The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-01-29
COUNCIL URGED
TO HURRY BUDGET
City Engineer Calls Attention tc
Trouble Caused by Delay
in Former Years.
MUCH WORK BADLY NEEDED
Contractors Held Back Until
Late i'll the Fall BY Uncer-
tainty Of Funds.

Charles F.. Boiling, Chairman If r.
Pollard. T.. OF the Council Committee
on Finance, has decided 10 hurry for
ward the annual appropriation ordin-
ance of the city as much Is possible.
In order TO have the various funds
made available for use b. ,hc middle
Of February. Last year the tudget or
dinance was not reported 10 the Coun-
ell until the March meeting. Under the
rules 1T connot be acted on the night
II Is introduced. and one delay fol-
lowed another. making II March 20
before the measure received the sigma
turc of the Mayor.
work Was Delayed.
The various committees ala not then
meet until tho first week in april:
there was delay in preparing plans
and in securing bids, and as /, result
many contracts for importer, city
work were not awarded uut.l late III
the SUMMER. In some instances the
contractors were dilatory iri,, did not
get to work until fall ana the net
result was that the end OF tho year
saw fully $4,000 worth Of public inn
provementS under contract and not
completed. mainly outdoor work Of I,
character which can not be prosecuted
in freezing weather. Mr.. Boiling urges
that the spring and carly summer
months are the best for all classes of
construction work. especially con-
crete, which is coming more and more
to be used in all classes Of permanent
construction. While experiments have
shown that the oiling OF strrnts should
be completed Il month or more before
the first frost in the fall Besides the
work from annual appropriations the
city will have under contract this
spring large undertakings from a
bond issue. Every one Of the main
trunk sewers projected III !he rcccnt
bond issue is now under contract. and
the work will be pushed forward
rapidly with the opening Of spring
wea Their.
Open Bids for nri,.sc.
The Street Committee meets on We'd
ncsday night at O'Clock 10 open pro-
posals and bids for the naw Mayo
Bridge. Plans and bids will be re-
ceived up to o'clock on Wednesday,.
About eighty inquiries for require
ments have been received, ana US many
a twenty firms have sent agents here
to look over the ground If !. suitable
design and bid Is recommended to
the February Council, it is expected
that the Finance Committee will act
promptly. and that work may be I'm
der way by the end of Marcn.
Inst OF Budget Hearings
The last of the Finance Committee
budget hearings VIII be IN Tuesday
night when the James River Improve
mcnt Committee. including the new
wharf proposition, will be under dis
cussion and tho State Fair board will
be heard All applications Will then
go to the subcommittee Oh budget
consisting OF Chairman Pollard, Alder
man Grundy and Councilman w. T..
Richardson. AS soon as the budget is
approved by the Finance Committee, Il
special meeting OF the Colnc'l will be
called to receive It, probably not later
than February 10.
The annual approximation ordinance
this year Will probably carry 2 total
of about s2.S0o,0OO, as compared with
crease of 100000. OF :his increase
T, probably !ne-third will go to the
| street improvements of one sort or
| another. and another third TO schools.
! The last 100000 coupled with such
items in the budget last year us will
! not have to be repeated. which Will in
cludo the cost of the State assessment
] plant $4,000 (balance carried for
! ward). and Blues Armory, balance
! se+S6S, will serve to meet the cost of
i thirty additional policemen already
! recommended, probable increase IN
! tho number OF street cleaners; in
| creased appropriation to parks. and a
number of increases in salaries made
>
Opposed to Bond Issue.
| Chairman Pollard has announced
| that he is opposed to any bond issue
| at, this time, except for such obliga-
lions s grown out OF the annexa Eon
| ordinance. The two really serious de-
| mands which have been presented in
/ the budget hearings have been tho
! condition Of the public school build
| ings, and he need Of Improvement OF
| outlying streets.
! While recognizing the urgency of
| both demands, in neither case is the
| Finance Committee favorable to a
| bond issue. a continuing appropria-
ton Of 100000 year it is believed.
Wiz serve TO replace the older school
! buildings one at time, as rapidly as
1.-THE School Board can have plans pre-
! pared. and as quickly as the officials
Ecan supervise constructions Chair
i man Adams's stand. against smooth
! paving and improvements made For
i political effect only, Will leave the
| street appropriation for this year.
! which ii is believed Will be materially
| increased over recent years available
| for use where most needed, the bulk of
it going TO the outlying wards.
Work In south Richmond.
| For Washington Ward a bond Issue
| is regarded as necessary. and it Will be
made to cover q sufficient amount to
! pay the cost of the new bridge, re-
| imburse the treasury for the amount
paid out for the bridge site, and for
| the cost of laying he main lines Of
water and gas pines throughout South
! IHchmond, the issue being probably
| not less than 100000, which would
| also afford sufficient amount 10 put
| the old Free Bridge In ufe conuito on.
! All OF this issue should not be charged
against Washington Ward however,
! for had there been consolidation, the
old city Of Richmond would have had
| to pay at least one half. if not more,
| Of the cost of tho new bridge
For street Improvement and sewers
| in South Richmond. the guarantee is
| 60 per cent. of the revenues from that
ward, estimated to be not less than
a