The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-11-09
WHAT OUR CITIES MIGHT DO.

| European cities? What advanced ideas
! and reforms prevail there which are
not in use in our own land? Can the
MS anything?
All these queries must have an afiir-
native reply With all our advanced
ideas and methods in government. there
is still much that might be learned
probably from Europe. The Rocky
Mountain News has detailed some of
the foreign municipal ideas as things
Denver might do" What the News
SAYS about Denver applies with equal
force to the other progressive cities
of the republic. Some OF the European
ideas could easily be sed in Richmond
Below are given some of the things
which are TO be found across the At
lantic
Whenever Frankfort lays out parks
boulevards or docks It condemns land
in excess of its needs and pays for the
entire enterprise by resellng the sur
plus. and in that way reaping the
benefit of the new values. There is
no honest graft" from insiders tips"
ms to land to be improved and bene-
fitted.
There arc 1900 small towns and vii
lagos in Germany which gather so
much revenue from the lands which
they own that they are free from all
local taxes. Five hundred of these
communities are not only free from
local taxes, but are able to declare
dividend of from s25 TO 800 the year
TO each citizen as his share of the
surplus earnings of the common
lands"
Berlin has done best what most
other European cities have done We'll"
Al a cost of s3o.O0v,oOO the German
capital has constructed sewage farm
system covering an area almost equal
10 that of the city itself. Barren
heath land was secured well beyond
the corporate limits, and It is now
being reclaimed by wastes which are
pumped to IT from central stations.
The farms on this land return a good
" revenue.
Berlin also has drafted nearly 1000
citizens to aid in the relief of the poor.
These are divided into more than $50
local committees. Every member Ia
sponsor for specified families. with au-
thoritv to attend to Their wants. No
compensation Is ''iven TO these com
mittees. Refusal to serve on them,
creasos or the suspension of civil and
political privileges.
Vienna RENTS a percentage of taxes
to landlords who Will tear down an
old building and replace bigger and
better one.
Amsterdam converts street wastes
into fuel briquettes. which are pro-
duced' at sll5 ton and sold at $40.
making a profit of more than $4,000
tho year. Before this plan was adopt
ed street waste was disposed of at
an annual loss of $4,000
Charlottenburg has established a
hospital school in a pine forest near
the city for physically weak children
under medical treatment. Tables and
benches are placed under the trees
and meals are serv as well as lessons
taught Speaking of this. -ir John
Gorst says: Il marvel at the admin
lstrative ability which has at so small
a cost r~ovided such a great portion OF
health and happiness"
Glasgow maintains municipal wash
houses, where for cents an hour q
woman may use a stall with fixed
tubs for not and cold water and an
planes for steam boiling and drying.
Paris has belt railroad following
the perimeter of the city. This con
meets the various railroad stations and
facilitates both freight and passenger
trainc
The Plauen police inspect the NOV
ing picture theatres twice weekly. a
majority OF the school teachers assist
them.
london owns its tramways and puts
its profits into model houses, which
rent ut low prices, yet return o per
cent. on the investment
I'i4'i al" oNAcI German cities
maintain bureaus of statistics, which
enable citizens to get an up-to-date
view of local AFFAIRS
Paris has almost hundred classes
dc sarde tor small children. whose
Parents are ployed away from home
This is sort of combination kinder
sarten and day nursery. The children
are kept until the parents return from
work
Paris. like many other cities. has
established municipal pawnshops. with
twenty branches These lend on an
average 50 year to every man. wo-
man ana child.
In Berlin. Frankfort and number
! Of other cities III Germany street nd !.