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16

Report of the City Manger, continued.

To the Common Council and Board of Aldermen,

Gentleman:
Since details have a tendency to distract from and make less
comprehensible the main subject, I shall, in this, and in all my future reports,
omit the details and present my information in as brief a form as possible. But I
shall endeavor to be ready to supplement my statements and recommendations with
detailed information whenever it is desired.

Instead of limiting my financial report, which is herewith attached, to a
statement of expenditures and appropriations for just one quarter I have given the
total expenditures for the six months and the appropriations for the year and then
recorded the balance of appropriation for each department.

STREETS.
Owing to the inclement weather practically all out street force has been kept
busy on maintenance work. The work on W. High St. hill and the laying of a few large
drain pipes being the only permanent work accomplished. We expect to complete the
grading on west High Street this week.

On the financial statement you will notiec that I have cut the appropriation for
regular maintenance work for streets $500, I am satisfied that a reorganization of
the maintenance force and the use of the trash truck, together with the use of
another horse drawn truck, which I have fixed up, will save that amount per quarter.
The acquisition of the trucks should enable us to dispose of two regular wagons and
four horses. However, I do not advocate disposing of these horses at this time.
I think they ought to be kept and used on a grading force.

To supplement the regular appropriation for street department, I recommend that
$12,000. be borrowed and expended as follows: - $6,5000. for building a concrete
road on the Free Bridge Road from Locust Avenue to corporation line; $500. for the
purchase of drain pipe, and $5,000. for rough grading, draining and crowning all the
important dirst streets.

Mr. Wayland J. Hayes was the successful bidder on the stable manure. Price 77
cents per two horse load.

GAS.
The disbursements in the Gas Department for the past quarter are high, due
mostly to the large amount of new work undertaken and to the purchase of coal on the
open market. The west Virginia Coal Company is not shipping as much coal as is
being consumed, and persuasion by letter and wire seem to be of no avail. In a
recent letter the company wrote that a number of consumers had voluntarily agreed to
pay from fifteen to twenty five cents per ton more than contract price, and they
suggest that the City of Charlottesville do likewise. I recommend that we agree to
pay $1.25 per ton (an increase of 20 cents) whenever they deliver six carloads per month.

The work on the six inch gas main on Preston Avenue, together with connecting
branch lines, has been completed, and the Belmont Line will be completed in a few
days. A total of 3586 feet of six, four and two inch mains has been laid during the
past quarter. This is exclusive of the Belmont Line. Number of services renewed 6;
New services 2. The new retort at the Gas Plant has been installed.

WATER.
The water line on Preston Ave. has been completed. Also an extension of about
350 feet on Graves Street which connected two dead ends and will accommodate all the
houses that are being built on Goodman property. The Superintendent recommends that
they laying of the watermain through High and 10th Sts. E., for which $1,690. was
appropriated, be deferred on account of the prohibitive prices of material.
I endorse his recommendation. The record of work done during the quarter is as
follows: 6269 feet of six, four and two inch mains; 8 new services connected; 19
services renewed, and 34 meters installed. The petition for extension of water
line to Kellytown, has been considered and estimated and the conclusion reached by
the Superintendent and myself is that the line would not prove a paying proposition.

SEWER.
Thw sewer line with branch line extensions on Preston Avenue has been completed.
New work done on sewer for quarter: 1785 feet of main laid and 7 new connections.
I recommend that sewer extensions be made as rapidly as possible. It means a reduction
in cost of scavenger work. But more important than that is the protection of
citizens against infectious disease, which is not assured where open closets are
prevalent. With this policy in view we recommend at the time than an appropriation
of $1,800/ be made for two extenstions, one up Free Bridge road and the other through
the Goodman property that is now being built up. Property owners on both sides of
the Rivanna River have made complaint about the emptying of the city sewerage into
the Rivanna River, and peremptorily demand that some action be taken by the city in
this matter by the 15th of this month.

CEMETERY.
For the Cemetery I recommend that ths City acquire new property at the earliest
date possible. I also recommend the purchase of two tents for the protection of
the public when attending a funeral during rainy weather. The number of graves dug
during the quarter is 35.

FIRE.
The fire hazard in this City is greater than I like to see it, owing to the
extensive area of the City, the bad conditions of the streets, and the dependence on
a volunteer company. I recommend that a thorough study and investigation be made
under the direction of the Safety Committee, taking under consideration the following;
1. Prevention of fires by inspection and otherwise.
2. The advisability of establishing another Station.
3. The motorizing of at least a part of the equipment.
4. Reduction of Insurance rates.

And I recommend, for immediate action, the voting of a $200. appropriation for the
purchase of two dozen pyrene fire extinguishers to be placed in the public buildings
owned by the city and in the houses of those members of the fire company who live some
distance from the central station. This will give the fireman, living in a distant
part of the city, something to fight a fire with if the fire breaks out in his neighborhood.

Respectfully submitted,
S. A. Stecker, City Manager.

The recommendations in the foregoing report were acted on as follows:

Free Bridge Road improvement and sewer line, referred to Finance, water & Sewers.
Recommendation in re. coal for gas department was approved.
Sewer line for Goodman property, referred to Finance, Water & Sewers committees.
Complaint as to sewerage emptying into Rivanna River, to Water & Sewers Committee.
New land and tents for cemetery department, to Cemetery Committee.
Fire protection, etc. to Public Safety Committee.