Year: 1861

road their then value The fare of FIVE cents NAV he
too high but as the profits of he road known only
those concerned in its management unable to make
any suggestion this subject except that, the
citation applied to the Legislature stock
pany for the road, with capital of 81 000 and to
authorize loan of million of dollars besides while the
entire road If completed, could hardly cost more than
S7oOO it is fair to presume that the profits large.
committee of the City Councils to whom the whole sub
ect might be referred could make the necessary inves
CATION in case any such arrangement should be
plated. But that whatever rate of fare be
agreed on the city shall continue itself
nh OF the gross proceeds large outlay has
Tor the public parks for which interest paid and
the improvement and support of extensive property
VIII involve heavy and constant expense.


IL the question were an open should hesitate to
recommend the purchase of parks be paid for and
supported by such system of taxation, but the pur
chases have been made and the certificates stock of the
city which have been issued in payment refer their
to the ordinance providing for public park or parks
which expressly pledges and sets apart for the payment
OF the interest the ciys derived and to be de-
rived from the City Railroad Moreover the taxes for
the year must necessarily be high further in
crease could be made without ncting much inconven
ence ana suffering on the people, The basis of taxation
IS not and cannot without further legislation by the State
be made fr and equal and by indirect tax
levied on the City Railroad many persons are made to
contribute to the expenses city who are perfectly
able to do so but who have tangible property which
can be reached by any direct assessment For these
sons think that the city should continue to look to the
City Railroad as of the payment of
interest due for the purchase of the parks and for their
support.


have considered the question as if the grant by the CITY
TO the CITY Passenger Railway Association originally
by
the association hold streets even if they
mad complied with their contract might be
ny the Courts In case arrangement should be
ed with the association provision should be made for its
rathcaon by the legislature and if the road should
come into possession of the city should be obtained
from the same source to and manage it. so that no
difficulty may hereafter arise this important subject


THE PARKS.


The land purchased for Druid Hill Park embraces about
oZ acres, and in every respect is admirably adapted
Tor the purpose. With proper cement on the part
OF the Commissioners the city will possess park
N hia nnntr and
worii While it will be of health and enjoyment
to every class of the community its benefits will be
chey experienced by the poor who without such a re-
source. would be confined during the whole wear to the
limits OF the town. But large proportion of the
population compelled labor constantly in some
form or other Tor their support and have but day of
rest in seyen it is obvious that the park will be of little
value to the mass of the people it is made acces
slne to them on Sunday. To effect this object
mend that the City Railroad be allowed run on Dor
tion Of that day, during the proper the year
believe that this permission will not lead to a neglect of
the religious observance of the day but that it viii tend
to improve both the health morals of the people In
the cities of New York and Boston, the city railway
cars run Sunday and used by very many for the
purpose of attending church. and in the city they
are thronged by those who visit the Central Palk Under
the stringent laws of the State which prohibit the sale
of liquor on Sunday, the dangers which might result
from general resort to the Park that day. may easily
be prevented.


Patterson Park will contain about thrtysx acres of
ground and will constitute beautiful improvement.


THE NEW WATER WORKS.


NO supply OF water from the new works be expected





time being dependent on the fitness of the weather
work yet to be done.


The Of large lake at the commencem ent of the
works about one hundred and twenty acres and will
covered with water to depth of not less than ten feet
except about five acres. which will have depth from
hVe to ten feet The dam at the outlet of this lake
be finished until the spring, but in the meantime will
serve all the requirements Of the city in introducing
ter to the higher levels. The entire aqueduct leading
from the dam to the ampden Reservoir is in perfect and
permanent condition.


The Hampden Reservoir is not quite completed but
finished The
the city mains can be completed Its capacity is fly
millions of gallons, and when u its surface will
be at an elevation of 2l7 feet above mid tide.


The Mount Royal Reservoir will be comp eted
before next summer and until this plished the
city cannot be entirely supplied from the works but
must rely in part on the old Mount Royal Reservoir


On the introduction of water from the new works
Chase Reservoir will be dispensed with and by next
spring Chase street will be cut through from Charles
street to St. Paul street.


Mr. Charles P Manning; the Chief ngineer says in his
report From accurate gaugings of the flow of at
the site of the dam taken the past during the
last week Of proracted drought it ascerained that
the average daily flow exceeded eleven millions of gal.
lons which the least the stream has been
reduced to since have been with these works
early 1888 Ihequany of water supplied by the present
works and used by the citizens of Baltimore estimated
not to exceed six millions of gallons daily and it is also
estimated that for time after the completion the
works under construction the the city
will not exceed millions ofgaons daily which pop
uation recently ascerained to be almost two hundred
and twenty-five thousand is allowance of40 gallons per
day to each individual therefore, it is evident
above named facts in relation to the of supply
dry season, be
to existing wants -


CAS- future wants when the population shall have
doubled in number and the daily consumption
increased to eighteen millions gallons with the daily
flow of Jones' Falls reduced for sixty days an average
of ten millions of gallons only the end of that
period the entire storage of the lake the two
vors would not be exhausted.n


The income from water rents has during the past year
increased 466 The supplies furnished have increased
to the number of SIG The present works yielded the
of sSl 286 So and without any additional sup
ply of water through the works it is estimated that
he n he dana aftar
are nearly sufficient to the interest all the water
stock issued up to this time.


