The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-02-11
BOARD CALLS FOR
|. NEARLY 100000.
Tells Finance Committee How
Its Budget Requests Are
Boiled to the Bone.
NEEDS MOST FOR STREETS
Department Demands Grouped
Under New Plan, Which
Cuts Out MI Frills.

| In conservative and businessiikc
statement conciscly presented by Chair
man Whttet. the Administrative
Board placed before the Council Com
| mittee on Finance last night II sched-
/ ulc of its requirements for the opcr-
alton of the departments under its
direction. The total is Sl.S5O,S5O 40,
and it was explained by Mr.. Whittet
that it had already been boiled to the
bone Unlike the old custom where
each department head has spent weeks
thinking up things for which he could
pend money, and then has como
ore the Finance Committee and asked
.or all he wanted. leaving it TO the
committee TO scale 1t down from a
half to two thirds. the Administrative
Board presented an actual budget of
its maintenance requirements and
showed exactly what it proposes to do
with the money. It's estimates in most
items represent the least amount that
the departments under its control can
operate on--not how much they would
like TO have 60 spend
hoard Wants Automobile
In less than an hour Chairman
Whittet went through the whole bud
get with scarcely Il supcrnuous word,
| calling on the heads Of specific depart
ments to explain particular items.
Items which are fixed by ordinance or
which remain practically the same
/ from year to year, We're passed over
without word, emphasis being laid
! on certain special items which the Ad-
/ ministrativc Board strongly recon-
/ mcndcd.
! First of these MIR. Whittet asked a
/ contingent fund OF $4,000 for the Ad-
| ministratvc Board. to cover it's office
! expenses, emergency charges OF all
i
4 of a motor car for the use of the board
/ itself. 1t was explained that the board
/ has found inspection trips at frequent
/ intervals to be an essential part of its
/ duty. The members must he familia
! with the streets of the city and their
| condition ana needs, and with the pro-
/ srcss Of all classes of public works
I With utility car AT its disposal. all
/ five members OF the board and tho CITY
/ Engineer could use any available time
/ in actually looking over the ground
/ where some proposed Improvement was
/ TO he made. so that action would be
/ taken with full knowledge OF the need
/ and no funds wasted
Electric Pinnt.
Passing rapidly over Il number of
! minor departments, for the maintcn-
ance OF which tens are asked as here
. tofoIc, MIR. Whittct took up the City
Electric Plant. asking $4,000 for pay
roll. Sl6.5o0 for expenses and $4,000
for construction. Superintendent Traf-
ford explained that $4,000 of this
amount would be expended in erection
Of a central station to be used as an
office repair shop, test room and garage.
Eventually he proposes to make this
central building a distributing point
FOR current. which will he brought
from the plant in conduit3. Most of
the lighting system is now overhead
and the break of one pole line in a
sudden storm might leave the entire
city in darkness y further item of
$4,000 is needed for electric conduits
and for electric lighting of the new
Mayo Bridge. No ornamental lights
are included in the estimate.
VIII Improve GINS Works.
Passing on the the Gas Works, Mr.
Whitttet asked $4,000 for coal and
OIL. $4,000 for extension OF mains,
$4,000 for expenses. $4,000 for pay
roll and S42.260 for improvements. Su-
perintendent knowles explained what
improvements were Imperativcly need :
cd For grounds and park expenses
Mr. Whittct wanted $4,000 in lump
sum. including all the parks, instead
of dividing il init small Items spread
over each. and leaving at the end OF
the year nothing to show for what has
been expended. For Fairgrounds he
needed $500 in accordance with tho
plan presented No special item is in
cludcd for music in the parks, unless
the Administrative Board determines
to pay for music out OF the park OK
pcnsc account.
For James River Improvement OK
penscs the sum Of $1,000 was request
ed. which will provide for paving be-
mind the new wharf and for continue
ton OF the work of dredging in tho
channel
No item was included for opening
and widening streets. the board dccid-
ing that that fund should be subject
10 the Finance Committee, which SUI
pervises condemnation proceedings,
each case coming up on its merits.
Shockoe Creek.
For ShOckoe Creek Improvement the
administrative Board asked for $137-
quo. Mr.. Whittet made it very clear
that 1t was useless TO play with this
matter longer The walling of the
creek. the board considers absolutely
Imperative, but the old policy OF cx-
pending $4,000 or $4,000 :. year is
considered almost useless, since il
costs large part of that sum to get
the proper machinery and force on the
ground Unless the city is going to
undertake the work in Il real way. Mr..
Whittet thought it better to postpone
i, entirely.
city Engineer Boiling spoke on this
matter. telling OF The urgent need and
OF the agreement with the Seaboard
AIR Line Railway, and Of the adoption
oil plans years ago Tor a right of way
the estimate for this year, he said
would carry the work northward from
broad street to Washington Street
opening up TO Improvement n large
area in the bottom. Were only q por-
ton 10 he done, he explained, there
would be considerable expense I'm di-
Ncrtire. the course az the creek Much
more reasonable prices could be OBJ
tanned by giving the work to contract
IN large sections. II was of n char
acter that must he done on big lines
or not at all.
street improvements.
Passing on To the department that
is buiidiiSthe city--the Street Depart
inent-Mr. Whittct said that the board
could readily expend on streets the
entire income of the city and not fin
ish the work
Nine out Of ten of the application.
ana complaints that have come before
tne administrative Board. he explain.