Year: 1875

There bad been for some years steady de-
cline in the number Of coIored people ar.
rested. Probably the distress and idlcneSs
in the past twelve months explains the change
in this respect. 1t is proper to say that Il
large portion of the warrants are dismissed.


The station accommodations are sufficient
except at the Third station, which IS mulch
too contracted, and by reason OF the public
stable on this lot frequently quite offensive
in summer. The officers of That district
have made 80 few appeals TO the Councii Tor
Improvement that hope their wishes, and


those Of the people Of the western district
| OF the city who have occasion to go to the
station house, for better quarters may in this
regard be complied WITH and that either the
police or the fire company will be moved.
| The better course would problbly be to move
| the company, as the accommodations are very


contracted, and the removal Of the police
would not enlarge the room tor the horses
and steamer.


| With the single exception of the sick-list


mentioned above, am glad to say that the
condition and conduct of the force are in all


respects satisfactory. ! believe that fewer
charges have been preferred against them
than heretofore, and that in sobrety, polite.


ness, and faitbfulneSs they deserve the high
est praise.


| THE STREETS.


The City Engineer very properly calls at
| tention to the bad condition Of the streets


and sidewalks of the city, and to the made.


uuacy of the means at the command OF the
committee TO a more complete discharge OF
their duty. The proposition to improve the


streets by fund derived from further issue
of bonds does not seem to me the proper


way of meeting the difficulty. The result
of such IN application Of money would in


eYitably be great and immediate increase OF


the area Of paved streets and walks. and
legacy Of greatlv-increased outlay for annual


repair forever afterwards.


| I see no reason to change the opinion


have uniformly expressed, that we shall have
| to choose between the abandonment oieyery
effort TO secure anything like completeness
OF either roadway or walkway, or we SHALL
| he compelled to follow the example Of the
! majority of other cities, and make the pro-
perty whose value Is enhanced 10y these lm-
proyements contribute proportion OF their
cost.


Hundreds of thousands Of dollars have


been added during the past five years to The
worth of property in certain quarters OF the
CITY directly out of the city treasury, the
tables Of expenditures In the various Wards
for street improvements being almost an ex-
act measure of the advance in value and as
the CITY extends the evil grows, and the
number unlimited as the continuance ln-
cre.ses, until we are now confronted with q
difficulty from which there is no suggested
exit. but an increase of permanent Ills. IL
is difficult to understand how those
who urge the expenditure of pubic


money for these purposes, on the ground
that it increases taX-receipts, should oppose
the contribution of part of the outlay Dy


those the enhancement of whose property
by this public outlay is the sole occasion OF
the increased taxation.


The City Engineers report is made un'


usually interesting this year by very i'm


portant paper from Professor Hardin, of th'
Virginia Military Institute, on the subject OF
Improvement in james River water. One ob
yious conclusion frocl his labors is that
would be idle to seek the publication Of tina


water by general filtration; the specih
gravity OF a large per centum OF the impur


ties being so neerly coincideEt with that


the water that their thorough separation me
chanically is impossible.
| Another and compensatipg result IS tna