Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1920-07-13
TRAFFIC CONDITIONS VERY
||bAQ, SAYS COLONEL MYERS
asks for Thirty Additional Police
men and Council Gives
Him Ten.
400 MUCH SPEEDING HERE
TELLS Members OF Kiwanis Club lie
Would Rather Sec Burglar Es-
cape With Loot Than Child Run
En- Over,

sssSrI would rather see two burglars
Aescapc with their loot than for one
s1ittic child to ne killed, due to traffic
Colonel William NJ. Myers. Director
\ of Public Safety. told the Richmond
sikiwanis Club at it's meeting last
might at the Business Mems Club.
Colonel Myers was discussing traffic
Il conditions.
Richmond has but one policcma n
i " every square mile of territory in
I the daytime and only double that
g but, REGARDLESS OF consequences, TO
= hold motorists within bounds and
x protect the lives OF i;ichmondcrs. he
R declared he would. if necessary. place
& weakening his patrol force still more.
Is Great Problem.
rHandling traffic is far greater
problem n96na1 MA, ;nan handiing criminas:
efor the traffic situation is CON
tinually changing. Criminals i'm
prove their efficiency to some extent.
but the same rules do not apply to
&tratfic."
S.3..s One-third of the streets are now
given over To the parking.of automo-
biles. forcing the greatly increased
atraihc of the present age to travel
over two-thirds OF the space that the
Fighter traffic of Il few years ago
used. the Director OF public Safety.
said. He predicted that. some day,
have elevated roads and subways, and
that parking Of cars on public streets
Swill be done away with entirely.
IS With force of bat twenty-five Of
flcers to supervise the movements OF
1000 automobiles owned and opcr-
ated IN the city, Colonel Myers showed
the club what u monstrous problem
confronted the department. He told
hn .tI1 al
the Police Department an increase Of
only ten policemen last year. when
thirty were needed TO meet the situa-
stion.
..Richmondcrs have mania for
sstepping on the acceleratOr." he said.
I'm referring to the law violations for
speeding. Asking the cooperation
and help of the club in the work Of
& suggestions. Make them lie said.
and if they're not good, I'll tell you
&ss Pension system Needed.
lt.., Colonel Myers told the club further
that pension system is badly need
led. He pointed out the case of u
patrolman who was shot and became
y blind. He said that he had been
Kept on the pay roll because there
nc had given the best years of his
y life TO the service of his city and had
&becn incapacitatcd,
ToueRhing on The work OF the de-
q
club thhi recovcries OF stolen goods
last year was very big, compared
with losses. and that the department.
in addition 10 this work. had indeNed
and filed away reports on lSO,ooO ar
{ ticles which were pawned in the
tws lNe shops Of the city, 49,.
!, director declared iha, he would
sratRer have a boy or girl violate
B some minor ordinance OF the city
4 several times than 10 arrest the child,
IN n t,lt H. It..- Il.
tPmestic Relations Court, and make !,
Ecriminal OF IL for life Policemen
have been instructed to use the ut.
E1nost care IN handling problems of
i possible. to avoid making an arrest"
Fire Ainrm systrn, Unsafe.
Rtelhmond,s fire alarm system
smercial business house in Richmond,
Yaccording TO the Director OF Public
& Safety. The system is dangerous and
from the outside OF CITY iiau. where
the system now is located. crossing
gone OF the lead wires. might put the
centre system out Of working order.
isHross from fire IN Richmond last year
Twas eighty odd cents per capita. he
sseaid, and the ohjectiv" OF the depart
Sment is 10 reduce this total hy one
sllalf Property valued at $2S5.OuO.-
1000 was protected 10y the Fire Depart
4 ment last year il is estimated.
NJ Describing the motorization OF the
%Fire Department, the director said
q that putting the department on an up
Il to-date basis would s!vc the city
Snoney enough in hys %sars' TO pay
hfor the new equipment.
In the near future. Colonel Myers
4 said, he will unite with the Depart
,Sment of Public Utilities in an effort
ito secure a bond issue TO lay larger
mains in the downtown dis,
Strict for better fire prevention ana To
Z increase the efficiency o! the depart
a ment
One of the innovations established
sshy the department last year Was the
SsBurcau OF Fire Prevention, TO proven,
e fires before they originate. lie sal,
ssthe downtown district has been in.
i spected and that, IL the department
kshaa the authority under the law the
presidential districts will bc sub
Erjugated 10 inspection by the depart.
ssment. Inspectors wish 10 help the
sSpeople by reducing fire loss and
lNthereoy, taxation, he declared unt
want the cooperation Of The publ,
SIN the work which they are doing
& REGISTRATION OF WOMEN
nDECENTO nIrrtNtn rrro