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

proven one of the most beneficial
! things accomplished by the city in
! many years.
Income insufficient.
/ There are many things of as
great importance to the city as this
of fire hazard" said Commissioner
Mccarthy. The lives and the health
! Of the people are worth more than
the mere buildings which may be
destroyed by fire through lack Of wa
ter facilities The city cannot live
J properly on its income; II ought not
4 to, If ii could. and It will not,
We have extended water mains
into the districts where dry closets
labounded and we have received In
! formation from the health depart
ment that great good has been ac-
compiished These sections must be
looked after first. People must have
water TO drink. to wash with and for
other sanitary measures. If We had
the money the board would not hest
tate a moment in placing the largest
Kind Of mains all over the business
sections"
Acting Superintendent William
Lawton stated that the cost of pipe
had gone up To SIS a ton. Three
Years ago it was $22 a ton.
W s Rhoads. OF the committee
said that no matter what the cost Of
pipe IT, The demand warrants Sts {ur-
eha$e. + n Cfttffifcisa rhafffiffl
Of the committee from the cham her,
agreed with Mr., Rhoads. AS did Com
mitteeman Boschen. They each ar
aued that the city could not hesitate
in supplying a crying demand for fire
protection. because the price of ma
-torial is high, Everything Is high
fGS = hut zoe
stopped buying
Let the city buy this pipe" sail
Mr. Crutchfield, "and In their efforts
to get the money, they will find the
members OF this committee and every
other business man behind them"
Cause Of Delay.
Commissioner Hohson said the
board had made all arrangements 10,
engaging an expert engineer, hut
thought It better 10 DELAY a short
while until the report OF the bureau
OF municipal research had made its
report so that If that report con
tanned ANYTHING Of value. the sugges
tlons might he adopted. and the city
saved the further expenditure for the
services of another expert.
We are going into this water
question from ono end to the other
and with the utmost thoroushncss .
said Mr. Hobson. I'VE may find that
our entire system must be changed
We may find that the supply now ID
f far below The demand. It may ht
necessary to enlarge the basins Sc
that the Increased supply may be OF
a quality free from germs. With 6
2,00o. 600 gallons capa city, and a de
mand for 90. 0oo 900 daily. something
must he done. and done quickly"
p Emit II % dome W bnnf tn
money said Commissioner McCar
thy We have stacks OF suggestions
but what We want Is money. The
board knows what the city needs
? and il stands ready to carry out Tho
wishes Of this committee and othe,
bodies Of citizens Just as soon as the
= money is in sight Would you, Mr.
Rhoads, support bond issue for
this purpose"
Yes" replied Mr., Rhoads.
So would l." Captain Mccarthy
may expect to get a proper water
system"
Underwriters Recommendation
The committee presented a report
of the National Board of Fire Under.
writers. which recommended the i'm,
mediate employment Of an expert wa
ter works consulting engineer tc
solve the problem or rearranging the
service and providing supply mains
Of adequate capacity to properly
serve the high value districts. and tc
remodel the fire alarm headquarters
and provide the necessary headquar-
'ers apparatus TO insure adequate and
reliable service.
The committee was notified tina,
the fire board would have to act upor
the suggestion concerning the fir.
alarm department. and that the adj
ninistratlve board had already taken
up the question OF securing the ser.
vices OF an expert engineer
We hope YOU will not delay In