The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1911-12-30
Chief Executive SAYS that
Every Department Has
Been Efficiently Managed
During the Year.
VERY BUSY PERIOD
IN CITY'S HISTORY
Record Made for Public I'M
provements - Fire Chief
Miller Submits His Report
for Closing Year.

Annual reports by the heads of the
various city departments are being
prepared and will be presented in
pamphlet form to council, probably at
its next meeting night. Mayor Zim-
norman has nothing but words of COM
mendation for city officials for the
way in which they have conducted city
affairs during the past year. He de-
clared that all had done excellent
work.
Mayor Zimmerman said that the ad-
ministration had made 1911 the big
gest year from the standpoint of pub
lie improvements in the history of
the city. Two streets were paved dur
ing the past year. and the board of
public works intends to push through
other permanent improvements next
year. The mayor desires to see
North Third, North Seventh, North
Eighth, North Ninth and North Tenth
streets paved from Main to f, in ad-
dition to West Main and East Main
streets. 1t is doubtful if any but the
Main street improvements will be
made during 1912 although the reso-
lutions for paving of some of the 9TH
er streets will be adopted and plans
and specifications made so that the
work may be started in 1913.
Crossings Are Safer.
Besides the improvement of streets,
alleys and sewers, during the past
year the city officers have succeeded
in obtaining better guarding of rail-
road crossings both on the Pennsyl-
vania and c. & o. roads. Better street
car and traction services has been Sc
cured through the efforts of Mayor
Zimmerman and his official family.
Il have done as much if not more
than say other man could haye done
during the past year as mayor" Zim-
norman declared. Il have paid off
city debts incurred the preceding year
and have paid for all our work SO far
this year. Another thing for which
believe credit is due is the fact that
all of our contract work let this year
was completed this year before the
cold weather came"
The mayor says that the efficiency
of the fire department has been aug.
mented during the year. Younger
horses have been purchased. The bids
on the wagon will be turned in to the
board of works next Thursday. Con-
Germs from Columbus, O.; Elmira, N.
v. st. Louis, and New York, will bid
for the contract of constructing the
wagon, for which council has appro-
priated $4,000. The specifications for
the wagon are the same as for the
No. 5 wagon.
Fire Department Busy.
Fire Chief Miller says that a larger
number of runs were made during the
past year than in any other year, the
total number of runs being 161. Thir-
teen false alarms were turned in. The
loss by fire, however, was compare
lively small, the fire chief placing the
total loss at $7,828. This is a trifle
larger than last years loss, but is con-
siderably smaller than the losses of
other years. According to Chief Mil
ler's report, the total valuation of the
property which was in danger of being
destroyed was s162,O75; the amount
of insurance, $135,6o0 i number of feet
of hose laid, 28,35O AMI number of gal
Ions of chemicals used during the
year, liza.
Chief Miller says that there were
many small chimney fires which re-
suited in small damage, but that these
gave opportunities for large conflagra-
tions, had not the fire department
handled them quickly. There were
more fires during April than any other
month. The record of fires by months
is as follows: January, Z; February,
s. March, 21; April 81; May, Is; June,
13; July 5; August, 9; September, 5;
October, 10; November, 10; December,
49,
Out OF the $4,000 appropriation for
the park fund there is a balance of
about $3.50. Park Supt. Hollarn will
have several improvements made this
year. to itemize in his report to the
mayor and council OF these improve
ments the bridge south of the First
Springs is the most important
Other city officers are preparing
their reports for the year