The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1906-05-10
Mr. II II i N.MI0I|RI|TlON TELL S.
or HIS PROPOSITION j
Plan Proposed for Spending Halt
Million on Streets in Per
.rnarnent IMPROVEMENTS.

Mr.. W. W. Morton. MEMBER o. the COM
mon Council. from Lee Ward, was asked
Yesterday regarding his very interesting
Eproyenlent to the roadbeds Of the streets,
dollars for smooth paving of streets ana
to Civ. systematic and permanent M
proycmen 10 the road beds Of the streets,
ana in reply, said:
"For the last two years l nave bccn
fighting the division Of the street iunu
among the various ward committees, VINO
Ecxpend their little dabs here and there
without any consultation with inc COM
mittccs Of the other wards or any idea
OF whether the line Of Improvement which
they may make comedies and finishes
similar line in the nd jacent ward. what
the city needs is systematic street i'm
proycmcnt and you cannot get 1t II the
money appropriated to streets generally
IS divided into seven parts and distributed
among the seven wards of the city and
spent with no regard to continuous I'M
provcment Of selected thoroughfares.
For the last two years the sum OF
800 go has been appropriated to streets
generally. This sum has been divided up
each year into seven parts after de-
Quoting small part OF it for the re
pair fund" Can you see anywhere III
town where single street has been paved
with view of extending the paving ~
a systematic way on the same street
through the ward Immediately adjacent,
to say nothing Of the other wards through
which this street runs. Now take the
$4,000 that has been appropriated in the
last two years for smooth paving on Grace
ana Franklin Streets. and you find two
beautiful streets nearly entirely paved
S,rhis Is The result Of system.
mink how beautiful many OF our
streets might be to-day II it were not
for this division Of the appropriation lnlo
ward funds. Last year S9o, 00o WAS hp-
propratcd to streets generally, 20 'yo"
know how much OF 1T WAS set aside Tor
necessary repairs? The ''repair fund
was allowed tho munihcent amount OF
$4,000, and $4,000 was divided among
the seven ward committees, to DO spent
ms they saw Mt In thcir various wards.
and not one bit OF consultation between
the several ward committees 10 see u
a systematic Improvement OF any one
street passing through the various WARDS
might DO improved In sys'ema1'c anu
continuous manner, +,
'If only $4,000 Is necessary to repair
rnnd, and no more systematic improve
mcnt of our streets Is made than Is now
nnnarcnt, [ say reduce the amount OF
money now appropriated to streets gem
orally by enough to TAKE care OF anu
retire these 100000 worth OF bonds whcn
they come due, You would never miss
the $4,000 necessary to DO TINS from your
streets, IL the street Committee continues
to spend il in this Daphaaard way, nnt
you would see Richmond, made more beau.
| tIful by the systematic expenditure or
hnlf n million of dollars on her sUeets
| and bouleyards. If we should gct tlls
| appropriation from the Councnn "ouiu
| IKE 10 see II spent by u Street COMMITS
sion. If me present Street e;ommlttoe
eyer got hold of 1t, ] am afraid inc ma
iority would come into the meeting WIN
Il paper already prepared, ana We fwpu'0
"My ordinance provides tatsgthe
5000. 900 be taken care of and retired BY
an annual reduction Of the approximation
10 streets generally BIZ an amount sun
rl.nt 70 do this. which Is to 80 10 ths
| sinking fund"