The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1913-05-10

In Richmond. there are still q cop@
siderable number OF streets some "
which are lined with habitation0
which have no water mains and sow-
ers According to the records Of tho
city health department, there are 1900
houses that cannot be connected with
the sewers, and hence the people who
live there must be content with tho
Objectionable dry closets. The work
OF extending the water mains and
sewers ought to go on as rapidly -
possible. SO that every dwelling houeo
within the present city limits will have
water and sewer connections In this
work OF extension the inhabited
streets should be given precedence
over those where the land is unim-
proved and where much of 1t Is mere 4
iy held for speculation.
The same remarks apply to street
and alley improvement. OF zoo miles
of streets in the city of Richmond,
only flfty-seven are paved, and OF
100 miles of alleys. only twenty miles
are paved, according to the records
OF the street cleaning department. OF
the unpaved streets and alleys. many
are In the most densely settled Sec
tons of the city, where also there are
many miles of sidewalks that have
never been paved
There should be better police SUI
pervision over the dumps, which are
In close proximity to dwelling houses.
These often become the Repositories
for garbage. dead animals, paper and
other perishable rubbish. Some Of
the dumps are so high above the sur
rounding dwellings that during heavy
rains the filth Is washed into the yards
and into the neighboring dwellings,
The existing dumps which are in close
proximity to dwellings SHOULD 10
raked of all combustible rubbish,
which should be burnt, and the
dumping of combustibIe rubbish and
within the city limits should be pro-
hibited. The picking of the public
dumps should also be prohibited for
sanitary reasons.
shockoe Creek a Menace.
Few cities would tolerate an open
polluted creek flows close to a thfckIy
being almost on. the waters edge In
places the creek overhows in rainy
weather leaving stagnant pools OF
and weeks. No arguments should b
needed to secure an immediate appro-
ereaH in,n Tor the conversion Of this
Another bad condition. and one thar
can be easily remedied is that OF dusty
streets. The paved streets are sprink-
whenever swept, and the street car
companies are required to sprinkle be-
tween and a short distance beyond the
greater part of the street area re-
eeives no such treatment except when
undertaken at private expense. The
street sprinkling should be done BY
the municipal government and ali
streets should be sprinkied as often
as II Is necessary to lay the dust.
me smoke nuisance should also re-
ceive attention. IT is claimed that the
most recent types of smoke consumers
are not only effective in consuming
economy in the use see Of fuel. An orr an
dfnance should be passed requiring
s smoke consumers To- be Installed
GUS coal are eorfsun1en.1s~ ! y Ris1sa''-
Need Organixation.
Aside from the necessity for the
ment and enforcement of remedial
legislation. as outlined above. there
is an urgent need for the Organisation
on a large scale which will not only
build, rent and sell new houses on
the many acres of available lots within
limits. but which will also purchase
and renoyate existing houses and man
all on nas,s huT nan though strictly
many houses are being neglected by
owners who draw rents from them Is
a disgrace TO the city OF Richmond.
The experiences of other cities,
notably. Boston New York. Philadel-
phia, Washington, Cincinnati. Albany.
etc. show that with proper expert
management model housing enterprises
not only provide comfortable homes
for their tenants. set good example
OF construction and business manage
ment for other landlords to follow, and
demonstrate to legislators that proper
housing regulations are not oppressive.
but they offer an excellent opportunity
for the nrnHfahln Investment of rant
| tai This is demonstrated by the
Washington Sanitary improvements
with a capital stock Of $500. 600, con-
structed 2ss model houses. accom-
modating SOS families. and since its
| organization in 1898 paid an annual
dividend of per cent besides accu-
mulating surplus of s1s7.375. There
| is no reason why. with the present
need of houses for the same class OF
| people which that company houses,
| the same success cannot be attained
| by a similar company in Richmond.