The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1917-11-08

that the suggestions made in the re-
port for changing the routes and work
methods be followed.
The use OF machine broom clean
ing on the granite pavenents and on
tbs smooth pavemnnts In ineffective
and uneconomical. Such streets
should be dropped from the machine
broom routes ana hand patrol clean
fn~ and squee-yee cleaning methods
used instead. The equipment OF the
! hand patrol cleaners should be i'm
proved and their methods changed as
outlined in detail IN this report.
! There are fourteen gangs employed
in the collection OF ashes and rubbish
and thirty helpers or lifters are en-
ployed In these gangs. The helpers
are not needed except I'm winter on
routes where there arc large coliec-
tons OF ashes IT is recommended
/ that the number of lifters and helpers
be reduced to what is actually needed.
A saving of s13,7s0 a year will re-
suit.
A new stable is required in the West
End district because the present sta
BILE ia unsafe. A lack OF care in clean
ing the horses and mules was evident
at the West End stable. More effi-
Client supervision should be exercised
over the care OF the animals.
Not one of the four motor trucks
owned by the department was In OPP
GRAFTON at the time of the survey.
They should either be used or sold.
The street cleaning department Ia
required to carry seventeen supersn-
nuated and incapacitated city en-
ployes. OF whom only ten were ever
employed Ivy the department. Money
paid to these men is in the nature of
a pension and should not be made a
charge on the street cleaning depart
ment. If pension system is desired.
1t should be regularly esta blished and
the present practice discontinued.
work for other departments, such
an carting coal. trimming trees and
spraying ponds. is charged to the
street cleaning department. These
are improper charges and should be
located elsewhere.
1t is recon mended that this depart
,nent be required to keep the maps,
records and reports outlined in the
text of the report SO that 1t may be
directed more understandinEly and
efficiently.
Building Dep. rtnent.
In general the building department
appears to be very wen managed. A
number of recommendations are set
forth In the text of the report which
are designed TO produce a higher de-
gree OF efficiency
In one particular the procedure OF
the building department should be
radically changed. All permits issued
by the department are obtained by the
applicant without the payment of any
! fees. The approximate salary ex-
penditures for building inspection
amount to $500 and In return the
city receives no payment. 1t is recon-
mended that all applicants for per-
. mIts be required TO pay a fee to the
department and that q sliding scale of
fees be established In proportion to
the value OF the work comprehended
under the permit. An annual inspec-
ton charge also should be made for
bilboards
The operation OF the City Audito-
rum for the year 1915 produced a de-
, felt OF more than 1900. II is recon-
! nended that the charge for the use
of the auditorium be increased In or
! der TO make this building self-sustain-
ing.
Park Department
Under the charter responsibility for
TIE care OF parks and city-owned
cemeteries is vested In the city enkl-
neer. The administrative board has
appointed an assistant superintendent
. VI POI rs anu Itt-cNe1 the city GnEl-
! reer of all except Nominal response
, bility. The administrative board on
! occasion has also retained ontside en-
| gineerirg service in connection with
! the parks--a policy that has fire.
! quertly resulted In waste OF the city's
money due to imperfect construction
and other causes. II is recomm ended
/ that the city engineer be restored to
/ authority ever construction work In
/ the parks. The maintenance and re-
/ pair of reads should also be cen
] tered in the proposed division Of main
tenance In the City engineers offce.
at Is recommended that a depart
! fr1ent having jurisdiction over the re-
creational activity to be known as
the department of parks and recrea-
! lions be established.
! The present distribution OF park
| workers IS open to criticism. The
park keep9ra should be required to
assist in the maintenance OF the areee
! under their supervision. The forco
now distributed ancns the various
parks should be organized into one
gang under competent foreman. This
: would reduce the payroll by $4,000 a
year
Ths tree nureey Is mismanaged
/ owing TO Incompetent aeip. Either
/ competent heir should be employed or
the nursery abandoned. It appears
! necessary to provide additional funds
\ so that the city's nurserynaan may be
able to employ an adequate and COM
I petent force.
The condition of the cemeteries ap.
! pears to be satisfactory and the force
employed to bs adequate and not ex-
+, cessive. But tie revenues derived
from the cemeteries through the sale
I of burial lots and through the present
scale OF charges ID not sufficient Ia
make them self-supporting. The city
should adopt definite policy in es-
;, tabiishirg equitable charges for the
j. maintenance of burial plots.
y The Fairgrounds appear to I've we'll
managed. but additional Fairgrounds
and other facilities for the coiored
| children are very much needed.
J IT is urged that steps be taken to
4 bring aheu1 co ordination between the
pubic recrnstional activities and sirni-
lar activities provided by private or
CARNATIONS.
MUNICIPALITY OWNED PUBLIC
/ UTILITIES.
! Organization.
4 The city of Richmond maintains
) three distinct depart ments, one for
each Of its public utility services.
: Wherever the nature Of the services
!