The Board anticipate that the revenue from the new
works in consequence of the increase of water takers will
enable the department to appropriate considerable sum
annually to reduce the debt incurred for the establish
men OF these works The entire length of the mains
tending through the city is one hundred and twenty
seven miles Ninetyfve new frc-plugs have been
ted within the year.


The total expense incurred by the Board for the new
works up to the present time is follows:


Real estate land damage and water rightsS 2l6567 81
Construction of new works l66 $50 35
distributing MANS 2ls546 %
Current eXperse 1924 CT


s1.6O5, ass %
OF this 81 400 675 So have been paid leaving slO5
SIZES due the contractors part the 18th of January,
and the balance when the contracts completed


In executing this great work it is believed that every
thing has been done with reference to utility and
biity


NEW ALMsHoUsE


site for new amshouse has been purchased in pur-
suance of ordinance passed by the last City Council
and Board of Commissioners, of which the Mayor is
eX-ofico chairman subsequently appointed
the building Herring Run passes through the eastern
portion of the ground which contains about l3 acres
and is situated miles from the city, near the
Philadelphia turnpike road.


The ground cost $2O,4OO Contracts have been made
for the erection of the building which. when completed
will about sl65 After paying for the ground
the assets at the disposal of the Commissioners amount
Sl5l 46, consisting in part of bonds of Baltimore
county and in part Of the portion of the old amshouse
property belonging to the city, which remains unsod


good deal of work has been done in digging and Law
Of he
ters work for the buildnga in satisfactory
AS doubts have been expressed in many quarters in
relation to the heathuness of the site, Joint Commit
tee of the City Council at session appoint
ed to investigate the subject In conformity with their
request and in pursuance of resolution of the Board
Commissioners of the Almshouse, appointed commit
tee of three physicians to examine the matter and make
areport thereon The gentlemen appointed are Prof
Nathan r. Smith, NJ D., Charles II. Bradford, NJ. D,
and Alexander c. Robinson NJ D., who have all consent
ed to serve and their report will no doubt concusvey
settle the question


THE NEW JAIL.


The Jail and the house for the warden have been
completed The latter is well built and commodious.
The cost of both reported by the Commissioners in
Guiding the award to Messrs. & J. Reynolds, amounts
to 1902 49, but this does not include the judgment OBJ
tanned by the latter against the city from which ap
peal has been taken The Jail contains three hundred
cells thus enabling the system Of solitary confinement to
be in great part carried oua of much Importance
in such institution where the confinement is usually
for short period that injury result from
strict enforcement of solitude The general design of the
prison is excellent the cells spacious and the build
ing is well lighted and heated, and is constructed in
such manner that supervision over the whole range of
corridors easily be maintained from the large central
hall. An important defect however, prevails in the
tire brick work of the interior, composing the walls Of
the cells the mortar of which contains insufficient
proportion lime that itnever harden walls
therefore be easily cut through with sharp nsru
ment. Nothing except constant vigilance guard
against such occurrence but if prisoner should
succeed in escaping from his CELL he would still be
fined by the wall The Jail yard will be surround
ed by wall surmountea by high iron railing and now
being constructed for the contract price of 200 An
old
which lies west Of Buren street recently extended
shall be sold and the proceeds applied to the payment for
said wall but only part Of this property has been sold
and the money for the sale has not yet been realized
that provision for the must be made by the city
1t will also require 81, 500 to grade and finish the
jail yard according to the estimate of the architects
Messrs. Thomas & J. NJ. Dixon. These amounts
in addition to the cost of the Jail above stated
The appointment of matron assistant to the
den to have charge of the female prisoners is
sary but this with other important reforms
red out by the visitors under the powers vested
in them by the Legislature.


CITY HALL.


The Board of Commissioners of the City Hall
port that the lowest bid they obtained constructing
appropriated for the purpose but 100000 Separate bids
made for all parts of the building except the marble
work. and for this the estimate Of the architect taken
seperate bid made for it. The aggregate ex-
ceeded the amount of the appropriation For this
other contract has been by the Commits
soners and in the present condition of the affairs of the
city, recommend that the erection of City Hall be
postponed and that the ordinance creating the Board and
the supplement thereto, be repealed. M


CHANNEL IN THE RIVER.


The Commissioners appointed to obstructions in
the channel of the report that their operations for
the year been limited in consequence of their
ces being confined exclusively to the auction duties
which for the last few have amounted only about
$l4 900 per About hundred seven thou
sand cubic yards have been excavated during year
and is believed that the operations of another
son. the new channel will be buoyed off through its
ttr 1 u,I,I1a