The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1912-01-29

,,,s >4ai &c III city department.
VIII meet TO approve bills, as Ali an
preparations made last year not ~,
pehucd on or before January 81. revert
10 me city treasury, and il ia trad,-
uonal with most departments 70 snanI
every available cent, whether the out
lay is needed or not.
Except for work under cn,,r,,
therefore, public improvements viii
DC at standsttll until the annual an
preparation ordinance is adopted ana
every effort will be made to have thar
paper reported by the Committee on
finance at the earliest possible date
"heh the budget Is delayed for any
reason, street and similar Improve.
ments are not put under contrac, un.
III late In the year. with the result
that much work hangs over 20 tho
ioilowins winter. when conditions arc
unfaHorabic Fifth Street. between
Main and Franklin. hug been closed TO
,raihc Tor more than two months for
iack of week OF open weather TO
hhlSh a projected Improvement. Bcy-
cry street by lakewood and william
BYRD Parks is an impassable slough.
ana streets cars are operated through
all that section with the utmost dini.
Guilty. conditions which must continue
until grading on Beverly Street Ia
completed and the surface can be i'm
proved and new tracks laid.
Great sums for Streets.
The greatest demand to be presentes
to the budget makers this year will
be for street improvements The CITY
Is growing rapidly. Three hundred
and twenty brick dwellings were erect
ed last year. costing Sl.2a26lS and
~ frame dwellings, were erected, coat
Ink :23o.76s. Notwithstanding the or,
of big building. reports sh ow that more
money was spent last year in brick
dwellings, in Richmond than In office
pulidings. To meet this condition il la
hc!d that tho city muAt hasten It's lay
ing out OF streets. The demand Is MOI
Tor smooth paving. save In a few fay-
orcd sections. but the COMMITTEES win
be asked for FUNDS to open new streets:
10 grade In advance of the erection OF
houses, so as to avoid the heavy dam
ages which have handicapped the city's
work during the past year ana TO las
miles OF curbinS and Euttcring in cN-
listing streets, making living conditions
more desirable for outlayinE sections
and opening the wa. for sidewalks ana
other later improvements. Probably
no demand 10 be made before the III
nance Committee in consideration of
this years budget will be more press
Ing and more inslstent than that OF
the Street Department 10 be made to-
night.
what Hns Bccn spcIa..
city had paid out on account of 1911
appropriations for street improve
men's, s2si.956.oS, including grading.
ErnvellinG. apall paving. special work
in South Richmond. new Lester Street,
smooth paving Beividere Street pur-
chase OF gravel. hands and carts pay
ROLL and expenses. This total, however
does not include appropriations OK
pended on sewers. sidewalks, alleys
bridges. or for the Engineers Depart
mont pay roll. Including these items,
and the s296.Sl6 spent from bond is-
sue for sewers. the AUDITORS report
shows that there has actually been
paid out for street and sewer improve
ments in the corporate limits during
the past year, n grand total of s7ls-
663.aS
The appropriation which the com
mittee will be asked TO increase will be
for streets generally. 10 allow addi-
tional contracts for curbing and grad
Ing. About 100000 remains of the
bond issue for sewers. with which to
complete the great work undertaken
more than year ago. most of this
work being now under contract. Spc-
cial appropriations will be asked for
number of street or service sewers.
and for better drainage for the more
thickly settled portions OF old jack
con Ward. about which there has re-
Gently been much complaint