7=^2- REPORT OF THE CITY OF PETERSBURG VIRGINIA For the period September 15th, 1920 to June 30th, 1923 Being a complete report of the city government under the council-manager plan THE LIBRARY OF 1 4PR 1 1 i, UNIVE iSJTY Of ILLINOIS, COURT HOUSE AND ADMINISTRATION BUILDING BUILT 1835 This report is published by THE CITY COUNCIL and is dedicated to the citizens and friends of THE CITY OF PETERSBURG ILLINOIS MUNICIPAL LEAGUE, fL M. STORY, OEGAniZATion Or Tme. City GovEcnfirriT. >5TATC BOARD EDUCATION PLTLR3BUR& LLLCTOR5 GLDLRAL AJJLI1BLY ~2 ElLCCTto Appointed ©Cllek To CounciL ©City riAriAGLE ixomcio ©Jurw. JwaDom £u_Ar Couet OFFICIALS OF THE CITY OF PETERSBURG Council Samuel W. Zimmer, Mayor Robert A. Baxter Wallace M. Rucker William H. Willcox G. Cleveland Wright Louis Brownlow E. P. Goodwyn Robert D. Budd Eugene T. Cranch S. Daley Craig F. G. Stratton Wm. S. Spotswood Hugh R. Smith John J. Nelms Dr. R. A. Martin John O. Walker W. T. Miller W. W. Jefferson S. H. Perkins L. D. M. Baird R. Boiling Willcox E. F. Clements E. F. Clements James M. Mullen Robert G. Bass W. G. Andrews Administrative Officers City manager Executive Secretary City Engineer Sanitary Engineer Building Inspector City Treasurer City Auditor and Clerk to the Council Commissioner of the Revenue Collector of City Taxes Health Officer Director of Public Safety Fire Chief Chief of Detectives Superintendent City Home Superintendent Blandford Cemetery City Attorney Civil and Police Justice Judge Juvenile and Domestic Relations Court Judge Hustings Court Clerk of the Courts City Sergeant Zoning Commission J. Westmore Brown J. Nat Harrison John R. Jolly Richard T. Wilson Louis Brownlow, Chairman J. R. W. Smith H. S. Seward Mrs. F. H. Cole School Board B. W. Matthews D. Perkinson W. B. Beach Nathan Toms Mrs. Geo. B. Townsend Alexander Hamilton Henry G. Ellis, Superintendent of Schools REPORT OF THE CITY OF PETERSBURG VIRGINIA For the period September 15th, 1920 to June 30th, 1923 Being a complete report of the city government under the council-manager plan fflE OF THE i mi INDEX mmj * OF | U/N0JSi Foreword 2 The City Council 3 Office of the City Manager 5 Office of the Executive Secretary 14 Department of Finance 17 Public Works 27 Department of Public Safety — Police 46 Department of Public Safety— Fire 55 Building Inspection 60 Health Department 62 Public Welfare 74 Public Parks 80 Blandford Cemetery 83 City Home 85 W. R. McKenney Free Library 87 FOREWORD To the Citizens of Petersburg : The Council presents this report of the activities of the munici- pal government of the City of Petersburg for the information of its citizens. May we venture to hope that every citizen will read it carefully, and, if as the result of such reading any person having the interest of the city at heart will write to us sugges- tions for the improvement of the service being rendered to the people by their government, we shall be grateful. Very truly yours, SAMUEL W. ZIMMER, May ROBERT A. BAXTER, WALLACE M. RUCKER, WILLIAM H. WILLCOX, G, CLEVELAND WRIGHT. To the Honorable City Council, Petersburg, Va. : I have the honor herewith to present my report as City Man- ager for the period beginning September 15, 1920, the day I as- sumed the position of City Manager, to June 30, 1923, the end of the last fiscal year. It is prepared in order that you may present it to the people of the City as a record of the work undertaken by the municipal government in these three years. I desire to acknowledge my indebtedness to Mr. John B. Blandford, for his work in compiling this report. Respectfully submitted, LOUIS BROWNLOW, City Manag REMOTE S i QRAGE THE CITY COUNCIL The accumulated experience of this and other countries with the various forms of municipal government have indicated quite clearly that, whatever the plan, certain features must be made an inherent part of it. Most prominent among these may be mentioned the following: Small legislative body. Elimination of the ward system of election. Separation of the legislative and executive functions. Centralization of the administrative side under a single head. Elimination of politics from the administrative side. It has been our privilege to realize all of these things under our council- manager plan of government. Our council body is small in number — there are only five members — and consequently can function more efficiently than a much larger legislative body or one composed of two houses. Our councilmen are elected at large and not by wards. There is no swapping of votes nor a sacrificing of the interests of the city as a whole for the benefit of a few. It is interesting to note that while three members of the council live in the old second ward, one in the fourth, and one in the fifth, that a large majority of the permanent improvements of the past two and a half years have been made in the first, fifth and sixth wards. Our council has realized that it is primarily a policy- forming body and so has confined itself to this sphere and has not ventured into the administrative side. Our council has realized the advantages of centralizing the administrative work and so has appointed a city manager under whom it has placed, insofar as it was permitted by state law, the supervision of all activities of the city. With this delegation of authority goes full responsibility. Finally our council can lay claim to the last of the above mentioned maxims for it knows of not one instance where so-called politics has been permitted to intrude into the administrative side of our municipal government. And so the city council may be considered as a board of directors of a business concern. Its business executive is your city manager and its business ^ the comfort, welfare and safety of the citizens of Petersburg. Realizing its fo\ proper role the council has busied itself with the formation of city policies. It ^ v has considered and approved the measures that were necessary to reorganize your city government. It has supervised the administration of your schools. \ It has developed and provided for by bond issue a much needed improvement program. It has given considerable thought and time to the preparation of your ^ annual financial program and it has submitted it to you in an annual public v ^meeting. Finally it has listened attentively to the recommendations of the - .^administrative officers and in accordance therewith evolved many ordinances. v - /J§ome indication of their nature and number may be gathered from the follow- Z ^ing list: Vol \ A Regulated the sale of water. Created the position of Director of Public Safety. Provided for registration of automobiles. Regulated the installation of electrical works and equipment. Regulated for hire cars, their owners and operators and established rates. Required dealers in second-hand articles to report their purchases to the Chief of Police. 4 REPORT OF THE CITY Of PETERSBURG Required dealers in deadly weapons to report description of weapons sold to the Chief of Police. Regulated the operation of motion picture machines. Reorganized the collection of garbage. Regulated traffic. Provided for the perpetual maintenance of burial lots in Blandford Cemetery. Provided for establishment of Lee Memorial Park. Regulated the practice of midwifery. Regulated the production, distribution and sale of milk. Passed an ordinance preventing vice and immorality. Regulated city scavengers. Created the position of Director of Public Welfare (city manager ex- officio) . Passed an emergency zoning ordinance. Another important matter which the council negotiated and successfully carried through was the annexation of Walnut Hill. This section of Prince George and Dinwiddie Counties comprising some 248 acres was formally annexed in December, 1921, on petition of the residents and after a hearing in the Circuit Court. Under the terms of the agreement the city paid over to the Walnut Hill Corporation $50,000 and in re- turn secured the ownership of all utilities and a fee in all the streets in that area. The assessed values and the tax rate are to remain un- changed for a period of five years and all revenues derived from the Walnut Hill section are to be ex- pended within that area on im- provements. Police, fire and health service are supplied by the city. This action not only brought within the city limits a very fine residential section with additional property values but also made practical the annexation a portion of the 1,700 acres of drainage area which the city owned in these two counties. Of this area 564 acres have been de- veloped as a great natural park and all of it can now be readily policed. Walnut Hill— a suburban section annexed in 1921. REPORT OR THE CITY OP PETERSBURG 5 OFFICE OF THE CITY MANAGER The present council-manager form of government was favorably voted on at the municipal election of November, 1917, and the new council took office on September 1, 1920. The city manager was immediately chosen and assumed his duties. In order that the possibilities of this new plan might be realized as soon as possible the first concern of the city manager was the development of an efficient administrative machine. This involved the two factors of personnel and office facilities. Reorganization On the day the city manager assumed office, he met the heads of the several city departments and told them that it was his purpose to continue them in their several positions, and, as far as possible, to make no changes in the personnel of the city's employees so long as they were rendering efficient service and were giving loyal co-operation to their fellow city employees. It is a pleasure to note that few changes have been necessary, What improvements have obtained have been the result of increased efficiency on the part of the old employees, some reassignment of duties, some relocation of offices and some few additions to the personnel. The court house was the logical choice as the central administration building and so the necessary structural changes were made. The old council chamber was remodeled, providing space for a new council chamber, the offices of the city manager and the city manager's secretary and a waiting room. The position of executive secretary was created and under this position was placed the supervision of public property, street lighting, public parks and coal and wood relief. It seems almost axiomatic that one of the first steps of re- organization under the manager plan is the establishment of a central pur- chasing office. Petersburg proved no exception and centralized purchasing was made one of the duties of the office of the executive secretary — the purchases being made by and in the name of the city manager after the executive secretary had secured prices based upon competitive bids. A modern system of accounting was early installed and the office routine of the city auditor and the city treasurer considerably simplified. These two offices were provided for in the court house building. In the office of the city engineer the work of the street cleaning department has been separated from that of the highway department although both continue under the same superintendent. The refuse disposal department has been trans- ferred to the office of the city engineer. The position of sanitary engineer has been created and he has been given direct charge of the water department under the supervision of the city engineer. The city engineer along with his general supervision of the above mentioned departments is directly