Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-12-26
Two Subjects Interesting to
Richmond Just Now.
PLENTY OF BOTH ON HAND
Aqua Pura Through New Pipes and
Booze by Express.
STATE IN NEED OF MONEY
little Prospect That Legislature
Will Allow Increased Appropria-
tions Asked for by Executives.

lions Asked for by Executives.
RICHMOND, Va, December 25.-After
forty years Of experimenting and dis
cussng the matter. this city awoke this
morning to find that the dream Of the
people was at last realized. and that
clear, cool and sparkling water is being
furnished. The feat has been accom-
plished at a cost of something like
million of dollars, but it is at least ac-
complished Five years ago the scheme
was put on foot for the building of
huge settling basin. some five miles from
the city. the connection between the
basin and the pumping station to be
made by means of huge concrete and
stone flume. The undertaking struggled
along, and once or twice there were
breakdowns and scandals in connection
with the task, and one flume, built
year ago, was SO absolutely worthless
that it crumbled before it could be test
ed. That was a total loss and long de-
lay to the clearwater hope of the city
and to the superintendent of the water
department.
Clear water for Christmas" has been
the slogan of the water department for
several months, and. in fact. 1t was the
long looked-for and much desired relief
from the muddy and highly colored water
with which the people of Richmond have
oeen RECALLED for years and years, and
which has been the object of censure on
the part of persons from all parts of the
country.
Prohibitionists Active.
With the coming of the general assem-
bly, here next month, and with the con-
vention of the Anti-Saloon League sched-
uled for a few days after the opening of
the session of the legislature. the ''antis'
getting busy. They are arranging
for the biggest gathering they have ever
had since the organization of the league
They are to make big demand to have
measure adopted providing for a vote
ON the question of statewide prohibit
ton. If the bill should be passed.
date would have to be fixed for the cleo
ton, and that is one thing that will not
be done by the present legislature. No
date Is to be fixed, though the temper
ance forces are apparently determined to
force the issue and to ask for the enact
ment of the bill. The measure will not
receive enough votes in either branch TO
make it possible to have it reported to
the other side of the house. But the
Anti-Saloon League convention will make
a great show of strength here in Janu-
airy, when the members of the conven-
ton will have chance to look in on
your delegate and senator and see them
at work" says the notice calling for the
meeting.
Some Liquor Transactions.
Richmond is the great distributing CEN
ter for the arid waste Of the south. From
Texas, Indiana. Tennessee and other
states where the m0onshiner is the only
man that can dispense liquid joy to the
thirsty people. come orders for liquors.
There are a dozen or more establishments
here which do nothing but sell to the
trade in other cities, and for the last
two weeks they have been busy. They
have been worked overtime. Extra help
has been employed, and still the hours
have grown longer. Night and day the
men have worked. and several teams
have been engaged in hauling away the
packages.
The railroads and express companies
have been overwhelmed and overtaxed,
and they have been compelled to open
warehouses for the proper handling of the
liquor shipments. The average shipment
of packages for the last ten days has
been more than 10000 day. and each
package contains anywhere from bit
less than five gallons to the usual quart
The shipments in gallons are said to
average about 10000 a day, and the
money received weekly reaches more than
million dollars. The CITY has a coupIe
nish the bottles for the shipments, and
the printing Of the labels is done here.
Pardon for Houseburner.
NJ Grossman. here only few years
from Russia, was sentenced about eigh-
teen months ago to serve a term in the
penitentiary for burning his store in the
city or Manchester. The man could
scarcely speak a word Of English. and
he had wife and two small children
lie was arraigned and it was adduced
that he had set fire to his store, and the
jury fixed his punishment at five years
in prison. His wife. without money and
without relatives, became the charge OF
friends and they have taken care Of her
Last summer one of the children died.
The mother made frantic and pathetic
appeal to the governor, but he would
not heed her pleadngs. The case was
taken up by several men who knew the
woman's condition and her need of her
husbands support. They went to the
governor. and finally persuaded him to
free the man. He gave the man
TO ms VIE for Christmas present and
neither the man nor the woman could
say word when they met They were
overcome with joy. Friends of Gross
man will give him employment
The governor released about score
of convicts in the prison-men who have
served a good bit OF their terms. Some
of the men were released outright and
some were given conditional pardons.
Rigid Economy Necessary.
About 81 10000 incresase has been
asked in the appropriations of the state
for the next budget. This came out
when the senate finance committee ag-
sregated the total of all the increases as
compared with this year. There is
little reason to believe that any of
them Will get cent OF increase and
indeed, the chances that some will
have to suffer reduction of about ) Der
cent. The state has not got the money,
and there is no sign that there will be
any new subjects for taxation
The reassessment of lands Of the state
Will be made next year, and ii Is be-
iieved that this source of taxation will
show an increase in valuation of not less
than SJO.OO00OO. But the revenues from
this Increased apr ropriat.on will not
be available till 1911 The increase In
personal property is expected to reach
not less than S10.OCO.OOO
The state has about 81 CO0,OO1 in cash
on hand at this time. and by FI,ruary l
she Will be called on to pay u. some
think like SI.JO0WO. OF course, the
taxes are still coming in. but the In
dications are that the state will have to
exercise rigid economy in the manage