The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1914-02-17

BOARD MAKES ITS
RECOMMENDATIONS
Report Shows Street Improve
ments and Considerable
Other Work Done in Year Of
New Body's Existence.

| The first annual report of the admin
| istrative board was presented TO the
mayor yesterday. The report covers
all the board has done during its first
| y ear, which, every one must say, was
much. The board has done more things
than the average citizen knows, and
which some of the members of city
ouncil do not know.
| Many stres< improvements were con
illuminated, which might not have been
done under the old regime, and large
number Of other things of public int
rortance were done.
The board under this recommended
ton, shows what II would like to do
his year ard there is no doubt at All
Z but that the finance committee anc
the city council Will do all they can
to help the administrative board 10
help the city. Here Is what the ad~
n,inistralive board recommends
/ The board earnestly recommends. II
! such "a thing is possible. under the
provisions of the charter and the con-
stitution and laws. that the council
provide by law some means by which
the administrative board may be able
to purchase privately and quietly such
small portions of land as may he meg
essary for the opening or extension of
parts of streets or for the construction
of sewers or other city facilities, the
object being 10 avoid in ordinary cases
the publicity occasioned by condemna-
ton proceedings of the council and
consequent rapid increase in the prices
demanded for the desired lands.
The board also recon mends the i'm
mediate sale. Of all unused city prop
erty which is held for no definite pur
pose. and that the proceeds of such
sale be placed to the credit Of the COM
rnissioners of the sinking fund TO aid
in the reduction and discharge of the
city debt.
The board also urges upon the Coun-
Gil the appropriation OF sufficient
amount Of money for the construction
and maintenance of modern thoroughly
well equipped public comfort stations.
probably on Broad street and on Main
street in the shopping district, and II
the means can be provided. one each
at some well selected eastern point and
AT some desirable location In the west
end.
/ The board earnestly recommens sufii-
cient preparations to enable them
10 improve TO the last degree OF artis-
tic beauty the two cerneteries OF the
city-St Johns and Shockoe Hill
which have been completely filled with
I the dead. and which are the resting
places of those who were the founders
/ and builders of the city OF Richmond,
whose deeds have made the history
1 OF the city Industrious. and whose mem
Dries should be honored and cherished.
The board thinks that the time has
arrived for the establishment OF a ga
/ rage for the care ard repair of the
numerous automobile trucks and yehi-
! cles owned by the city. believing that
| the assembling Of these machines at
trne place under the care of a compe-
( tent mechanic would result In a reduc
~ 60, trr ~
/ life and usefulness OF the machines
already owned.
The board desires to express Its un-
qualified endorsement Of the PROPOSE
( ton to make an ample bond issue for
the rapid completion and continuous
\ Improvement of the streets of the city,
which work. as already clearly demon
strated, inevitably adds rapidly 10 the
taxable values Of adjacent lands and
/ leads to a rapid increase In buildings
! OF beauty and value.
The board unreserYedly recommends
i that the council maize provision by nee
essary bond issue for the erection IF
I a modern fireproof, fully equipped city
hospital and for the erection at a cost
~ say sTsa 900, of a commodious and
complete court and office building. ana
/ for the erection OF an ample. practical
and comfor table auditorium on Il sep
arate site without adjuncts or attach
ments of any kind.
/ Finally the board refers for the fur
Their information OF those who may be
Interested TO the minutes of the board
comprised In S35 pages of typewriter
matter II 1-2x1S inches and covering its
| business for the year. These minutes
contain no remarks, arguments or adj
dcesses. but simply the mbtiens, reso
lutions. votes and decisions of tho
board concerning the numerous and va
ri,us interests of the several depart
mcnts, agents and officers under the
direction and supervision of the board.
These minutes are completed daily ana
are always open and accessible 70 the
representatives. of the press and all
other persons who may wish Il be in
formed concerning the activities and
the methods of the board.
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