The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1913-06-03
MAYOR AIysrIE's MESSAGE.

The message of Mayor Ainsle. delivered TO the
city council last night, is full OF cheer and hope
for the future growth of Richmond in all lines OF
endeavor both as a municipal government and as
! business and industrial center. The mayor
wastes little time space in glowing phrases.
What he says he says In straightforward man.
ner giving facts and figures, and leaving 1t to
the reader to find in them proofs OF the sound
ness of Richmonds financial condition and evil
denoes of her industrial progress.
But these cold figures. put forth without
flourish and almost without comment, tell
story Of achievement and advancement that one
can read and digest with little effort. They
are eloquent OF what Richmond has done in the
past and So eloquent of what Richmond will
do in the future. Probably the average reader
will be struck more forcefully by the figures
relating to the industrial achievements of the
year 1912 told 80 frequently but never quite so
fully as here. The facts to this set forth in
the report will be read more and talked about
more than Others not only because they are given
nrst, but also because 1t is something every
Richmonder has at heart Your ordinary Rich
monder delights In reading of what his city has
sale and retail trade. In increasing Its bank de-
posts and bank clearings and bank capital. in
building. postofhce receipts, in real estate growth
ard other business and industrial lines. He
likes to read OF these things and takes pride in
telling them to strangers and even in talking
them over with his fellow citizens.
So. he will read these statistics and digest
and ham vi Ia
horror OF figures. Statistics do not always make
dull reading
4 Then, too he will be glad to learn that fnan-
eially the city is like rock; that Its bonded
Indebtedness is only sixty per cent OF the legal
amount; that collections last year were larger
than ever before in the history Of the city; that
the property owned by the municipality is more
than six million dollars In of Its liabilities
An increase of four and a half million dollars
In taxable values over the preceding year will
please the loyal citizen of Richmond, who will
also question the of increased losses by
ere and increased number Of arrests, and ask
II there is not some reason to lessen the num-
Der Of these.
That portion of the report OF the gas depart
ment which shows that enlargement Of the works
Is imperatively needed should receive attention
As the mayor points out. "the large annual
Increase in the consumption OF gas, the rapid in
crease In population, and the apparent prob
ability of a large and sudden demand for gas
following annexation requires Immediate atten
ton to the superintendent recommendation that
the city adopt a comprehensive plan for the
enlargement of the works"
According to the mayors abstract of the water
departments report, there were few complaints
by patrons during the year, but the report recon-
nsenus a number Of improvements which should
board.
Other departments of the city make as favor.
allie showing these and hgures throughout
make encouraging reading, with here and there
o. the various features of the report how
ever. there is one which gives more cause for
eongratulation than any. II not than all of them
combined. This is the report of the health de-
ing facts:
The crude death rate Chat is, deaths from all
causes. including electrocutions in the peniten-
tiary) for 1912 was the lowest of any year,
tie lowest without exception.
There was decrease In the death rate OF
-. fTom Tyu7 70 1877 --
The rate Of deaths from preventable diseases