Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-04-02

placed I'm the hands OF Citg-NiciN -
+. August TO be laid before the Councii
at its meeting next Monday night.
These important papers will DO accom-
panied by the message Of the Mayor
which will doubtless be marked by the
brevity and pointcdness that characterize
the official communications OF the present
chief executive OF the city.
The reports. OF which the Dispatch
presents comprehensive abstracts this
morning, show all OF the departments 10
be in good condition.
The Fire Department.
The report of-!he Fire Department is
one Of tho m6N interesting IN the lo''
This department consists of steam en-
CINE companies. 3 hook and ladder truck
companies, l chemical engine company
z hose-wagons. hose and chemical COM
bination wagon, officers wagons, ana y
3-gallon extinguishers The force con-
sists Of chief engineer. ] assistant en-
gineer. secretary, 1 physician 10 per-
manent. and % call members, making
grand total Of l33 members. Three OF the
permanent men are detailed TO fre-alarm
Headquarters There are also y call sub
sututes who receive no pay.
There are 1900 feet of 2l2-inch rubber
lined cotton hose classod as follows:
Eleven thousand two HUNDRED feet good
400 fair. In addition, there is l,2V feet
OF new hose in reserve.
There are g horses in the department.
with few exceptions they are hrst-class
animals.
SOME BIG FIRES.
During the year the department le-
sponded 10 276 alarms Of fire. These IN
volved a loss of Sll611.96. upon which
there was an insurance Of $lS19. 1904 This
loss is SlS5S648 less than that in 1896.
The most notable fires were those of
Waller Scott, January LIST; James y.
Boyd February 4: Charles Campbell,
March 18th. and the Carolina Chemical
Works. June nth.
Il am sorry 10 say" says President
Frischkorn, mo increase was made IN
the force during the year. OGt of the
twelve companies. seven of them have |
only a part permanent force, the other |
1--WE a call force This should not be. |
Men working in all parts Of the city are |
not Of much value 10 the department in |
the early stages Of fires which is the |
critical moment. and like some of our |
sister cities, i am afraid we will learn by |
sad experience and heavy losses that !
this is not the age for call men in fire
departments in cities as large as Rich
mond.
Il have so often spoken Of the necessity |
Of a competent building inspector that I
am almost ashamed TO again refer to it.
but Il is a duty 1 owe to my fellow-citi-
zens 10 call their attention TO the fearful
loss Of life among the fremen and citi-
zens Of other cities, too often caused by
fimsy construction Of buildings. Build
ngs are inspected by the officers and men
Of the department, thereby greatly less
anng the danger of fires.
CHANGES NEEDED. Z
One of the greatest difficulties confront
ne the department is our water supply
The small mains I'm many localities make
{ impossible for the department to do
Efficient work.
I'm many localities during the year it
would have been impossible for the de-
,artment TO have done efficient work.
wing 10 streets being torn up and al
owed TO remain so for months. The in
reased number of overhead wires is an
,ther obstacle which confronts the de-
In many localities il Is impos-
ible to raise a ladder.
THE discipline Of the department has
,een most eXcellent-not a single dis
nissal during the year. The officers and
men have shown by their fidelity to duty
nd efficient work that they are worthy
+ the sacred trust committed 10 them
he preservation of the lives and pro-
erty Of their fellow-citizens."
Our Police Force.
The police fource consists of 100 officers
nd men, who are appointed by the Board
( Police Commissioners for a period Of
hree years. Chief Towards report shows
hat the arrests were less by Sii than
hose for the year ending December 81, ;
s96; the ordinance violations were GS ]
lore. Time lost by sickness, $50 days less. {
The total number OF whites arrested !
ias 1,Sl, LIZ Of whom We're males The
Otal number of cOlored persons arrested
ias 1858, of whom 2.2l9 were males.
The statement explains that the depart
lent Is in good condition, and that the
iscipline is excellent.
Condition of the Water-Works.
The report of the water-works shows
nat OF the appropriation Of SCI $50. there I
Tas expended $5S.963.l3. leaving a balance [
nexpended of S27S6.S7. OF the amount .
expended. $40. 1881 went TO maintenance.
pairs, etc. and $lS,i7476 for better
ents,f such as pipe extensions, fire hy- T
ANTS, house supplies, meters, etc. In
uded In this amount are SO water I
letters. which are now in stock, and are !
ing placed as rapidly as the regular (
rec can set them. The total receipts
ere SlS5,272.24. OF this S56i.H was from 5
10 sale OF old scrap-iron. etc, making !
10 amount received from the sale OF l
aIer, $i54, lUo.u5.
Il estimate" says Superintendent Boil
lg, that the value OF the water used
2 the city In It's various departments,
hools, fire protection, etc. charged AT
'st, to be S2O,473.94, and that given to S
urches. INDECENT families and charities 5
be S'OiL60, which would make our
tai receipts SIS. 1911" o
After deducting the expense Of main $
nance. It is shown that the water-works n
rned 69-lO per cent. on S2,OOOOOO. the d
lue placed on the works. v
The Gas-WorLs.
superintendent Knowless report shows n
at there was consumed for the use of 7
Q city lS,SlO.6OO cubic feet of gas. The J.
ltement of gas generated shows tina. -
SA,10 cubic feet were made, making | :,
decrease OF 3,2ll, 100 cubic feet as com ii
red with the preceding year. This de- C,
ease is due TO the saving in leakage d.
ID condensation. There are l,GO9 street Of
mps p
The total receipts were slSC. 1850. and "a
9 disbursements were $1l3 1905. making +
o amount OF excess OF receipts over ex- W
s7S. 1906 Il
The Engineers Report. ~
The report Of the City Engineer gives W
list OF all improvements made n
the city. as 10 streets. the road-beds. f
wers. etc.