in charge of the con- struction work of the city. The city engineer formerly had but one room in which to conduct all his work, and he was practically without the facilities of office equipment. When the health department was moved from the McGee building to the health center, the city engineer was provided with an office for himself, with another office for his engineering assistants, with a large work room and with a modern filing equipment. This change in office arrangement 6 REPORT OF THE CITY OF PETERSBURG and equipment, effected at a cost of about $660.00, has greatly increased the facilities of the department. While the building inspector was always assisted in the making of electrical inspections by an electrician delegated from the police department it was thought a better plan to have this assistant directly under the building inspection office. Therefore this office has been transferred to the building inspection office under the title of electrical inspector. This office continues to supervise the maintenance of the police and fire alarm systems along with other city electrical work. The health department under the supervision of its health officer had made notable progress and had developed an excellent system of reports and records. Its activities, however, were scattered and the department itself inadequately housed. Following the example of many progressive American cities it was planned to centralize the activities in a separate building. Accordingly the property, No. 21 N. Union Street, was acquired by lease and established as the health center. In this health center are now located the offices of the health officer, the registrar of vital statistics, the food inspection service, the sanitary inspection service, the bacteriological laboratory, the contagious disease nursing service, the tuberculosis nursing service and clinic, the venereal disease clinic, and the child welfare station, maintained by the Petersburg chapter of the American Red Cross. Administration Buildings, Adjacent to the Court House. The registrar of vital statistics formerly assisted in the making out of the water rent books. The bills were made from these books by the registrar of the water department, who, in turn, collected them from the people. By placing upon REPORT OF THE CITY OF PETERSBURG 7 the registrar the duty of keeping the books as well as making out the bills, the registrar of vital statistics was released for his full time to the health officer, rendering the employment of a stenographer in that department unnecessary. The collection of the water bills was turned over to the collector of city taxes at no additional expense to the city. The Petersburg health center as now housed, organized and staffed, is an institution which will compare favorably with similar institutions in any progressive city of the size of Petersburg. When the city manager assumed office, there was a vacancy in the position of chief of police and the department was suffering from that degree of dis- organization which always attends uncertainty and the absence of a responsible directing head. After careful study it was decided that the best result could be obtained by the appointment of a director of public safety, who would have responsible charge of both the police and fire departments, giving general super- vision to the work of the fire department and having actual, direct command of the police department. With the approval of the council a director of public safety was appointed and the office of chief of police remained unfilled. Shortly after a chief of detectives was also appointed. In the reorganization of the police department a women's bureau was created and two policewomen appointed. This was the first time that policewomen were appointed in the State of Virginia, although since that time their appointment has been authorized in Norfolk and Richmond and is now being considered in several other Virginia cities. In 1922 the State legislature passed an act creating the juvenile and domestic relations court and your council immediately took steps to act under its provi- sions. The civil and police judge was appointed as judge of this new court and a department of public welfare was created with the city manager as direc- tor ex-officio. Acting under his powers as chief probation officer the city manager designated the two policewomen as probation officers and a vacancy on the police force was filled with a probation officer for boys. In co-operation with the superintendent of schools the city manager made a survey of recreation facilities in the city and established six playgrounds each under the supervision of a directress. A general supervisor was appointed to co-ordinate the work of all the playgrounds. The city home continues under the supervision of a superintendent but the board of overseers of the poor has been dispensed with. Through the beneficence of a Petersburg citizen the close of this year finds our city with a new and much needed activity — a public library. In the fall of this year a competent librarian will be appointed to take over its administration. This then is briefly the extent of the changes that have been made in the personnel and office facilities. The detailed accomplishments that have resulted from these changes will be considered under the reports of the several depart- ments. No comment on the personnel of the city of Petersburg would be complete without some expression of appreciation to the officers and employees of the city for the hearty willingness with which they have worked with the city manager in the service of the people. Without the genuine interest and intelligent co-operation which they have given, much that has been accomplished during this period of reorganization would have been quite impossible. Preparation of the Budget Of certainly no less importance than the reorganization of the city depart- ments is the development of the financial program under which they shall function. REPORT OF THE CITY OF PETERSBURG A so-called budget there had always been but the first step was to make it a budget in fact as well as in name. It is well recognized that a properly con- ceived budget involves careful planning and adequate control. Lump sum appro- priations with no control over details, expenditures of a single department scat- tered through a number of appropriations, a salary account that carries the salaries of some officers and employees but not all, and a contingent account to which miscellaneous appropriations were credited and expenditures of many kinds were charged are not features that are conducive to careful planning or adequate control. The first step was the adoption of a standard budget classification. Each department was assigned a code number and all of its expenditures were grouped under that number in accordance with a standard expenditure classification which was used by all departments. Under this plan the budget of each department or division stands alone, complete in its details as a unit of the entire budget. In order that proper planning might be effected it was necessary that each depart- ment head be given an opportunity to express his ideas on the proposed activities of his department. To do so intelligently it was necessary that he have some information regarding the experiences of previous years. Therefore each de- partment head was furnished with an estimate sheet which showed the expendi- tures of the two previous years, the appropriation for the current year and the expenditure to date under that appropriation. In the light of this information he was then expected to give his estimate of the department expenditures for the coming year. These estimate sheets were then returned to the city manager. When assembled it was then possible to consider each department program in the light of the plans of the other departments and in relation to the amount available for expenditure as indicated by an estimate of miscellaneous revenues prepared by the city auditor. Such a consideration usually indicated that ad- justments were necessary. These changes were made by the city manager in conference with the respective department heads, the final result being the budget as presented to the council. This financial program as finally passed by the council has been considered such an important matter and one that should be of such interest to the citizens that a public meeting has been held each year at which the budget has been presented. It is particularly important that the desires of the citizen body be incorporated in this financial program and even more so that they intelligently comprehend the needs as interpreted by the council. Adequate control has been obtained by the setting up of the new accounting system which includes an appropriation ledger. In this ledger accounts are set up in accordance with the budget code and before any department can pay a salary or make a purchase the account of that department is examined to make certain there is a sufficient unencumbered balance to its credit. In this way it is possible to adhere strictly to the expenditure program. Department Daily Reports Through a system of departmental reports it is possible for the city manager to keep closely in touch with the progress of work in the various departments. At eleven o'clock each morning a daily bulletin is received from the city engineer which states the disposition of all the work squads of all the depart- ments under his supervision, showing the number of men and teams engaged in each class of work, together with the location of the job being done. REPORT OF THE CITY OF PETERSBURG 9 • - -\ ■ Each morning the city engineer files a detailed report of the work done the day before by the street cleaning department, the refuse disposal depart- ment, the highway department, and the water department. These reports show in detail the cost of every operation in these several departments. At the end of the week a progress chart is received showing the percentage of work accom- plished during the week on each piece of construction work going on. The health department presents a weekly report, showing the result of the bacteriological examination of the water supply, the number of cases of con- tagious diseases reported, and the number of deaths. This is expanded in detail in the health officer's monthly report, which shows all of the operations of the health center. The police and fire departments render regular detailed reports monthly. The probation officer also files a monthly report of his activities. The city auditor prepares a daily report showing in detail the receipts and expenditures on the previous day, and a weekly report showing in detail the labor payrolls for the week, exhibiting in parallel columns the payroll for similar services for this week, last week, and the corresponding week of last year. This system of reports furnishes a valuable check on the work being done from week to week and is a source of information for research studies. These reports are on file in the city manager's office and are available for the infor- mation of any citizen who desires to see them. The Million Dollar Improvement Program The advent of the new administration came at a time when the city was passing through that period of depression following the signing of the Armistice and the consequent withdrawal of the war activities in the Hopewell district and at Camp Lee. It was clearly evident that Petersburg was badly in need of more industries and more people. This prompted some thought of what our city had to offer. This self analysis showed many opportunities for improvement. The entrance to our city was anything but imposing and actually a hazard involving as it did the crossing of two railroad lines. Our typhoid cases were directly traceable to the large unsewered areas with their surface closets; our two main business streets were in deplorable condition ; our markets were old and anti- quated; our schools were congested — two more were badly needed. Citizens were petitioning for new sidewalks and their need was evident. Water extensions and road improvements were other things that must be attended to if Petersburg were to be carried forward. It was also apparent that these improvements were far more extensive than could be provided for out of the current revenues. But the city like any other business concern had a credit rating on which it would be good business policy to borrow if the proposed improvements would bring added prosperity to the stockholders. It was decided that a million dollar issue of improvement bonds was advisable and essential to the growth and development of Petersburg. The council decision to carry out this program was widely approved and many enthusiastic endorsements were received from the civic organizations. The condition of the bond market was carefully watched and finally in April, 1922, $200,000 of 4V 2 % bonds were floated at 100.52. In December of the same year the remaining $880,000 was sold at 4V 2 % and at $99.08 per $100 par value. It is thought that the city obtained very favorable terms in its bond negotiations. 