The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-03-07
Tells Council That Re-
form in Government
Is Imperative.
CITY'S OUTGROWN
PRESENT SYSTEM
important Recommendations
Made in Annual Message, Pur-
chase Of Docks Being Put
Down as Observation-Disclosures
No Dishonesty Among
City Officials.


message to the Common Council last
night. recommending. among other
Things. tho creation OF an executive
board, composed OF members who are
paid for their services. and required TO
meet every working day In the year.
ana promising cooperation with a
committee recently authorized to con-
slider suggested changes in the FORM
OF city government. The paper re-
views In detail the work of the vari-
Gus departments Of the city govern
ment. and makes many recommends
lions. including the erection of wharves
on James River and the acquisition b..
the city Of the dock from Eighteenth
to Twenty eighth Streets: that the
office OF purchasing agent be created
for the whole city. and tina. depart
ment heads be given sole power TO
employ and discharge their subordi-
mates. i
Incrensc in Values.
Reference is made to the United
States census, showing an increase in
population from 5000 to i2I.s6s ana
Ito an increase In the assessment or
Improved real estate in lal0 over 1909
Of St.335.237 and ar increase In per-
honel property values OF %7.522,ol6
making the total assessed value OF
TAXABLE real and personal property
sl37.5l6,429. and making the revenues
OF the city. with licenses. franchises
end from other sources, amount TO more
than S3.0o0oo0 annually at present
rates OF taxation The consolidation
OF Manchester became effective April
10, 1910. and the Mayor asserts that
during the present year liberal appro-
priations Will be made for the I'M
provement OF It's streets and sewers
Electric lights VIII be added. the va
ter service. fire and police protection
Viii be Increased. and gas will be in
trcdueed as soon practicable Dur
Ing the year he settling basins nave
heen In constant use. furnishing clear
water ''es pure as can be obtained
from surface stream
The city electric plant has been put
IN operation and has furnished current
FOR lighting Broad Street, and for op-
Grating the water pumps and Will soon
turniah all electric light for the streets
and municipal buildings
some Works Completed.
The John Marshall High Schoo. and
the Blues Armory ana Market have
been completed and the Hanover
street school is nearing completion.
Monument Avenue has been opened
and partly improved TO the Roseneath
Road The extensive sewerage system
Is under construction an1 some Of the
important trunk sewers have pecn
completed. Mayos Bridge has been
purchased with its rights and fran
chises and plans are now being con
sidered for a reinforced concrete
bridge over James River. The Mayor
says.
IT gives me great pleasure 10 say
that with very few exceptions the or
iiccrs and employees or the city have
lcen honest. Industrious and efficient;
Every dereliction OF duty reported ia $
&hcen promptly inycsti gated ana sucn
measures adopted as the circumstance.
demanded. Expenditures by tha
various departments have been close
~ guarded. and while there Is
still some waste and eXtravagance. |
no facts have come 10 my attention
upon which to found the slightest sus-
piclon OF dishonesty on the part OF any
cff1cer or employc of the city W ork
OH many improvements has often been
unreasonahiy delayed, but this is gen
orally due TO legislative restrictlons
some system to which the executive
departments must conform
City Finances
Inc financial affairs % tile city are
declared 10 have, been ably directed
and to be In satisfactory condition
No bonds have been issued during the
year. but the city assumed the bonded
debt OF Manchester. amounting to
$s2G.S0o. taking over a sinking funu
Of S40,9lI.2o City bonds amounting
TO $4,000 and Manchester bontis
amounting to $4,000 matilrcd during /!
the year and were paid ana Cancelled !
The city has no floating debt. The
present bonded debt is SIl.2ll,.5s. 30 |
less sinking fund of S2,1So.464S2, max
Ing net debt OF s2,030.793.tS On the
basis of is Fer cent. Of assessed real
estate the city has a margin over its
debt within the bond limit of S3492-
l96.4S. The Mayor has made careful
analysis of the various reports show
Ing actual expenditures during the pas,
wear OF s3.31o.s3a.9i paid out for the
following general uses:
Interest and rcdcmption S6..52T24l
acquisition and Improvement of prop |
erty S0S?,046.25: streets, sewers parks
and bridges S6l5,3i9.S5: schools, Sa7y,-
1898; Gas Works, s222,5iO.oS; Elec. |
,rlcal Department, $11.332.o.: Fire De- |
partment. s15S,467.71; Police Depart
ment, sli5.1720s; street Cleaning.
s1o73i55s; Health, sSS.sS0.6o; Water
Department, $9i,56l.17; City Homo and
outdoor poor. s57,a79.o2; charitable anu
other institutions, sl9,Soo; Building
Department, s3S.33a.oa salaries and
ray Of Judges. s6S,34s.23; electric
lights. siS,57i.?5; State assessment.
s11,291.50: assessment and collection
Of taxes. s2i.10S.S1; courts and jurics,
s11.Ss9.6o; cemeteries. S16.593 o. :; tudg.
ments and damages. s12.937.7H; mar
kets. s10.SiS.oi: military $4ls0; Wash |
ington ~; Ward. $119, 30O.79: ali other
purposes s40,154.6s.
Docs Not Report DcIinqucnfs
Comment is made by the Mayor on
tho fact that the City Collector does
Z not report the amount OF bills for
taSos on8real estate or for personal