Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-02-03
NEEDS FOR THE YEAR
FINANCE COMMITTEE HEARS FROM
THE CITY DEPARTMENTS.
NO ACTION ON TIE ESTIMATES.
They VIII BE Considered mt n Called
Mceting-Tnlk About Reducing the
Meters-Other Departments.

held q lengthy session In the Office of the
city Auditor last night, and considered
10 some extent the estimates of the needs
of the several departments of the city
for the fiscal year 1897. although nothing
in the matter OF formulating the annual
budget was done.
Those in attendance were Chairman
Hardwicke. and Messrs. Starke Roun-
tree Cottrell, Jones. Harrelson. and
Zimmerman; heads OF a number of
the departments representatives of seye-
raj of the leading charities and others
interested. 1t was expected that many
ladies interested in the hospitals and
other charity institutions of the city
would be on hand to urge upon the COM
mittee the Importance of continuing the
appropriations which 1t has been the
custom of the Council to appropriate to
them for several years past. The in
clemency of the weather. however, kept
the ladies at home and several members
of the male fraternity. more or less In
terested in the work before the body
were detained at home for similar rea-
sons.
When Chairman Hardwicke raped the
committee to order the City Auditor
Mr.. f. j. Warren. was ready with his
batch Of estimates, and the first subject
taken up was that of the appropriations
to the charities. Major Norman V. Ram
dolph and others were on hand 10 urge
upon the committee the necessity of con-
tinuing the appropriation of $1,000 this
year to the Lee Camp Soldiers Home
ms n
ed fully, and the committee proceeded
with it's labors.
OTHER CHARITIES APPEALS.
The claims of Pickett Camp for its $500
contribution from the city annually were
presented.
A petition from the ladies representing
the Day Nursery and Kindergarten.
which is located on Franklin street near
Twentieth. was read. 1t asked for the
usual sum allowed that charity year
s55O-and the representative of the insti-
tuition told Of the advantages of the
nursery to women who had to work in
the daytime, and could leave their chill
dren there to be cared for from early in
the morning until late in the evening.
Mr. f.. u. Taylor. director in charge Of
the Virginia Hospital, presented the
claims of the University College of Medi-
cine Dispensary. He said that last year
this dlspensary treated 1900 INDECENT
patients, fifty OF whom went into the
Virginia Hospital for treatment. from
whom the institution received not cent.
The Richmond Eye. Ear. and Throat
Infrmary. on Governor street. was ably
represented by DIR. Joseph a. White. who
explained that this was purely charity
institution which had as its entire
sources Of revenue the contributions
made by the city and those of private
citizens The dispensary has heretofore
been given 500 annually
Colonel A. S. Buford also spoke on be-
half of this enterprise.
| Mr.. S. H. Cottrell chairman of the
| Committee on Relief OF the Poor sub
mitted the estimate of the needs Of that
dep + ment which have been printed In
det in the Dispatch. He explained
thai The almshouse had cared for S57 in
mates last year. while there had been
| 7l3 patients In the hospital. There
| were discharged from these institutions
during 1896. 1856 inmates Mr. Cottrell
said that 1t was difficult to estimate
the wants Of the department, but the
committee thought that the sums re-
aured would aggregate 10000. in addi-
ton to $500 for necessary repairs to
the almshouse property. Mr.. Cottrell
further explained that the care of the
| inmates OF the almshouse cost the city n
fraction over 10 cents per head In the
year 1895. as compared to a fraction over
cents per head in the year 1896.
The City Clerk. Mr.. b. T. August.
presented some papers from the Com
mttee on Streets. which had gone
through the Council. and been referred
TO the Finance Committee. One was a
/ ,;,,,.- a
caused by the bursting of the culvert
on Fourth street some time ago. while
another provided for an appropriation
of 300 for a stenographer for the Com
mittee on Retenchment and Reform.
! Still another resolution coming from the
Council was one directing the Committee
on Finance I'm future TO hold open in
stead of closed meetings.
NEEDS OF DEPARTMENTS.
The committee next heard the estimate
| OF the needs Of the City Gas-Works for
| this year. which was printed In yester-
! days Dispatch.
A petition for an appropriation OF $500
for the proposed homeopathic dispen-
sary was read, as was the appeal OF the
ladies of the City Mission for the con-
tinuance of the appropriation of 1900 for
the purchase of coal for the poor OF the
| city.
Petitions were filed for the refund OF
taxes TO S. II. Roane, Allison & Addison,
Sutton & Co., and others.
Clerk August submitted the estimate
OF the needs OF the City School Board
for this year, which aggregated sl44-
Ols53 I'm addition to the State appro-
priation OF sl72.2l9.5s. Mr.. Fox, Superin-
tendent of the City Schools, spoke at
some length regarding these institutions
of learning. He said that I'm 1875 Rich
mond had 9 public school-buildings in
| 1885. 10 buildings and in 1895. IL buildings,
there being in the latter year 255
schools and 2i9 teachers. In 1875 there
were taught in these schools 4,92l pupils,
In 1885 there were s08, and In 1895 there
were taught in them l2,s7 Mr.. Fox
continued his statement by saying that
the cost OF the schools per capita of each
child was: In 1875. $l5.S; in 1885 sll.4l,
and I'm 1885, Sl2.55. The Superintendent
said that since 1875 the work Of the
public school system in Virginia had in
creased fully 21-2 per cent.
Mr.. Hardwicke asked Mr. Fox what
would be the effect as TO the expense OF
this department II the schools were
opened october lst and closed June 1st.
The Finance Committees chairman
thought that the children accomplished
very little during the first and last fifteen
days OF each session.
Mr.. Fox explained that the cutting off
OF this month would mean saving to
the city OF about $4,000.
AN ITEM FOR METERS
The following estimate OF the needs of
the Water Department for this year was
submitted by Special-Accountant McCar-
thy for Superintendent Charles Il.
Boiling:
Construction account:
Payroll ......... .............. S,o'V :.
Extensions, house supplies.
fire hydrants. etc. .......... 5,30s "a