10 REPORT OF THE CITY OF PETERSBURG Inasmuch as it was not proposed to expend the proceeds of this last bond issue immediately the money was deposited at an interest rate sufficient to take care of the interest payments on the bonds. In this way it was possible to take advantage of the favorable bond market and borrow money at such a low interest rate. Under this million dollar improvement program it was proposed to carry out the following plans: To build an overhead bridge across the Appomattox and the railroads. To erect three new school buildings. To build an armory and modern market. To pave the business section of Sycamore street, Washington street and sundry other streets where the demands of traffic require permanent paving. To extend the sewer and water system to serve practically the entire city. To extend the facilities of the clerk's office to care for the valuable records of the city. To eliminate dangerous and deep ditches and drains where possible. To extend the sidewalk system as rapidly as the abutting property owners signify their willingness to pay their one-third share of the cost upon the completion of the sidewalk. Site of viaduct over Appomattox River on State Highway, connecting Petersburg with Richmond. At the time of writing the program is well along to completion. The many interested parties have been brought together and the plans for the overhead bridge have been completed. Two new colored schools will be ready for use REPORT OF THE CITY OF PETERSBURG 11 before January 1. While the work on the market and armory has been tem- porarily postponed because of the high cost of materials, the council expects that conditions within the year will become more favorable for the project. The paving of Sycamore and Washington streets will be completed within the next month. This will mean that with one exception every entrance to the city from the State highway system of first class roads will be paved. The sewer and water systems have extended to such an extent as to eliminate 1,500 surface toilets and to leave only some 400 for future attention. Ditches and drains have been attended to and 4 miles of new sidewalk have been laid. Plans for the Future With the above improvement program completed our city will be well along in its process of civic development. It is not contemplated that further large capital improvements will be immediately undertaken. Rather will it be a period of orderly extension of the services already existent and an attempt to obtain further efficiency in their operation. Future improvements in the administrative machine will involve legislative action rather than administrative reorganization. These matters should be of intense interest to the citizen body and it is well to briefly indicate their nature. Zoning. Already steps have been taken to initiate a zoning ordinance. A zoning commission has been appointed and preliminary studies have been made. Zoning spells protection for the citizens of Petersburg. It will protect against the harmful use of neighboring property; it will protect against adjacent build- ings which would tend to cut off the light and air or decrease the privacy or increase the fire risk or menace health and safety. It is an essential part of the city plan. The zoning ordinance will be developed only after careful study and public hearings. The limitations will be based on the health, safety, morals and general welfare of the community and they will be reasonable, non-discriminatory and non-confiscatory. Financial Isolation of the Water Department. Under our present plan of operating the water plant its expenditures are included in the general muni- cipal budget and the revenues from water rentals and water extras are included among the general revenues. With such a plan if water revenues are in excess of the cost of operating the water plant then the excess is being used to pay for other municipal activities; if on the contrary the reverse be true then the money raised by taxation and from miscellaneous sources is assisting in the operation of the water plant. This is not proper of course for in each case there is a different base on which the assessment is made — the water rate being determined on the basis of water consumption and the tax rate on the value of property holdings. Where the measure of benefit can be so directly measured as in the case of water service the financial operations of that service should be segre- gated so that the cost of operations may be properly related to the rates charged. This is the policy followed in most cities. It so happens in this city that the revenues from water rentals and water extras are ample to meet the cost of operating the water plant and meeting the interest and sinking charges on the outstanding water bonds. No change in water rates would be necessary. Under such a plan it is customary for the city proper to pay a nominal charge for hydrant rental and for water used in the sewer flush tanks. This is a matter for careful consideration and the citizens should familiarize themselves with its favorable features. 12 REPORT OF THE CITY OF PETERSBURG City Code. Our municipal ordinances were last coded in 1911. Since that time the city government has changed its form. New offices have been created, others have been eliminated, many ordinances have been amended and many new ones have been added. The revision and recodification of our ordinance book would seem an advisable undertaking at some time not too far distant. Municipal Jail. Our system of municipal jails in this State has little to commend it. The city contributes a large share to its administration and yet has no control over its policies. The system of compensation is such that its jailer is encouraged to drastic frugality in providing for the prisoners. The prisoners have no activities and are supported in idleness. Each political unit is required to operate its own institution regardless of the economies that would result from joint operation as district institutions. In all it is a very expensive, inefficient and unsocial plan for providing for our delinquent. Fortunately the matter is receiving ever increased attention largely as a result of the efforts of the State Board of Public Welfare, and indications are that their efforts will eventually crystallize into a system of district institutions under competent super- vision and so operated as to afford beneficial and useful employment for the inmates. Special Assessments. Special assessments is a plan of financing public improvements by assessing a portion of the cost of construction on the benefitting property owners in proportion to the respective benefits derived. It is the only fair way to meet the cost of such improvements, for whatever increased property values result accrue only to that property which is benefitted and in direct pro- portion to that benefit. It has been the general experience — Virginia is the only State not having special assessment legislation — that public improvements proceed at a much more rapid rate when the benefitting property owners may petition for an improvement and share proportionately in its construction. Such legislation has been attempted but to date it has not been successful. Eventually it must come. The plan as finally passed should be comprehensive and apply to such improvements as sewers, sidewalks, road construction and parks; it should be flexible and give ample latitude to the method of determining the benefit; and finally it should have rigid enforcement provisions so that the assessments may be readily collected. Assessment of Property. A complete overhauling of the Virginia plan of municipal assessment of property is an ambitious undertaking but it is a task that must be courageously undertaken some day. The assessment of property should be considered as an administrative function and as such under the supervision of the chief executive; it should be considered as a continuing activity rather than periodic one and as such be done by a permanently employed officii 1 . Such a plan will result in assessments that represent the actual value of property and which fluctuate annually as the value of the property changes rather than at the end of a five year period. Public Relations Some of the problems and aspirations of the administration have been indi- cated above. The city manager is fully aware what an important part public opinion plays in attempting to solve these problems and achieve these aspira- tions. For such a reason the opportunity to explain an action or to listen to a constructive recommendation has always been welcomed. REPORT OF THE CITY OF PETERSBURG 13 The city manager has attempted to make the city government an integral part of the community life and to this end has associated himself as closely as possible with the various civic organizations and their activities. The important part volunteer organizations play in demonstrating new activities and in financing their initial development has been fully appreciated and every encouragement has been given to them in the way of providing quarters for their operation and in the development of plans of correlating them with the municipal departments. The high degree of relationship existing between the volunteer organizations may be gathered from the following diagram where the lines connect co-operating volunteer agencies and the city departments. ^mowimg- CooRDiriATiort brTwttn Tml CiTYj)|PAfcTni:nT5 Voluntary Organizations 14 REPORT OF THE CITY OF PETERSBURG OFFICE OF THE EXECUTIVE SECRETARY The executive secretary acting in his capacity as assistant to the city mana- ger has delegated to him general supervision of various activities. Among these may be mentioned the city home, public parks and coal and wood relief. In addition he is directly responsible for the administration of the purchasing office, public property, markets and street lighting. Purchasing As has been stated one of the first steps of reorganization was the establish- ment of a central purchasing system. The controlling factors were the obtaining of the lowest possible responsible bids, the elimination of unnecessary pur- chases, the prevention of over-expending an appropriation, and the payment of invoices only after an assurance that the order has been properly filled as to quantity and quality. To this end city departments were required to make all their purchases through the office of the executive secretary and in accordance with a purchasing system which operates as follows: When supplies, materials, equipment or repairs are desired: 1. The city department issues a purchase requisition. Original goes to the executive secretary. First copy is filed by the department. 