The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-03-07
Mayor SM[SsAGE
.W|LLC0ME TONIGHT
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Annual Review OF Work Of City
Departments Ready for
City Council.
MAY FIGHT OVER BUDGET
Cut in Rosemary Library Ac-
count Proves Entering
Wedge for Debate.

In accordance with the charter OF
the city, Mayor Richardson will send
Z TO the Council tonight his annual
message in which he will review the
work of the various city departments
for the past year, and make NUM-
& her OF recommendations as to future
( city improvements and legislation. In
accordance with the usual custom, the
message will be ordered printed and
distributed. after which 1t Will be re-
ferred seriatim to the various COM
Inittees having charge Of the DEPART
ments alluded to.
The head OF each department. had
been required to file with the Mayor
his annual report. and the Mayor has
spent several weeks past in reviewing
them and making notes and abstracts
for suggestion, criticism and commen-
dalton. An extended report of tho.
Health Department. not yet made pub
lie, has especially had the attention
OF the Mayor. Many of tho suggestions
made by Mayor Richardson in his first
annual message sent to the Council
in March, 1909. have been adopted and
others are now before the Council In
one form or another.
Budget Under Fire.
Besides having before 1t the mes
sage of tho Mayor, the Council will
take up for debate and adoption to-
night the annual budget, appropriat-
Ing the revenues Of the city for the
year 1910. The budget was introduced
last week and tabled for the informa-
8 ton of the members, and comes up on
Its passage tonight. While some have
vcntured to express dissatisfaction at
the reducing of certain items, yet 1t
As not believed that there will be any
concerted fight. and the probability Is
: that the document will pass as tntro-
duced. There is some disposition to
criticise the action of the Finance
Committee In cutting the approprin-
ton for the Rosemary Library from
$500 to $1,000. and increasing the
shelterinE Arms Hospital allowance
from $1,000 to $1,000. and an effort
may be made to transpose 500 from
one account to the other, leaving the
total where 1t IS. and giving each In
stitution what It got last year.
Propose City Hospital.
Friends and members of the boards
OF the other hospitals In the city arc
disposed to criticize the action in giv-
ing the Sheltering Arms as much as
$500 while several larger hospitals
with moro charity beds. and taking a
greater number of city patients re-
ceive but $500 each of city aid. Sew
eral members of the Council have said
recently that they hoped the time was
not far distant when all city appro-
priations to hospitals and charitable
institutions would be Withdrawn l,
equipped and maintained. The amount
scattered between various hospital
and charities. and spent on city pa
tientH. and on the hospital and am
bulance departments OF the city aims
& house and of the city JAIL would. 1t
/ believed. go. far toward the maintc
nance OF such an institution
Want smooth Paving.
Another matter that may precipi
tate a. light on the budget is the en-
tire absence of appropriation 70
smooth paving except around the nev
II John Marshall High School.
For two years there has been a prac
tical deadlock between tho Street Com
r. mittee and the Finance Committee OF
the subject of smooth paving. Unit
last year there was no reason why thu
appropriation for streets general,
could not be used for paving Under
the system of ward division, odd blocks
~ of smooth paving We're scattered
around town RremsGuously. in front Of
property OF. fayorcd'or influential PEG.
pie. without regard to any definite
scheme or continuous plan. Last veal
the Finance Committee delivered a Sc
we're blow to ward politics by making
the street appropriation for "curbing
guttering and granite spall paving
emitting smooth paving entirely ant
the same course has been followed thi.
year, Notwithstanding the repeated re
quest of the Street Committee for {
special fund for smooth paving gener.
ally, the blocks to be paved to be des.
s1Snated afterwards by the Committee
ron Streets.