The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-03-08

lily ~ Al4SAOxOOAs st@ls tsittft ~
notes building operations, and thereby ndds
Ito the taxable values. While the revenues
derived from sewers viii not at this time
{ is confidently believed that they viii aoon
increase and ultimately provide n fund FOR
4 tho retirement OF tl,cse bonds ut maturity.
Il Nearing Bond Limit.
4 I desire to call your attention to the fact
j that the present bonded Indebtedness OF tho
city hns now about reached tile limit pre-
scrlbcd by the Constitution and charter OF
/ Tho city Attorney has given ms his opinion
that the amount in tho sinking fund may
be lnwfully deducted from tho total ndcbt-
bearing obligations OF the city, and HIS
opinion seem to be fully supported by tho
decisions cited. but this particular question
has not beer, adiudicatcd BY tho courts OF
this state. and It would be unwiso to dis
regard tho inhibition OF the Constitution
by tho Issuance Of bonds In excess OF the
Grafton relating to this subject worthy Of
your attention.. During the past year, az
shown above, the city paid tho sum OF $685.
i 6g1.so for interest and redemption. and this
| e00.E This is n fixed charge and will con-
Itnnc for several years although not am
other bond may be issued, as butsfeY bonds
, will mature until 1920.
10 discharge this debt will take nearly
% ner cent of tho current revenues OF the
city. and. as the expenses OF the several
departments increase with the growth Of
I the city. but little will be left for the Inn
provements OF streets ana the extension OF
our school system. 1t is proper, however,
to say in this connection, that willie tho
bonded indebtedness isSlarge. the city has
tangible assets valued at nearly double tho,
amount Of Its obligations. and live assets,
or revenue reproducing utilities which could
readily be converted into money sufficient
to pay every dollar OF indebtedness 1t Is
believed that tho reassessmcnt Of real es-
tate to be made this year will show an in-
crease in values OF nearly slo.oooooo.
Collection Of Taxes. I4
I again call attention to the fact that
a there should be an ordinance requiring the
Collectors of Taxes to report annually, not
only the amounts OF money collected. but
the amounts of the delinquent bills for real
and personal taxes. NO one can now ascer-
tain the amount delinquent without much
difficulty. 1t is not suggested that these
delinquent taxes be carried as assets OF tho
city, still the amount should be reported
/ In order that some measure may bo devised
for their collection before such collection is
barred by the statute of Limitation.
The report of the commissioner OF the
+ Revenue shows an increase In tho assess
ment OF s5la,caS upon new buildings erected
during the year, and OF s64.sso on personal
papss the he Increase ,e IN license taxes
I amounted to sS.5s5.3S. The present taxable
values of real estate are s6o.14o7S4 and OF
Tho ratio OF the assessment OF personal
property to real estate is about sos per
cent. This is largely above the general
averasd of other cities. and Is an evidence
The vigilance and faithfulncss of those
charged with the assessments.
The multifarious duties dcvolvins upon the
Special Accountant have been @fatthlully and
I efficiently performed. He has checked up
the accounts in all the departments and
suggested several improved methods of
bookkeeping and accounting, most Of which
have been adopted. He has frequently been
called upon TO make statistical and other
reports. not only by heada OF departments.
but By citizens, newspapers and officials OF
h other cities. and has promptly and intelli-
/ gently responded to these demands
, BOARD of Health.
: The able and exhaustive report o: tho
Board OF Health. for which due credit
. Health officer. is illuminating and encour-
Q aging. 1t shows that the death rate In
D. Richmond has decreased during the year
and that the percentage Of deaths from
. contagious and preventable diseases is the
! smallest in the history of the city The
!, deaths from all causes were eishty-two less
!. than in 1906 included In the aggregate
:. number nftythrec non-rcsidsnts, seventeen
y; OF whom were legally clectrocuted for
crimes. Deductins these residents the
deaths last year were 1Si less than during
the preceding year. According to the aver
age death rate from contagious and pre-
9 Iventable diseases, compiled from the reports
7 of the cities OF the Union, the number OF
i deaths from those diseases would be 49,
] saving. We may say, OF the lives Of forty
| four of our people. The lowering of the
1 dealt, rate from typhoid fever alone during
i the pact fivc years must convince the most
| skeptlcai OF the value and importance of
| the work OF our Health Department.. This
! department has done a vast amount of work
in sanitation. In draining cesspools. remov-
(, Ing noXious and dlsease-braeding sub
stances. closing wells subject to contamina-
l1ton. III guarding the purity OF the milk
furnished TO our citizens, and has kept
careful watch over our water supply.
High Praise for Levy.
The many subjects mentioned by DR.. Levy
have been so ably discussed by him that It
would weaken tho force to make extracts
therefrom and a careful reading OF thts re-
port Is recommended.
The day has passed when the man who
disregards the rules Of sanitation or tho
scolter who processes TO disbclieve In the
virtues OF vaccination and incubation can
be tolerated In any community. Jenner was
scored at as n fool, but only the fool would
now scott at Jenner or his disciples.
The total expenses of the department dur
ing the year amounted to Ss4,6l3.L, and the
board is hampered in its work by the want
of funds. There isano work more Important,
quately compensated. Money spent for the
preservation Of health and the saving OF
human lives Is not wasted. and, while
economy In the ndministrationsof tho affairs
OF tho city is stronfly urged, an appropriu...
tion#t TO the Health Department, which will
enable II to bring the work to the highest
degree Oh cNlclcNcS, 40 Us st'oH6iy y eSo!1A'
mcndcd.
| The Superintendent OF the street Cleaning
pepa rtment has le5 men undcr him, about
| one-half employed in cleaning the strects
and the other half In the removal Of ashes,
| garbage, etc. The magnitude OF the work to
\ be done by this force may be appreciated
4 when We consider the fact that there arc
\ more than thirty-hvc miles of paved
streets. and sixteen and one.half miles OF
paved alleys to DO kept clean, and nearly
4 1900 premises from which garbage. etc.,,
must be removed. In addition to this the
Y sewer basins must be cleaned out. unl-
4 censed dogs taken up, ETC.. $sFil
1.-THE expenses OF this department are al
4 ready large and cannot we'll be increased
Il out Of the current revenues, and as the city
4 continues to grow this problem VIII be moro
tldinicult OF solution. In some OF tho cities
! tho removal OF ashes. garbase. etc.. nom
private promises and public buildings Is
4 done by parties who contract with the city
4 10 do the work, giving bond With security.
1 and they arc liable to fines for failure to
/ comply with the ordinance prescribing their
ldutias. I this could be done. then the
Street Cleaning nepartment count be held
10 stricter responsibility for the condi-
ton OF our streets.
City Gas Works.
| The Superintendent OF tho City Gas Works
reports that the rehabilitation and nl-