2. The executive secretary issues a purchase order. Original goes to auditor's office for approval as to sufficiency of appropriation and is returned for submission to the lowest bidder. First copy is filed in the auditor's office after encumbering the appropriation to the amount of the order. Second copy is sent to the requisitioning department. Third copy is filed alphabetically. Fourth copy is filed numerically. 3. The city department upon receiving the shipment inspects it as to quality and quantity and issues a material received statement. Original goes to the auditor's office for comparison with the pur- chase order. First copy goes to the purchasing agent. Second copy is retained by the department. 4. The city auditor upon receiving the invoice and checking the material received with the purchase order issues a warrant in payment. The result has undoubtedly been a great saving to the city and from a business standpoint there is no more important department. While it is not possible to state in dollars and cents the actual saving that has resulted, any sensible business man will realize that any system that involves competitive bid- ding and that insures to the vendor prompt payment of bills means low prices and appreciable discounts. It is estimated that many thousands of dollars are annually saved through our purchasing system. The extent of the city's purchas- ing may be gathered from the following statement covering the period from September 1st, 1920, to June 26th, 1923. REPORT OF THE CITY OF PETERSBURG 15 City Purchasing 1920 1921 1922 1921 1922 1923 Total No. out of town or- ders issued 88 246 304 Total No. local orders is- sued — 948 2,001 3,359 Total No. orders issued 1,036 2,247 3,653 Value of orders issued $60,684.76 $158,741.28 $174,441.89 More recently a storehouse has been established at the city yards and the cost clerk from the engineering office transferred as storekeeper. This will afford the city the opportunity to take full advantage of quantity purchasing and make possible still further control over the use of supplies and materials. The store- keeper receives and inspects all shipments, keeps a perpetual inventory, and dis- burses supplies and materials on receipt of a properly signed material requisition. He has control over all equipment purchased out of the general equipment ac- count and will see that the charges for its use are properly made. Public Property Many of the changes in the municipal buildings have been discussed incident to the reorganization of the city departments. They may be briefly summarized. The old council chamber was remodeled thereby releasing space which was needed for a council chamber, the office of the city manager, the city manager's secre- tary, a waiting room and a lavatory. The health department was moved to a leased residence on Union street and its old offices in the McGee building remodeled for the city engineer and the building inspector. All these offices were papered and painted and so transformed from dark dingy rooms to light pleasant offices. The old office of the city engineer has been fixed up fotf the sanitary engineer. The old market, under the direction of the city manager, has been given a thorough renovation and for the first time in years is in a strictly sanitary con- dition, being well screened, and newly painted. One of our most extensive and important improvements has been the devel- opment of a city yard at the Mount Airy property. This property has been leased from the Atlantic Coast Line Company and on it has been built a stable, a galvanized iron garage with space for a shop, two motor sweepers, four tractors and nine trucks, and a small storehouse. A road has been laid out; concrete runways have been built and a fence has been constructed around the storage section. Other parts of this property are used for the stor- age of pipe, lumber, sewer tile and n + r a n- + w a v a other construction materials. This Centralized City Stables and Storage Yard. centralization of equipment and materials saves many dollars to the city through greater facility in the handling of equipment and more careful control over the use of materials — all of which was impossible in the entirely inadequate quarters at the old Short Market yard. 16 REPORT OF THE CITY OF PETERSBURG A recent improvement to the public buildings has been the additions and alterations made in the building occupied by the judge of the Hustings Court and the clerk of the courts. The floor space in this building has been practically doubled, permitting of adequate storage space for the valuable city records and much needed additional office space. This office is also in charge of the janitor service at these buildings. It is confidently felt that an inspection of these properties at any time will demon- strate that these structures and their exteriors are receiving careful attention. The court house property and its interesting group of flanking buildings is re- ceiving particular attention at the present time and is already such as to cause favorable comment of passing visitors. The future housing needs of the city government have often been discussed. A new market is a real necessity and will be realized before another year. The Halifax street fire company should have better quarters and it may be possible to include this in the market building along with the armory. Our police head- quarters is not one that we are proud of and future improvement programs should include an appropriation for a new one. A new city hall has been often proposed but is not an immediate necessity. Street Lighting Street lighting is not an activity requiring a large administrative force to supervise but that is no gauge of its importance. Street lighting besides its esthetic value bears a very important relationship to crime for lawlessness often occurs at points which are inadequately lighted. Well lighted streets also tend to diminish the number of street accidents. We have in Petersburg 335 arc lights, 51 white way lights, and 185 100 c. p. lights. Of this number 10 arc lights and 55 100 c. p. lights have been added since September 1st, 1920. The city is expending almost $25,000 annually for this service. This service is purchased from the Virginia Railway and Power Company according to a contract, which is based upon a unit charge per lamp. Deductions are made by the company for all lamps that are not burning. It is also one of the duties of the police officers to report lamps-out to the executive secretary for the purpose of checking the company's estimate. A new contract has been negotiated recently with slightly more favorable terms for the city. The comparative rates are as follows: Type Old Rate New Rate Arc lights $4.75 $4.50 White-way lights 2.4166 2.29 1/3 100 c. p 1.8333 1.58 1/3 This difference in rates means a saving to the city of about $1,700. REPORT OF THE CITY OF PETERSBURG 17 DEPARTMENT OF FINANCE Organization The financial functions of the city are vested in four offices : the city auditor and the collector of city taxes appointed by the council, and the city treasurer and the commissioner of the revenue elected by the people. A sinking fund com- mission is also provided composed of the mayor, one councilman and the city manager with the city treasurer as secretary. The city manager is immediately responsible for the financial policies of the city. Although on paper the financial organization does not show up as well centralized the four offices have been well co-ordinated and the result has been satisfactory. The financial operations of the city involve something more than the collec- tion of revenues, the selling of bonds and the payment of bills. Revenues may be permitted to remain unpaid or their collection may be strictly followed up. Bonds may be sold on an unfavorable market or they may be dressed up in such favor- able terms and sold at such a favorable time as to insure low interest rates and generous premiums. Expenditures may be made without consideration for avail- able revenues or they may be made according to budget control. Bills may be paid twice and on goods not received or they may be made only after their receipt and after inspection. Money from current revenues and money from the sale of bonds may be mingled indiscriminately or it may be separated into current and capital accounts. In short this department as well as any other city department demands the application of its own peculiar technical principles. Accounting System Intelligent administration of the fiscal operations of the city is essentially dependent on adequate financial information. The old system of bookkeeping did not satisfactorily insure control nor did it readily yield information. On January 1st, 1921, a system known as the "National System of Municipal Accounting" and installed by Haskins & Sells, certified public accountants of Baltimore, was in- augurated. This new system of accounting completely applies to all departments that are concerned in receipt and disbursement of city moneys. It includes a complete system of ledgers, a budget plan, a purchasing system and a sinking fund pro- cedure. The books are kept on an accrual rather than a cash basis and accounts are encumbered with purchase orders when they are issued rather than at the time of payment. That this system has been generally satisfactory may be gathered from the following extracts from the semi-annual reports of the city treasurer and the city auditor six months after it had been in operation : City Treasurer: "... The new system of bookkeeping, which super- seded the antiquated form, has proved satisfactory in every detail and has been of great benefit and convenience to those having claims against the city, as all checks are now mailed promptly, to the creditors of the city." City Auditor: "... Under the new system there is a complete check on every detail of every department of the city from the beginning of a trans- action when the order is placed to its completion when the purchase is paid for. "As one illustration of the system you will note that the cash balance as shown by the report of receipts and disbursements submitted herewith, as well as by the treasurer's books is $71,053.49, whereas, on account of purchases which had been made but not delivered, there are orders placed to the amount of $7,763.25 which is shown on the report as reserved orders — making the actual cash balance $63,290.24. 