Richmond annually: and
we believe that If We can consolidate
the two cities under a feasible plan
we should DO so. with the view of in
creasing the large trade which Manches-
ter now contributes. According TO our
figures II would cost the city of Rich
mond very little more than revenue OBJ
taned to conduct the city OF Manchester
under its own government. apd such
being the case. we should gladly aid
the prosperity OF the city of Manchester.
which contributes such n large amount
OF trade to the city of Richmond
RECOMMEND ANNEXATION.
With these views before you. we re-
spectfuly recommend the consolidation
OF the two cities under one government
and that this committee recommend 10
the councils of the cities of Richmond
and Manchester that the necessary steps
be taken. through the proper officers, 10
frame a bill asking the Legislature 10