The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-03-08
RICHARDSON
REVIEWS WORK OF Y EAR
In Annual Message to City Council Chief Execu-
tive Shows City's Financial and Commercial
Standing consolidation With Man
chester Highly Endorsed.

RUe1110!Al&5 5slO1ASOl
chester Hig
3 TO tho Honorable Council OF the city q
Richmond:
Gcntlcmen--1 have the honor to transmit
herewi,h5the annunl reports OF tho heads o.
departments OF the city government. and
respectfully submit tho following genera
statement or tho situation and condition
of the city In relation to its government
]. finances and improvements With such rec
concentrations as. In my iudsment, VIII be
gfer tho best interests of the city. fsE
II has been my constant ,endeavor TO cx-
rrcIse a watchfui supervision over the con-
duet of all the officers and employees of the
city during the past year. and IL gives ME
pleasure to say that they have been Een-
serally faithful and efficient In the dis
charge Of their respective duties. me iew
who have been found Inefficient or negligent
hayo been discharged or adlnonishcd Dut
these dercictlons have bcen exceptions TO
1.-THE general rule of conduct. Mistakes hnSo
sbeen made and there las been some cxtraH-
asnnce and waste. which win be guarded
AGAINST In future as fur as possible, but no
fraud or corruption On their part has been
brought to my attention, The several do,
partmcnts are working In harmony. and
zeaiously cooperating to advance the inter-
est OF the city.
Prosperous Year.
Tho .ear 1909 has been in many respects
the most prosperous year In the history OF
the city. BY the favor or a benign provl-
dcncc we have been preserved from the
calamites of pcstilence. fire. famine and
flood. and, although some OF our most use
full and pubc-spirited citizens have passed
away, the death rate has been lowered, and
general conditions as TO health have much
improved.
Our population has increased: ma gni1cent
public and commercial buildings have been
erected and enlarged. the High School
Building has been dedicated; public works
4 have been completed; clear water has been
.ActI Ncc 1tn "a
sprung up in all parts Of the city. new;
streets and sections have been opened and
Improved. and taxable values have increas-s
ed several million of dollars. Our nanufac-
tories and business enterprises have been in
active operations, and artisans and laborers
have found profitable employment. No dis
turbnnces have broken the harmony, but
all classes of our citizens have CO. operated
10 promote the general welfare.
The numerous conventions which have as
sembed in our city have brought Richmond
prominently into notice.; and business. cdu-
&cationnl. sanitary, charitable and philan-
Exaggerated.
Growth Of City.
Tho growth and prosperity OF our city
along commercial and Industrial lines may
be best illustrated by the following figures
taken from the most excellent annual report
of f. D. Williams. ESQ. president OF the
Chamber of Commerce, which 1t is thought
proper to insert:
Capital in busincss.......s ai,,1a.so' 500
No. OF hands employed. 81 ,SSS ..Ssi
Annual sales............... s5.SSi,oaa $50
Capital in jobbing trades l..Ils.es0 H6AiJ
Annual sales. ............. GS.o10,425 a.4S5. a0s
Bank clearings. $Sslco,.1lI s62.sIA.55i
Tank s,.ss'a,,
Bank loans.. ................ s,iS,9il 7,2'6,asl
Bank capital and surplus 1l,slns!0 $50 q,
Fost-offtcc rcccipts....... 6Si,2oo s5,s7l
Building operations :.574.sio 4c5.3Sl
Co-Operation of Chamber.
7 has a n or
know that the relations between the several
departments of tho city government and
business ORGANIZATIONS of the city. and espe-
cially with the Chamber OF Commerce, have
been Of the most cordial nature, and the
co-operaton of these organizations has been
invaluable in the promotion of the general
prosperity.
The financial condition OF the city is on
o. much Importance and TO II invite YOU
attention and close scrutiny. The presen
interest-bcarins debt OF the city is $io,7Cs,
as. an increase OF sl..es.7es,5o during III
year Tho assets of the sinking fund al
~ Lgp2.Isi.S:, showing an increase of $S3assS
The total receipts from all sources.
including receipts from sale of
bonds, have been $i,1G0.l56
TO which add balance January 81,
1903 4es'6is
Total I. 4. s. si.s.e,sps
Deduct cross entries. bills
and taxes refunded. ~. 1868 %
And cash on hand jan
udI ~ wi %
------------ i5H6s7 9
This shows the total sum
pended during tho year....... Ss.&5,ll7 81
How the Money Goes.
This sum was expended as follows:
Interest and iredemption.S s9S,691 50
Y Acquisition and Inn
s prorement of property. I7,,7es 80
z Streets. sewers. etc.. 1850 Sc
Maintenance OF school,. 22ISlS "A
Maintenance of Gas De-
partnlent ..............,. eo,li9 -
Maintenance of Fire De-
partner, !. .r........ 1862 90
Malntenancs Of Police
Department." ............. 1851 IS
Maintenance OF. Street
Cleaning. etc........... 107s50 II
Maintenance of Grounds
and Buildings........., I0Is5 IS
Maintenance of Water
Department ............. 6ei6S is
Maintenance of Poorand
Charitable Institutions. 6l.35046
Salaries and pay of
Judges ................... as.5.45ei
Electric lishts.......,..,.. SEQ %
Maintenance OF Health
81 Department. ............. Ii,siS Il
Assessment and collcc-
ton OF taxes. ....f....... ea,ais 65
Courts and Juries......... i,,2lS 81
j Maintenance o. ceme-
81 teries Observation-Disclosures. ll.i,o 26
Judgments ..........,.... $50 lG
Maintenance of Markets. $780, As
Military i.--...--..,......... i.otS 60
All other purposes....,. 1890 SO
----- $S,Os4,1l7 SO
1t will be noted from the above state
n,ent that Of the total amount disbursed
the sum of sL.ol,ol3.S6 has been expended
In the acquisition OF property and in tho
improveme Mt of streets. etc.
Receipts Increase.
The following table gives q summary Of
receipts from the various departments and
shows the increase and decrease during the
year:
1909 1905
Taxes and licenses. lT75lS "a Sl,7o6.o 6s 4G
Gas Department.... 3l6Gs1 II Ss7,34l 81
Water Department.. ai0,4ll IS .oi.6S6 II
Franchises -. ........ aI.7e5 40 &C. 1863 6:
Markets ...............3 l7,1SJsa0 1905 S:
Cemeteries ............ $3.50 Is SAL? o.
Fines ...... s.. ....... 1852 IS 1880 0.
Interest ...,........... 1854 ~ Sltl q
Rents ......... ....-..... 1895 ~ 90S ?.
Il Other sources......... 94.o4S IS 49, :sS u
Totals ..,..... y. Sa,635,Sel II so4iSooo Of
Bonds Issued.
5 The increase in the interest bearing debt
Y Of tho city Is due 10 the fact that during
Il the past year. per cent. bonds TO the
amour, OF $500 600 were issued in order 70
complete school buildings and TO provide
n fund genera tp,,, n