18 REPORT OF THE CITY OF PETERSBURG SUMMARIZED BUDGET— 1923-1924 Including Comparative Expenditures — 1921-1922 and 1922-1923 EXPENDITURES Departments Expenditures Expenditures Appropriations 1921-1922 1922-1923 1923-1924 General Government: Mayor and Council $ 5,083.51 $ 3,177.51 $ 3,250.00 City Manager 12,008.42 11,746.00 11,725.00 Executive secretary 4,106.20 4,107.06 4,050.00 City treasurer 3,110.27 2,924.50 3,075.00 City auditor 6,974.19 9,339.52 6,200.00 City attorney 2,870.80 2,100.00 2,100.00 Commissioner of revenue 7,835.22 6,576.17 6,600.00 Collector city taxes 11,780.61 6,322.33 6,350.00 Collector delinquent city taxes 611.38 416.65 300.00 City engineer ._ 13,332.72 11,866.52 10,225.00 Elections 707.23 616.44 600.00 Protection of Life and Property: Police department 80,373.13 75,186.02 70,250.00 Fire department 1 77,061.76 72,702.58 69,707.00 Building inspector 2,882.94 3,365.15 4,625.00 Protection of Health: Health department 31,264.86 30,607.06 29,065.00 Markets 3,283.00 3,006.04 3,175.00 Engineering: Sewer department 2,162.70 2,546.59 2,310.00 Water department .... 60,662.67 58,486.16 51,144.00 Highways 36,547.48 30,136.52 28,385.00 Street cleaning 34,953.70 39,515.47 33,650.00 Refuse disposal 6,450.68 6,958.85 7,720.00 Care of public property 15,549.03 10,757.50 11,125.00 Street lighting 24,160.50 24,575.34 25,000.00 Zoning 1,000.00 Education : School board 171,674.10 173,817.77 183,000.00 Library 3,750.00 Judicial : Courts 23,662.25 18,278.55 16,415.31 Recreation and Welfare: City Home 13,821.48 12,665.03 11,177.00 Public parks ..- 7,422.37 6,752.62 6,318.00 Blandford cemetery 12,606.92 12,757.82 13,275.00 Medical relief 4,190.44 4,184.20 3,840.00 Coal and wood relief 2,515.50 2,583.41 2,000.00 Contributions 7,440.00 7,440.00 7,440.00 Playgrounds 3,131.71 2,365.01 2,710.00 Debt Service: Interest 140,637.67 178,521.76 174,755.00 Sinking fund 19,202.00 29,117.00 39,253.00 Refund of taxes 23,008.17 812.15 Reserve orders previous year 8,018.64 1,387.98 578.12 Total current expenditures. .. $ 881,104.15 $ 867,719.88 $ 856,142.43 Current cash balance 9,872.12 17,714.54* 890,976.27 $ 850,005.34 $ 856,142.43 Deficit. REPORT OF THE CITY OF PETERSBURG SUMMARIZED BUDGET— 1923-1924 Including Comparative Receipts — 1921-1922 and 1922-1923 19 Balance July lst. Current Taxes: Real estate Personal RECEIPTS Collections 1921-1922 ... $ 58,424.96 Taxes in Arrears: Real estate Personal :. Licenses — Merchants Licenses — Other : Automobile Milk and Food Dog Permits : Building Sewer Water Burial Privileges : Market Fishing Fines and Penalties: Police Court Fines. Penalties Interest: Interest on bank deposits Premium and interest on bonds... Sales of Commodities and Services : Water service Cemetery charges Burial squares Printing and advertising 459,446.09 115,079.36 10,877.87 813.63 87,768.62 3,397.41 906.00 1,414.37 1,922.53 2,077.00 2,451.77 408.00 5,601.65 30.00 9,538.92 3,192.49 22,373.83 19,837.72 70,442.03 2,339.25 2,976.00 103.25 Miscellaneous Department: Services, salvage, rent Additional Current Receipts (Refund) : Sinking fund Interest 5,885.52 3,168.00 500.00 Total $ 890,976.27 Less 1923-1924 appropriations Collections 1922-1923 9,872.12 457,080.64 106,759.65 26,600.43 2,231.53 82,926.01 16,251.05 886.00 2,888.03 2,389.41 2,433.00 3,190.96 410.50 4,790.25 20.00 12,314.75 3,480.07 33,539.72 72,465.35 2,788.25 2,822.40 114.25 3,750.97 $ 850,005.34 Estimated 1923-1924 S 17,714.54* 500,588.40 131,994.00 79,370.21 18,500.00 1,000.00 2,500.00 2,800.00 2,400.00 3,000.00 450.00 5,000.00 20.00 12,000.00 3,000.00 23,000.00 75,000.00 2,750.00 3,000.00 100.00 1,000.00 $ 849,758.07 856,142.43 1923-1924 Excess Appropriations $ 6,384.36 Deficit. 20 REPORT OF THE CITY OF PETERSBURG "You can readily see that this amount of reserved orders could have been ten or fifteen times as great, or even larger. Under the old system no account would have been taken of this item of reserved orders. "This is only one illustration of many that could be given to show the im- provement in the new system over the old." Current Expenditure Program — the Budget The preparation of the budget has already been discussed in some detail as one of the duties of the city manager. A proper budget document includes an expenditure program and an estimate of revenues. This latter part is just as important and must be given just as careful consideration as the statement of expenditures. The budget for the current year has already been presented in detail in our annual public meeting but for purposes of reference it is repeated below in summarized form. In order that comparisons may be made the expendi- tures and the receipts of the two previous years also have been tabulated. In presenting the expenditure side of the budget the city manager said in part: "In the preparation of the budget for the fiscal year beginning July 1st, 1923, the Council was guided by the principle of strict economy. It was necessary materially to reduce the estimates prepared by the several departments of the city government, which amounted to a total of $917,096.47. The budget as finally prepared carries a total of $855,564.31 as compared with $835,125.77 for the current year, an increase in round numbers of $20,000.00. Only two appropri- ations in the entire budget show material increases: that for the schools repre- sents an increase of $18,000.00 over the budget appropriation for last year, and that for interest and sinking fund of $12,236.00 over last year. These two items amount to $30,000.00; so that it was necessary to reduce the appropriations for the several departments of the city, other than the schools, $10,000.00. There have been no increases in salaries save one or two minor adjustments among the lower paid positions. On the other hand, there have been no decreases in salaries, the council believing that, where economy was required, it would be better to dispense with the services of certain employees rather than to break the morale by de- creasing salaries which are already lower than are paid in any city in Virginia. A straight reduction of ten per cent on all of the salaries, exclusive of the police and fire departments, and of the schools, which are not controlled by the council, would have amounted to a saving of only $11,000.00. This the council did not believe was justifiable, nor did they believe that, in the long run, it would repre- sent an actual economy. The wages of the laborers employed by the city were necessarily increased five cents an hour about two months ago, and the new budget contemplates the continuance of that increase. Although, since it has been necessary to cut the total amount appropriated for labor, it will mean that fewer men will be employed. In some departments it will not be possible to do as much work as has been done during the last fiscal year, but to some extent, by the use of mechanical equipment which already has been provided, the differences in services rendered will be equalized." The relative expenditures for the several activities has been shown graphi- cally in the accompanying chart. This figure might be termed the budget dollar. For each major activity its proportion of the budget dollar is indicated. The detail making up the major activities corresponds to the budget classification. One variation should be noted — the amount of 21.8c for education does not repre- sent the total expenditure for schools but only that proportion which is pro- vided in the budget. Additional revenues are obtained from the State. REPORT OF THE CITY OF PETERSBURG City or Pltlr^bukg 5udglt Ylar. LriDiMG JuriL 30,1924. L^TiriATLD LXPLriDITU£L3. L5Tlf1AT£lD Br.VLnUL3 22 REPORT OF THE CITY OF PETERSBURG Current Revenue Dollar — the Budget The estimate of revenues for the coming year was prepared only after care- ful consideration of previous years' collections and with reference to the estimates prepared by the various collecting agencies. If the actual collections for the coming year do not come up to these estimates — and the experience of previous years would seem to indicate such a result — it will not be because of inaccurate or too optimistic estimates but largely because of incomplete collections of our real estate and personal taxes. The revenue dollar on the accompanying page indicates our four main classes of revenue and the relative proportion that is provided by each. The items making up miscellaneous revenues are, with the exception of water rents, indi- vidually small and may be fairly accurately approximated. These revenues all represent payments for the receipt of some service or the granting of some privilege. They are paid at the time and the efficiency of collection does not enter. The one exception — water rents — because of the rigid enforcement of penalties shows a high percentage of collection. On the other hand the amount to be collected from personal property and real estate taxes is absolutely deter- mined by multiplying the assessed value by the rate. The efficiency of collection for the four classes of revenue for the year 1922-1923 is tabulated below: Miscellaneous revenue 105.2 Merchants' licenses _ 108.6 Personal property taxes 81.2 Real estate taxes _ 91.4 The point to note here is that our lowest efficiency of collection is for those two classes of revenue which together make up 72.9 per cent of our estimated income. The condition is not a recent one but rather a continuance of an unsatis- factory system. The increasing accumulation for delinquent taxes is shown in the accompanying chart. The major portion is for personal property taxes which in turn is made up largely of unpaid poll taxes. s 0 [ Totals )or >ELIM< ytar 1913- went 921 include TAXI 5 Real an 15. 1 Persona Taxes M, too,ooo p Baal LslaU # ISO.OOO I * m 9 H * &5000Q "c Par o q; * zoo.ooo -i < ? .... 4 /SO.OOO f a 4 fOO.OOO i X K 1 1 o 1 «i Q «i Y REPORT OF THE CITY OF PETERSBURG 23 Current Balance Sheet . The condition of the city's current finances at the close of the fiscal year 1922-1923 is presented in the following balance sheet: BALANCE SHEET— CURRENT CASH AS OF JUNE 30, 1923 ASSETS Cash Accounts Receivable : Real and personal taxes. Water rents 417,457.82 578.95 LIABILITIES Accounts payable $ 578.12 Advance from capital cash 17,714.54 Excess of assets over lia- bilities 72,720.11 Total $ 418,036.77 Less reserve for doubtful accounts 327,024.00 Total $ 91,012.77 Total $ 91,012.77 Bonded Indebtedness The important data relative to the city's debt service are indicated in the ac- companying table. It will be noted that the total outstanding indebtedness is $3,964,000. Against this is a total sinking fund accumulation of $968,906.13. It is evident that our sinking fund is in excellent shape — so much so in fact that the annual installments into the first seven issues have been discontinued as the inter- est accumulations will insure an adequate amount for redemption at maturity. Higher interest rates than were anticipated account for this sinking fund surplus. The total amount for debt service for the year 1923-1924 is $214,008.00— $174,755.00 for interest, and $39,253.00 for sinking fund payments. The net bonded indebtedness is determined as follows: Total bonded indebtedness $3,964,000.00 Sinking fund accumulation 968,906.13 Net bonded indebtedness 2,995,093.87 Water bonds — a self supporting utility which the city is entitled to deduct for when borrow- ing 475,000.00 Net permanent indebtedness 2,520,093.84 24 REPORT OF THE CITY OF PETERSBURG oooooooooooooooooooooooo oooooooo ooooooooooooooo uoiramooiraoooooocxi WlO[- s- w o o .5 00 > ^ .S £ & ■ +J C u > * II « 3 H T) fL| 3£££rt^^£ 2 2w 2 || p, ft ft s £ £ 2 S H 2 0) u +-> o . 