The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1914-06-02

attributed to larger wages In private
occupations.
Your attention is called to the recon-
mendatIOn or the purchase OF ten
motorcycles, with vans attached. with
which TO make quick response 10 small
fires ana still alarms, which would re-
suit IN saving wear and tear tho
larger and more expensive machinery,
and. ut the same time, preserve it in
readiness for more serious work.
The request for AN additional eight :
member conpcny in the West End for
the proper protection OF this rapidly
growing section should receive your
serious consideration.
Another Year is added to the age
Of The venerable recommendation to
equip the city tug with fire pump to
assist in fgntlng fires on tn. water
front and III the DOWNTOWN district.
DEFICIENCY IN TIE
WAITER DISTRIBUTION
Your attention is again called TO our
hre FISK on account Of deficiency in
The water distribution system. The fol :
lowing quotation is from Chief Joynes'
report:
In some districts should a large fire
occur VIC would be almost helpless TO
check II, az wc could not use enough
streains as such lire would Justify
We have often had cases in such To-
calities where we had TO stop some OF
our machines from working, as they
could not get water. such cases
as these are not rare. but In a mum :
Der of localities are the rule. and often
apparatus than is called but we do
no, bring ii TO the fire for lack of water
In such locality"
What could we say TO the people
OF Richmond or to ourselves in the
event Of Il Calamitous fire that might
have been stopped with sufficient
The report OF The Superintendent Of
Fire Alarm Department again calls
attention to the necessity OF rehabli
Eating the central office system In
nj ,I N fpd
this, apparatus is antiquat ted and In
bad order. It's failure 10 operate for
even short while could easily cosr
tho city many times the amount asked
for its rehabilitation. Any one of US
may be a victim.
The large extension OF the under
ground system of wires, by using the
duets OF the Chesapeake and Potomac
telephone Company. is noted. and this
department hopes ultimately TO bury
its entire wire service.
In the deaths OF Captain G.. r. Shew-
bridge of Truck Company No. 3, fire.
man or thirty years. and of Engineman
II. a fireman for thirty-threc years. the
department sustained loss Of two
faithful, efficient and popular members
The reports justly commend the per.
nent, and their intelligent and faith
full performance OF their duties.
MUCH WORK DONE By
TIL: LAW DEPARTMENT
The report OF the City Attorney
shows: suits and appeals pending Jam
uary ]. 1919. 100: suits and motions
eted in the Hastings Court and suits
instituted in The Civil Justices Court
during the year, 1i4. making a total o.
20 suits: Hastings Court appeals and
suits in Civil Justices Court disposed
of during the year. ninety five. leav-
ing pending January J.. 1914. 49,
a large proportion of the increase
over the previous year of suits insti-
tuted was Of condemnation pr oce cdinEs
10 acquire land for the opening,
widening and strengthening Of streets
The abandonment of many of these
proceedings by order of the Council
after tho expenditure of much time,
labor and money inflicts heavy loss
upon the city, and 1 respectfully join
N The recommendation that such pro-
cccdinGs he not ordered In the future
without. careful and thorough investi-
cation.
Another remarkable record was es-
tablished in that the aggregate amount
Of damages recovered against the city
because OF negligence was $500 The