Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1915-02-13
Administrative BOARD
REVIEWS WORK OF YEAR
Submits Report of Operations OF It's
Several Departments to
Mayor Ainslie.
BIG SUMS SAVED IN PAVING
Contracts Let During Year at Lowest
Prices in City's History-Street
Cleaning Work Greatly Increased
by New Smooth Paving.


by New Smooth Paving.
In nm cighteen-paRe typewriter re-
port 10 Mayor Ainslie yesterday. the
Administrative Board reviews briefly
lhe work during the year ending De-
cember 81. 1914. OF tho several depart
ments under it's control Gratifying
conditions are reported In practically
every department. The report Is the
second annual review that has been
prepared by the board since It's insti.
tuition OH January /. 1919
The board feels that the hono os
Improvement expressed in Its FIRST re-
port has been realized. and that it's
services are showing positive and
gratifying results" the communication
records. 1T Is unquestionably a fact
that the several departments under tho
control OF the board have been I'm
proved In efficiency and energy. and
thaf :he amount OF work ACCOMPLISHED
has been greater and in many Instances
better, and. VI course. with more salts
factory results.
COLONIZATION RESULTS
IN MARKED ECONOMIES
1t is beyond question that the CO.
ordination OF the several departments,
especially those whose labors AFFECT
the streets. has resulted In great econo-
my and in the avoidance OF great In
convenience, because OF tho ability Of
the board TO require tho work OF the
several departments to proceed in
proper sequence.
All underground work necessitating
excavation. the board has insisted.
should be completed and made firm be-
fore beginning the final completion Of
the roadway and the finished surface.
In spite OF tho determination Of tho
board TO proceed from the bottom up.
II seems to have been impossible to
avoid here and there the partial de-
struction OF the roadways at certain
points. This disturbance OF the sur
face is necessitated generally by the
necessary Introduction OF certain un-
foreground facilities. the necessity for
which either could not or was not foro-
seen In time TO prevent the reopcninE
Of the streets.
HAS SAVED BIG AMOUNT
IN CONTRACT WORK
The board has been gratiled by the
fact that II has been able during the
past year TO secure large contracts at
prices lower than the city has ever
before enjoyed. with a consequent large
saving OF the city's funds.
Tho board has consistently contIn-
ued its policy OF grading where tho
topography and necessity for drainage
demanded this work. and also followe
It's conviction that a street graded was
we'll on Its way to completion when It
was furnished with curbs and cutters
and so given good start towards use
fulness and neatness OF appearance.
I'm its request for appropriations to
cover operations for 1915. the board
pursued the same policy which guided il
year ago, and made no request In
excess OF what II deemed necessary for
the successful and efficient and salts
factory prosecution OF the work IL has
at hand"
REPORT REVIEWS WORK
OF EACH DEPARTMENT
The report devotes several para
graphs to each department under Its d.
rection, setting forth by figures and
citations the summary OF each depart
ment's operations. Under the head Of
street improvements are noted numer-
Gus extensive stretches OF paving. curb
ing and guttering. and the expenditure
Of more than 100000 for smooth paw
Ing alone-an amount that does not in
clude the extensive improvements Of
this kind under contract but not COM
pleted.
The report notes the fact that there
was completed during the year about
1000 feet OF concrete trunk sewers,
about 5000 feet of brick sewers and
$40 feet OF main sewers OF terra Gotta
plpe CouStTuCllOIl. w OFk on ln6 I'm
provement OF Shockoe Creek has been
prosecuted as far as the land titles
would permit. the board reports. but the
work has been greatly delayed and
practically stopped by legal difficulties
encountered at points where the work
should have been in progress.
The channel way OF the big sewer tho
board reports. has been completed from
Harrison to Lombardy Streets, and con-
tracts have been let and the work is In
progress from Lombardy Street to
Spotswood Avenue. When the last mem
toned section is completed the chan
mel way will be finished from the start
ing point as far east as Harrison Street.
SMOOTH PAVING WORK
MEANS EXTRA CLEANING
THE great Increase in paving, and
especially in smooth paving" the boa I'd
reports. has added to the work Of tho
Street Cleaning Department about 200.-
900 square yards. 1t must be realized
that the constant Increase OF smooth
paving will not only add to the labor
of the department. but Will increase
greatly the expense OF the department,
1t being an interesting fact that smooth
paved streets neglected become fully as
Objectionable. II not worse. than the
ordinary streets, and require repeated
and careful cleaning to make them
bearable.
1.-THE gas works generated during the
year 700.o00.0oo cubic feet OF gas,
showing an increase OF 100000 cubic
feet over the previous year. The total
receipts OF the works for the year
having been $53s.0O0. with dsburse-
ments Of $4,000. the excess OF re-
ceipts over expenditures was 5.000.'
Fined for Reckless Driving.
Nathan Roane. colored. was fined $40
in Police Court yesterday morning on
a charge of being drunk and recklessly