'c 3 si rjCSSCJOCGjrtG^M r 3 « j j ™ n j, ^ c 5 o ° g o § o o ° § s g § o* i2 O 00 C «-i r; o oo 0> 6* i-H •g ae- 3 "H i 3 O O O C o o o o e o o to o H N B ^ REPORT OF THE CITY OF PETERSBURG 25 Receipts and Disbursements — Capital Cash When this administration took office there was outstanding a short term loan of $200,000.00. It was immediately necessary to issue an additional $550,000.00 in short term notes to meet a program of current and capital appropriations which had not been adequately provided for, and which could not be curtailed. Both of these issues of short term notes were subsequently retired by the floating of bond issues of the same amounts when a favorable market resulted. In addi- tion $50,000.00 of waterworks extensions bonds and the $1,000,000 general im- provement loan were issued. The details of the capital cash transactions are shown in the following statements of receipts and disbursements for the periods 1921-1922 and 1922-1923. CAPITAL CASH STATEMENT, 1921-1922 RECEIPTS Balance, July 1, 1921 $ 12,628.53 Special assessments $ 4,845.86 Sewer bills 61.69 Underground work bills 178.84 Sinking fund commissioners 3,027.90 Sale of land, Lee Park 8,000.00 Sale of timber, Lee Park 12,600.00 Resurfacing 483.17 Roadways 330.89 July 27, 1921, short term notes 200,000.00 March 1, 1922, water works extension bonds 50,000.00 June 1, 1922, general public improvement bonds 200,000.00 479,528.37 $ 492,156.90 EXPENDITURES Resurfacing and rebuilding gravel roads $ 21,414.73 Roadways - 90,763.91 Sidewalks, curbs and gutters 33,301.91 Water mains - 13,177.22 Sewers _ 17,994.74 Lee Memorial park 8,667.03 Lots and buildings 13,850.00 Bishop's bridge 2,126.59 City wharf and Appomattox river 7,189.29 Walnut Hill improvement 9,099.49 Water works and utilities, Walnut Hill 50,000.00 General stores 4,630.35 272,214.62 Balance, June 30, 1922 „. 219,942.28 $ 492,156.90 26 REPORT OF THE CITY OF PETERSBURG CAPITAL CASH STATEMENT, 1922-1923 RECEIPTS Balance, July 1, 1922 $ 219,942.28 Special assessments _ $ 1,063.40 Lee Memorial park ._ 192.58 Walnut Hill extension (taxes) 8,786.53 Water mains __ 72.03 Roadways 1,040.92 Sidewalks 606.82 Permanent public improvement bonds 597,855.00 Water works improvement bonds 199,285.00 Bishop's bridge 20.81 Underground work bills 15.37 Market and armory 365.68 811,804.14 $ 1,031,746.42 EXPENDITURES Resurfacing $ 10,210.78 Roadways 81,458.96 Sidewalks, curb and gutter 17,227.13 Water mains 36,167.48 Sewers 50,885.42 Lee Memorial park 12,461.09 Bishop's bridge 17,306.03 Walnut Hill 22,847.32 New clerk's office 12,712.76 New city stables 8,216.32 Blandford cemetery 2,408.84 Market and armory 30,996.00 Junior high and two grade schools 21,594.39 General equipment 13,326.11 General stores 6,484.85 346,303.48 Balance, July 1, 1923 685,442.94 $ 1,031,746.42 Audit of Books The council has considered it advisable to have the books periodically audited. For this purpose it has employed the firm of Haskins & Sells, the same firm that made the installation. In this way they have had a chance to observe the work- ing out of their system and make the necessary adjustments in procedure. Audits have been made as of September 1, 1920, and February 28, 1923. REPORT OF THE CITY OF PETERSBURG 27 PUBLIC WORKS West Washington Street- concrete constructed in 1923. -Arterial roadway of This department, responsible as it is for the carrying out of the city's im- provement program, the maintenance of the streets and sewers, the disposal of refuse, the cleaning of the streets, and the operation of the water plant, ranks high in importance among the city departments. With its budget appropriation and a large share of the proceeds of bond sales it super- vises the expenditures of a major portion of the city's revenue. And the nature of these expenditures is such that this department is better able to show material evidence of the results accomplished. It was essential that the methods of operation be revised, that duties be reassigned, and that more com- modious office quarters be provided. The steps that were taken to accom- plish this have already been described in some detail in the city manager section of this report. Street Improvement Mention has already been made of the motives which inspired the council to undertake a comprehen- sive improvement program. The need of street improvements was strikingly apparent and this was given first attention. The total figures indicate what a large amount of this work has been done in the last two and a half years. The mileage of smooth paved streets has been increased from nine to eleven miles and the mile- age of gravel and oil streets from eight to twenty and one-half miles. The detail of these improve- ments is as follows : Graveled roadway laid by city forces on rail- less trolley route. 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O J/3 O ^ 73 £ 73 S REPORT OF THE CITY OF PETERSBURG 31 ROADWAY PAVING, 1921-1923 CONCRETE PAVING STREET FROM TO YARDAGE Wythe St. Jefferson Main 12,317.0 iviam ot. Wythe Cemetery 7 8QS 0 i )OVO.\J Bollingbrook St. Hotel Fifth 4,819.0 E. Tabb St. Sycamore Adams 1,931.0 Third St. Bollingbrook Henry 1,210.0 Henry St. Third Adams 615.0 Adams St. Henry Franklin 3,029.0 Canal St. High Grove Ave. 3,558.0 Gill St. Halifax Jones 5,179.0 ASPHALT PAVING STREET FROM TO YARDAGE Halifax (sheet asphalt) Ennis Alley Jones 10,054.0 Phoenix (penetra- tion) Ennis Alley Jones 550.0 BRICK PAVING STREET FROM TO YARDAGE Adams Franklin Washington 680.0 The concrete and asphalt construction has all been done by contract, while the gravel roads have been built by city forces, using city equipment and gravel from city pits. Not included in the above statement of construction are four Principal business street repaved under contract with asphalt in 1923. 82 REPORT OF THE CITY OF PETERSBURG miles of Lee Park roadways, which were also graded and graveled by the engi- neering department. Under construction at the present time is the repaying of Washington street from Sycamore to the city line and Sycamore street from Bollingbrook to Wythe, as provided in the million dollar improvement program. On both of these streets, with the exception of Washington from Chappell to the city line, the old pavement is being removed, the old concrete base is being brought up to the new grade and a sur- face of asphalt will be applied. Washington street from Chappell to the city limits is a seven-inch one-course concrete pavement. In undertaking the improvement of the two main business streets of the city the Virginia Railway and Power Company has co-operated closely and is now relaying its tracks on these streets with 120- pound groove rails. Particular care has been taken to make sure that all street services, such as water, sewer, gas and telephone ducts, are definitely provided, so that later pavement cuts will not be necessary. Although no new sidewalk pro- gram has been adopted by the new council, the contracts entered into by the old government have been carried through to completion. However, the City plans next year Sycamore Street during construction. to undertake new construction as rapidly as the abutting property owners signify their willingness to pay their one-third share of the cost of construction. Four miles of sidewalks have been constructed on the following streets: REPORT OF THE CITY OF PETERSBURG 33 SIDE WALK CONSTRUCTION, 1920-1923 STREET FROM 1U 1 An JJALjUi S. side Commerce South St. JJuniop ot. AAH K 44 / .0 N. side Appomattox Boisseau St. Jjuniop bt. QH ft S. side Wythe Adams St. Jefferson bt. 0<7Q K 6 lo.D W. side Jefferson Franklin St. xienry oi. Ooo.o E. side Jefferson Franklin St. Washington St. N. side E. Bank Fifth St. Mam fet. 1 1 ao a llbo.4 E. side Third Bollingbrook St. TT\ "D „ „ V C)4- Jbi. -bank bt. 1 QQ 1 lot). / Both sides Third E. Bank St. xienry bt. oo4.y Both sides Willcox West St. West rjna JrarK Q/IT ft o4 i .U N. side Rome Dunlop St. cnappeii bt. 1 QOA Q W. side Second Bollingbrook St. (joat Alley 1 QO ft Both sides Hawk Halifax St. Custer bt. N. side Commerce West St. Chandler's Alley 1 1 a ft a 114U.O S. side Hinton West St. Chappell bt. CkQA Q yy4.o W. side West Farmer St. ~\T7^n „ „ .... 04- WlllCOX bt. S. side Farmer West St. Zo It. OR Q E. side Webster St. Andrew St. r nimore bt. oqk ft Both sides Clinton l\/Tovd Q+- lviars ot. r lllmore bt. ROQ ft OZo.U S. side Marshall Jefferson St. lianas Hind 1 OA H W. side Guarantee Laurence St. Jorown bt. oov.O S. side Hinton West St. Ea<5t <5idp nf SpVidoI 142.6 W. side Adams Pine Alley Mercury St. 150.9 E. side Jefferson Hickory St. Apollo St. 161.8 Both sides Main Wythe St. Watson St. 739.6 S. side Wythe Jefferson St. Park St. 735.0 S. side Wythe Terrace St. Main St. 825.0 N. side Wythe In front Baxter Pr. 272.0 Sixth and six-tenths miles of new curb and gutter have been constructed as listed below. Curbs at street corners have been rounded off to the number of 107. In this latter work the local telephone company worked closely with the city and projecting poles have been promptly moved: CURB AND GUTTER CONSTRUCTION, 1920-1923 STREET FROM TO LENGTH N. side Commerce West St. Chandler's St. 1383 S. side Hinton West St. Chappell St. 1229 W. side West Farmer St. Willcox St. 342 Both sides Third River St. Bollingbrook St. 372 E. side Webster Fillmore St. St. Andrew St. 405 Both sides Laurence Perry St. Jones St. 1532 W. side Adams Cupid St. Apollo St. 478 E. side Jefferson Franklin St. Washington St. 214 Both sides Third E. Bank St. Henry St. 482 Both sides Willcox West St. Park 1121 S. side Rome Dunlop St. West St. 913 N. side Rome Chappell St. West St. 2139 Both sides Clinton Mars St. Fillmore St. 995 Both sds. D'Alton A. Clinton St. Webster St. 796 Both sides Main Bollingbrook St. Va. Ave.