Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1914-12-19
COMPREHENSIVE SURVEY
IS AN IMPERATIVE NEED
City Planning Expert Of Baltimore
Endorses Plans Advocated by
Mayor Ainslie.
ANNEXATION FORCES ISSUE
New Territory Must BE Developed.
Before 1t Is Too Late to Rectify
Errors-Afajor Shirley Gives In
tereStin2 Illustrated Lecture.

comprehensive planning as the only
means for Richmond TO get proper re-
suburban property was advocated en-
phatically last night by Major Joseph
W; Shirley. chief enEFineer of the Balti-
Riehmond Eocetv Of 51P'FS ngin Se19re the he
torium of the Virginia Mechanics liz
Sstiiute' Vas open to the public. and a
headed by Mayor Ainslie. was present
I'M MAJOR aD1i, Sih,riLey' Who Is at the head Of
/ vast system of public works in Balti-
| more, made II strong appeal for the
! nroper DEVELOPMENT Of the city. with
| efforts Of the Mayor 10 bring the CITY
flaming EXhieit here. saving that il
! not fai! 10 be both interesting and in
RICHMOND NEEDS
C0MPREifENSINE MAP
What Richmond. as wei, as every
other city needs said the speaker. us
y comprehensive Geographical map.
/ II: present map docs not show the
J elevations. and does not meet the pur-
! hensLvc and reliable survey, which
! engineers can sec exactly what prob
/ lens face them. \ rigid plan must be
much money has been spent elsewhere
/ IN experiments.
lhc Nalnc or the topoSraphical map
cannot be ovcrcstimatcd. Il is of Tho
greatest importance. and will be a help
( NOT only To the city engineers, but to
. everybody contemplating any improve
mcnts. sichmond has new territory
TO develop. and this must be done at
" "nts and and aionG proper lines ines; The
, out getting much worse, but the new
s snrrn n Is gro%ing every day; and md
TO fit with the balance.
WILL SAW: EXPENDITURES
OF UNNECESSARY MONEY
the need Of = survey is elementary
as il "ivcs the basic theory md is an
accurate picture of actual conditions
| ny ii, plans with relation TO the fu-
turc. can he started Without it.
LOT OF nmnecessarr MONEY will be spent
OF! unnecessary work.
! Baltimore was used by Major Shirley
as an illustration. After giving mis-
other cities flashed on a screen by a
| stcrcoptican machine. and showed con-
ditionS which arose through improve
mcntS Iuatc without the aid of to-
geographical maps and then contrastcd
II, with plans based on The survey. city
planning IN its many aspects was de-
Among the matters particularly ap-
plicahlc 10 this city was views of
Jones Falls. a stream similar TO
| Sh"cko" Creek, which has been COW
cred over and made into a street lie
ais" showed how the James River af-
lords an opportunity 10 have beau
Candles lin on to the west That
Shcil',s Grove be converted into Il big
inunicipa! playground was advocated
~ him. ana he strongly emphasized
the necessity Of Increasing the number
Of parks around the city.
TELLS Or BAITIMORii PLAN
OF ASSESSING PROPERTY OWNERS
Perhaps one OF the most interesting
municipal questions which Major Shir-
ley brought out was the Baltimore sys-
icin OF contemplation. lie showed how
the persons benefited by public i'm
proNeincniS were made to hear the
cost instead OF the city. Excessive
condemnation. where the balance OF
the propcrtS is sold by the munich
pality. was also explained.
Major Shirley Was brought here by
The kch1n"nd Society OF Engineers.
which is interested in 81 Richmond sur
Ncy. The meeting was open to the
public. being the second of the series
OF lectures on popular topics TO be
given this winter by the society Owing
10 the late hour at which tho lecture
ended. the dominating committee failed
10 make its recommendations for Of
ficcrs to be elected for the ensuing
year.