The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-10-25
Submit Estimates Based
on Area Embraced
in Ordinance.
LIBERAL POLICY
URGED BY PETERS
President Of Common Council Is
Strongly in Favor of Broad
Lines for Future Develop
ment Of City-Beck Re
CARDS Pending Plan
as Ideal

Reports from seven heads OF city de-
partments transmitted yesterday by
Acting Auditor CTenshaw to President
Ieters, of the Common Council, indi-
cate that annexation as outlined by
the pending ordinance. will cost the
city OF Richmond s3.45O.b46.s5. or this
pfnount. siii,lS5.y2 represents the
fixed annual charge for salaries and
maintenance. The remainder is the
cost Of improvements. extensions, and
new equipment to be furnished In the
more or less remote future.
Tho summaries comprising fixed
charges and cost OF improvements In
the several departments. are reported
Is foilows:
City Engineer. sc.osl.a2O; Water
Works. s567,i35.sO: Gas Works. s4T4,-
Tob.l3. street Cleaning, s5o.O325o: Fire
s1so.o35.t2: police. S5i.a17bo. and Eiec-
trio Plant. s55.40o. More detailed
statements of the summaries appear
elsewhere in this issue.
Peter. for Liberal Lines.
In submitting the departmental re-
ports which were embodied in per-
sonal letter addressed to him by Act
ing Auditor Crenshnw. Mr.. Peters said
last night that he had not yet had time
10 look into their Significance. but
whatever their financial import might
prove to be 1t would not alter his no
s'tton on the general question OF an
neNatIon.
u have from the beginning stood
Tor liberal annexation. and | shall CON
linue 10 stand FOR il" said Mr. Peters
have never looked at the matter
In any other light. and my sole pur-
pose IN asking for estimates from the
department heads WAS To enable me
when the matter comes up before the
common Council To BE- able 10 view and
discuss the question intelligcntly
u have proceeded on the ASSUMPTION
that the more light we could get on
The annexation question the less like
- we would be TO go astray. In some
quarters. II appears. my simple re-
quest Tor figures has been interpreted
mean mat ] am opposed 70 annex
aton. Nothing could be further from
my intent was simply seeking to
INFORM myself and 10 be in a position
10 place this Information before The
body. ovor which preside
Wants to Compare Expense.
II Is my purpose To 20 over this
report carefully and compare IL as
Tar as possible with the data showing
1he probable income from the new
territory. To my mind that is a busi-
hess-likc procedure. realize that ali
tie departmental cstima ties must be
more or les. in the nature Of guesscs.
and that improvements Will have 70 be
Installed gradually.
throughout the agitation OF the an
heAation question have kept from
discussing it with the members OF the
Council recall only one instance in
which / spoke OF ii to a member at
length.
we discussed II only as TO certain
details and in the common under
standing that annexation on liberal
lines is desirable Since making the
request for Information from the hcads
~ r IN fG ltaN hoe
more than one member OF the Council
mat L have gone about It the proper
way. an dthat the body would welcome
Just the Kind of information | sought"
Not Alarmed Mt Expense.
city officials acquainted with city ex-
penditures and with the time It takes
20 install extensive improvements, re-
fused yesterday To become alarmed at
reports or the huge cost annexation
will entail. Tentative estimates
cmanating from the various depart
ments had been common property for
more than week but their size was
not regarded as alarming.
Henry y. Beck. of the Administrative
Board. whose intimate knowledge of
the city, gained through his service as
Building Inspector, enables him to
speak with authority, was decidedly of
the opinion that the expense issue has
been magnihed TO the proportions of
II buGaboo. 1t would be physically i'm
possible. he pointed out. for the city
10 expend the millions suggested, in
anything like the short space of time
allotted by popular thought
II am not an authority on finance"
said Mr. Rcck. but l know how mu-
nicpai facilities are planned and cx-
tended. No large territory is i'm
proved overnight. 1t is gradual
process and adjusts itself almost au-
tonatically TO the demands of growth.
cannot share in the fear that an
nexation on the lines suggested means
,s1i h0 thn cJt ~
comfortably meet.
Rcgnrds Line ns ideal.
~ have gone over the new anue1a-
ton lines carefully, and I DO not hesi-
late to say that. from engineering
standpoint, ! think they are about as
.erfcct as they can be made. From
tioi of drainage and sewerage. I re-
gard the new lines as ideal TO tam
per with them In II radical manner, in
my opinion, would he to hamper the
city in .ho contTo! and economical
performance OF these Important func-
tioGs.
".t should be- borne I'm rnird that all
expense estimates must be modified
BY the important cons!deration--time
A S2,00oO00 plan for street or sewer
improvements means, year or moro
of preliminary surveys and several
years cf gradual work. The same is
true ot everything except fixed charges
sor salaries and maintenance. 1t is an
old th:ng-this cry OF eXpense-it has
arisen at every previouo annexation.
ard 1t has every time been maGnifled."
Committee to stnnd Pat.
with Ioss than three days intervcn-
ing before tho consideration of the an
nesation ordinance on the floor OF the
-----<<,,,,-- -, N,i.- - - -