-Cemetery 9410 S. side Marshall Lands End Jefferson St. 191 W. side Guarantee Laurence St. W. Brown St. 496 Both sides Wythe Jefferson St, Main St. 2650 Both sides Gill Halifax St. Jones St. 4280 Both sides Adams Henry St. Franklin St. 1740 Both sides Canal Grove Ave. High St. 2154 S. side Commerce Dunlon St. South St. 617 S. side Hinton West St. By School 217 W. side Adams Pine Alley Mercury St. 276 E. side Jefferson Hickory St. Apollo St. 266 Other new construction includes two segmental pipe culverts at High Pearl street and Baylor's Lane and a concrete bridge on Johnson Road. 34 REPORT OF THE CITY OF PETERSBURG Types of culvert construction designed and built by city forces. Street Maintenance Under the old plan of operation the same gangs of men and teams were employed on street repair work and street cleaning. Three days in the week they were engaged in hauling garbage, ashes and trash, and on the three alter- nate days they were divided between street repair work and horse-broom sweeping. This system was considered to be decidedly uneconomical, because it meant that a job of street work, for instance, not finished one night must wait over to the second day to be completed. It was wasteful because of the lost motion in changing from job to job, and it was confusing because no one could keep cost records when the teams and equipment were changing so frequently from one piece of work to another of a different character. The force was therefore divided and men assigned permanently to street maintenance, the collecting of refuse and street cleaning, respectively. The work of the street maintenance gangs includes the repairing of paving, the resurfacing and patching of gravel roads, oiling, grading, road machining, the cleaning of ditches and the repairing of culverts and bridges. All of this work has been carefully attended to and reported on daily, the complete detail of which would fill a large volume. In addition to the innumerable patch repairs that have been made to paved roads there has been some repairing on a more extensive scale. The sheet asphalt pavement on Liberty street has been given a surface treatment with liquid asphalt and sand at a cost of about eight cents a square yard, which REPORT OF THE CITY OF PETERSBURG 35 will postpone for several years the necessity of resurfacing, which would have cost at that time approximately $1.50 a yard. This method of surface treat- ment of asphalt pavement was devised by our city engineer, and the experiment on Liberty street has proved so successful that it is proposed to treat other asphalt surface streets in the city in the same manner. Owing to a break in the water main on North Sycamore street about two-thirds of the paving in the block between Old and Bollingbrook streets had to be relaid. The expense of this was partly borne by the Virginia Railway and Power Company, who took this occasion to double track the part of the street torn up. Vigilant at- tention to street repairing is the best kind of preventative work. Prompt repair saves many dollars that would otherwise be spent in premature renewal of surfaces. The carrying out of the oiling program is another activity of this depart- ment. Probably it is not generally appreciated that this annual application of oil at approximately five cents a square yard is producing a road surface, which is just as satisfactory under the existing traffic conditions as a paved road would be with interest and sinking fund charges amounting to 20 cents a square yard. In the preparation of the last budget enforced economy reduced the appropriation for oiling so that the program for the ensuing year will necessarily be restricted. It is impossible to oil all the streets that should be oiled at the same time, but they must be taken up according to a systematic plan. The work proceeds as rapidly as possible. The purchase of six tractors and scrapers enabled the department to road machine nearly all of the unimproved roadways in the city. Many of them City equipment removing subgrade preparatory to repavement. 36 REPORT OF THE CITY OF PETERSBURG had not received any attention for years, and without the purchase of this mechanical equipment could not have been attended to. This work, however, is dependent on weather conditions and cannot be attempted during a period of drought. New floors were laid on Bishops, Campbells, High Park, Johnson Road, Willcox Reservoir and St. Andrews street bridges. Later it was found neces- sary to replace three of these bridges with ones of a more permanent type of construction, as already been described. Results are now to be seen from this attention to road maintenance, and in his annual report the city engineer states that the roads are now in the best shape that they have ever been in the nineteen years of his incumbency. Highway Equipment Too much emphasis cannot be given to the important step that was taken in substituting mechanical equipment for hired labor and teams wherever pos- sible. In fact, it is only because such a change has been made that the highway department can expect to continue its careful attention to highway maintenance in the face of budget reductions and the increased cost of labor. Under the old plan it was not considered possible to purchase any equip- ment, as each job had to pay for the equipment that was used, and individually it was too small to warrant the purchase of a major piece of equipment. Under the present plan mechanical equipment is purchased out of a loan from capi- tal money, which in turn is reim- bursed by the unit charges made wherever this equipment is used. The city now has two steam shovels, valued at $8,000; seven trucks, worth $18,000 — six of which were donated by the Fed- eral government through the State City equipment operat i ng at gra vel pit. Highway Commission — five trac- tors and trailers, worth $4,000, and wheel scoops, drag scrapers and other small tools, worth at least $1,000. These machines have all practically paid for themselves and are in fair condition to continue any construction program which we may have in the future. Street Cleaning Under the old plan of operation this work of the street department was carried on by two foremen, twelve men and six teams working Monday, Wed- nesday and Friday on street cleaning and Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday on collection of garbage. The paved streets in the residential section were swept daily by twelve patrol sweepers. An average day's sweeping was 70,000 square yards at a cost of 65 cents a thousand. The business streets were swept with horse-brooms every other day. On May 1, 1921, an auto sweeper was purchased and the whole plan reorganized. All paved streets in the city are now iwept daily by the motor REPORT OF THE CITY OF PETERSBURG 37 Battery sweeper. Fordson pick-up sweeper. 100,000 square yards are taken care of daily at a unit cost of 33 cents per thousand yards, allowing for depreciation, repairs and all overhead costs. The hand patrol force was re- duced from twelve to four, and the men taken away from the residential section and placed in the business section, where the greater amount of litter accumu- lates during the day. The outly- ing streets are cleaned at night with a horse-broom three days a week as needed. The motor pick-up sweeper has reduced the pay-roll of the street cleaning department by an average of over $300 a week since it has been in operation. Counting the cost of its operation, aside from labor, already included in the pay-roll, at $25 a day, which allows $10 for depreciation, it represents a cash saving of $150 a week. It gives us a cleaner city and a substantial saving in money. When we have more smooth paved streets another machine would be a good investment. Collection and Disposal of Refuse In the past the garbage ordinance had not been enforced. Garbage and trash were not separated, but were hauled to dump heaps. The dump heaps were continually catching fire and sending forth objectionable odors. The incinerator was practically useless, being operated only three half days a week. This unsatisfactory condition was given prompt attention. Ear- ly in 1921 the city was divided into two districts and half the number of men formerly hauling garbage and trash every alternate day were assigned to daily hauling. The garbage ordinance was resur- rected, and with the new sched- ules widely circulated and strictly enforced. Ashes and garbage were required to be put in separate receptacles. The administration of the incinerator was transferred from the health department to the engineering department. The in- cinerator is now operated daily and every bit of garbage is burned. Nothing but the clean ashes are dumped and much of this is used for street and foot- The unsightly dumps are no more. De-Carie Incinerator, formerly operated mittently, now running every day. way repairs. inter- 38 REPORT OF THE CITY OF PETERSBURG The operator of the incinerator is a skilled blacksmith and the shop at the incinerator, started about May 1, 1921, has done a considerable amount of work for the city departments. Sewer Construction and Maintenance Storm sewers have been laid and the unsightly and unsanitary branches on Dunlop street from Lee avenue to Brick House Run and on Guarantee street from Gill to Brown street and thence on Brown street westwardly to Brick House Run have been eliminated. The deep and dangerous ditch on Hinton street between South and Jones street has been sewered and covered in. Numerous cross ditches at street intersections have been done away with. The city has also laid a storm sewer on Dunlop street from Appomattox street to West High street to permit of the location of a proposed factory at this point. In all the city has laid 2,713 feet of storm sewer varying in diameter from two to four feet. Undoubtedly the biggest accomplishment of this department is the prac- tical completion of the sanitary sewer system of the city in the last two and a half years. Nine and one-half miles of sewer have been laid under this administration. Practically the entire city is now served with the exception of the southern slope of the heights and Pocahontas. This extension of the system has reduced the surface toilets from 1,900 to 400, and is considered by the health department to be directly responsible for the abrupt decline in the num- ber of typhoid cases in the city. The following sewers have been constructed under this program: SEWER CONSTRUCTION— 1920-1923 1920-1921 SIZE LENGTH STREET FROM TO Inches Feet Arlington Circle Halifax 8 850 Prince Avenue Circle Halifax 8 600 Battersea Avenue W. High Washington 12 1,100 Young Avenue Circle Halifax _.. 8 600 Rosemont Circle Marseilles 8 400 Battersea Avenue N. & W. R. R Appomattox River... 12 320 Marseilles Rosemont Young Avenue 8 400 Cuthbert's Alley Old Bank 8 350 Dunlop Willcox Lee Avenue 8 790 Hannon McKeever East Terminal 8 975 Farmer South West 8 1,550 Cameron Reservoir Main 8 1,200 Commerce Chandler's Alley .Battersea 8 420 Hinton Chandler's Alley .Battersea 8 650 Earl Douglas Park Avenue Wythe 8 270 Park Avenue Reservoir Terrace 8 720 Terrace Avenue Hannon St. Andrew 8 500 St. Andrews Terrace Cemetery 8 490 Stainback Pegram West 8 480 REPORT OF THE CITY OF PETERSBURG 39 STREET FROM TO Lawrence . Guarantee ..Perry Guarantee W. Brown Lawrence Wythe (storm sewer) .....Little Church 400 W Wythe Lt. Run Jefferson Union Avenue Federal Mt. Airy Mt. Airy Union Avenue Gladstone Gladstone Mt. Airy Jones Sewerage for Willcox Lake.. 1921-1922 Harper Alley Harding Halifax Dry Branch Sewer Poplar Alley Harding Madison Franklin Washington Brick House Run South Channel ... N. Chan'l Appomattox Brick House Run. South Channel N. Chan'l Appomattox Mingea St. Andrews Main St. Andrews Mingea McKeever Main Street Cemetery Cameron Main Street Mingea Cemetery I FNf.TH LL1 N Vj 111 Inches Feet Q o o OK} Q L ± v u on & U 400 Q O 750 8 920 8 520 8 400 ... 6 350 .Comfort Station W. End Park Willcox Blandford Cemetery Lee Ward Blandford Cemetery, drain tile Lee Ward Halifax and West Avenue Culvert Halifax West Avenue Dunlop, storm sewer Brick House Run. ..Lee Avenue . Jones and Union Ave., culvert 1922-1923 High Pearl Virginia Avenue ...St. Luke 8 Virginia Avenue Boiling Chestnut Alley 8 Boiling Virginia Avenue .St. Marks 8 Virginia Avenue High Pearl Lt. Run sewer 8 Gates Lane Virginia Avenue .St. Mathews 8 St. Mathews Harding Gates Lane 8 Gates Lane St. Mathews Crest Hill 6 Diamond Shore Virginia Avenue .... 8 Diamond Shore Virginia Avenue .... 6 Harding (extended) St. Mathews Virginia Avenue .... 6 Orange Alley Harding Harrison 8 Blake's Lane Harding Orange Alley 6 Sterling and Stark Mistletoe Shore 8 Shore Boiling Harding 8 Virginia Avenue ....Melville Chincapin 8 Savage Hawk Hamilton 8 Paul Savage Custer 8 Bland Savage Custer 8 Ennis Carter Federal 8 Wallace Carter Federal 8 Catawba Lane Carter Federal 8 Lavendar Lane Gill Catawba 8 Commerce Seward Factory ...Davis 8 Davis Brick House Run. ..Commerce 8 8 450 8 483 8 200 ... 24 130 ... 30 240 8 1,500 8 170 8 1,050 8 450 6 & 8 825 ... 6 350 ... 20 600 ... 4 1,800 18 50 30 405 ... 24 200 1,000 350 300 1,900 320 1,050 125 320 280 250 750 475 575 700 200 700 300 300 500 475 450 440 400 150 40 REPORT OF THE CITY OF PETERSBURG SIZE LENGTH STREET FROM TO Inches Feet Davis Commerce High 6 200 Low Rock Culvert Cross 8 375 Brown's Alley Low Grove Avenue 8 225 Hurt Plum High 8 600 Gilliam Hurt Eastwardly 8 375 Pig Alley Grove Avenue Plum 6 250 Gracie Brick House Run Lee Avenue 8 600 Lee Avenue Jones ....West 8 1,500 Battersea Avenue N. & W. R. R McKenzie 8 700 Avenue "X" West Eastwardly 6 275 W. Brown, storm sewer Brick House Run. ..A. C. L. R. R 48 525 Guarantee, storm sewer A. C. L. R. R Gill 36 350 Rose Alley Madison Jefferson 6 600 St. Andrews Mingea Terrace 6 375 Watson Burke Lt. Run Ravine 8 1,500 Wythe Main Old Church 8 375 Mark's Alley Old Church Main 8 325 Cameron, Bank Alley and Main Old Church Wythe _.. 8 850 E. Bank Old Church East 8 725 E. Bank Old Church East 6 725 East Miller E. Bank 8 250 Bollingbrook .....Old Church Irving 8 700 Irving Bollingbrook Miller ~ 8 375 Burke Wythe E. Bank ... 8 1,400 Foley Wythe Watson 8 400 Old Church Taylor Cemetery 8 2,258 Johnson Road, storm sewer.. Country Club Towards Lt. Run 24 476 Johnson Road, storm sewer.. Country Club Towards Lt. Run 20 150 Chesterfield Hotel, storm sewer Brick House Run.Chesterfield Hotel ... 18 450 Henry, storm sewer Adams Third 18 200 Madison, storm sewer Madison Brick House Run.... 20 175 Upper Appomattox, culvert.... ... 30 60 East View Park Swimming Pool ...Park Avenue 6 400 A. P. Hill School Swimming Pool ...Custer 6 200 4-7 nijixs 3€> MILLS The condition of the sewer sys- tem as a whole is good and re- quires little work other than the removal of obstructions, some root cutting from time to time, and the occasional repair of flush tanks and lines. One inspector and a helper are assigned to this work continu- ously. REPORT OF THE CITY OF PETERSBURG 41 Water Supply Under the old form of city administration the water department was under the control of a water committee. In March, 1921, a sanitary engineer was placed in direct charge of this department reporting to the city engineer. The Tabb street repair shop was abandoned and all forces centralized at the St. Andrew's street station. The report of this department is a long record of accomplishment. Filtration Plant and Pumping Station. The personnel of the filtration plant consists of six men. The day is divided into three shifts of eight hours each. One of these men looks after the operation of the pumps while the other attends to the application of the necessary chemicals. In addition to the above, one laborer has been employed as a utility man. The pumping station is equipped with four electrically driven centrifugal pumps and one auxiliary steam unit operating a reciprocating Knowles pump. There is no master meter and the daily consumption is computed from the esti- mated pumpage of each unit. The filter plant is of the rapid sand type and consists of 14 units, each of one-half million gallons capacity. There are two concrete coagulating basins of 1,360,000 and 600,000 gallons capacity respectively and two plain sedimentation basins having a combined available capacity of about four million gallons. All the water is now obtained from the Appomattox river. The old impound- ing reservoir has been abandoned by the water department and turned over as a city park. Pumping Station and Filtration Plant of City Water Works. 42 REPORT OF THE CITY OF PETERSBURG Many changes have been made in this equipment and the method of operation in the interest of efficiency. The dangerous open clear well has been provided with a concrete cover to insure that no contamination may reach the water after it has been filtered and before it leaves the plant. All pumps and motors have been over-hauled. One pump which had always burned out its bearings after a few hours service was put in condition so that it has been used to pump the entire city supply for the past two years. The interior of the boiler room and pump house has been remodeled so that working conditions are more comfortable and sanitary. The building has been rewired and a new lighting system installed. A new sewer system has been provided to care for wash water and to prevent flooding. A steam heating sys- tem has been installed throughout the plant. The plant had for sometime been equipped with an automatic dry lime feed but the apparatus had never been put into use. A separate building has now been erected for this machine and it is now in active service. The mixing chamber of the coagulating basin has been remodeled to secure a more thorough mixing of the alum solution with the raw water thereby making the system more efficient and economizing on alum. The appearance of the settling basins has been greatly improved by trim- ming the grass and weeds around the edges and they are now kept regularly mowed. Previous to March, 1921, no accurate records of operation were kept. The following records are now compiled daily; the turbidity, total alkalinity, free carbon dioxide and color of the raw, settled applied and filtered water, hourly records of the amount of alum and lime applied, hourly records of the operation of the pumps, and a daily check made of the amount of chlorine used, and the amount of electrical current used. The cost per million gallons of the chemical treatment is computed daily. The operation of the filtration plant is summarized for the last two fiscal years in the following table: FILTRATION PLANT OPERATION 1921-1922 1922-1923 Gallons of water pumped _ 1,096,263,000 1,089,833,000 Power consumed KWH 1,185,000 1,273,900 KWH per million gallons 1,080 1,169 Power cost per million gallons $10.80 $11.69 Alum consumed, lbs - 199,045 179,814 Lime consumed, lbs 28,650 2,600 Chlorine consumed, lbs 4,413 5,345 Chemical cost per million gallons $4.18 $2.96 Total cost power and chemicals per mil- lion gallons $14.98 $14.65 Locks Pump House. The small pumping unit installed by the government but never put into operation due to defective wiring has been rewired and placed in service. This unit because of its greater efficiency of operation has resulted in the saving of almost $200.00 a month in power cost. Temporarily it has been removed to the Poca Siding on the canal, where it will be used to pump the city water around the concrete section of the canal about to be built by the Virginia Railroad and Power Company. REPORT OF THE CITY OF PETERSBURG 43 A new intake screen has also been installed at the locks, providing five times as great a screen area as formerly. Laboratory. A complete chemical laboratory has been installed and its equipment is reported to be among the best in the state. Daily tests of the water are made and the application of the chemicals adjusted thereby. Frequent microscopic examinations are made of the water impounded in the reservoirs to determine prevalence of algae and the amount of chemical to be applied to remove it. In addition to the routine tests full co-operation is given to the State Board of Health in research and experimental work to better the operating conditions throughout the State. The laboratory also from time to time renders gratuitous assistance to other towns, manufacturing interests and individuals in determining the proper chemical treatment of water. There are few people in the city who realize the many processes of purifi- cation through which the water has passed that they draw so freely from the spigot. In order that the younger generation especially may be better informed, invitations were sent to all the schools to send their classes to inspect the filtra- tion plant. While many have visited the plant during the last two years, the attendance is not as great as is desired. Reservoirs. The three million gallon reservoir at Walnut Hill has been thoroughly scrubbed and cleaned out each year. A special water connection has been provided for this purpose, as it was formerly impossible to flush the reser- voir out while cleaning. Each of our steel tanks is being thoroughly scraped and painted this year. The quality of the water is greatly improved by keeping these tanks and the reservoir in first class condition. Meter and Repair Shop. The scope of the repair department has been greatly increased. The plumbing and roofing work for all departments of the city are now taken care of by it. The machine shop is gradually being improved and necessary equipment is being added from time to time. Among other odd jobs this department has improvised a street sprinkler and also a road oiler for the street department. In the last few months a meter tester has been installed in the shop. All meters after being repaired are now carefully tested and must register accurately before being installed again. It has been surprising to find how many meters show 8 to 10% under registration, and we have yet to find one that over registers. Considerable attention has been given to systematizing the records of the meter and repair department. The stock is carefully sorted and inventoried, reports are made of all leaks repaired, and each man makes his own daily report of all work done. The amount of this work is presented in the following table : Distribution System. It has been the policy of this department to take advantage of all street openings for the repair of water mains and sewer lines DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM REPORT 1921-1922 1922-1923 536 520 318 216 Number of taps made 302 Number meters installed 253 Number of meters repaired 535 Number of leaks repaired 272 44 REPORT OF THE CITY OF PETERSBURG and to precede all permanent paving construction with the addition of new cut-off valves. Particularly on Washington and Sycamore streets and in Walnut Hill has considerable of this work been done. Now only a small section at a time will be disturbed when repairs become necessary. Previously on two occasions it was necessary to cut off the whole of the Walnut Hill section because of repairs to the main. With the additional valves such a necessity is very improbable. Under the supervision of the engineering department 50 new fire hydrants and 8 miles of new water main have been installed. This large extension in water services has paralleled the development of the sewer system and was a part of the same improvement program. The detail of this water main extension is tabu- lated below. WATER MAIN EXTENSION— 1920-1923 1920- 1921 SIZE LENGTH STREET FROM TO Inches Feet Arlington Arlington Halifax 6 970 Mercury Sycamore Jefferson 6 816 Clinton Mars Mercury 8 551 Dunlop Lee Ave Willcox 6 875 Fleet Grove Ave River ....10 830 Custer and Hamilton Hawk Savage 6 1010 1921- 1922 McKenzie Boisseau West end of street ... . 6 450 St. Andrews Terrace Cemetery 6 483 Boiling St. Marks Walnut 6 950 Terrace Ave Mingea St. Andrews 6 270 Cameron Terrace Clayton 6 350 Park Ave Terrace Earl Douglas 6 300 Farmer South West 10 1700 Stainback Dunlop West 6 980 Mt. Airy Union Gladstone 6 550 Gladstone Mt. Airy Jones 6 540 Union Ave Mt. Airy Jones 6 1000 Mercury Clinton Jefferson 2 210 Cuthbert's Alley Bank Old 2 250 Elm Boisseau To end 2 369 Hannon Reservoir .To end 2 761 Cameron Terrace ..Reservoir Drive 2 437 Park Ave ...Earl Douglas Terrace 2 448 Park Ave. for swimming pool ...East View Pool Terrace 4 460 1922- 1923 South West High McKenzie 2 275 Plum Hurt Canal 6 212 Battersea Ave N. & W. R. R McKenzie 6 400 Hurt Plum High 6 650 Pig Alley Plum Grove Ave 2 260 REPORT OF THE CITY OF PETERSBURG 45 SIZE LENGTH STREET FROM TO Inches Feet Gilliam Hurt Eastwardly 6 350 Brown's Alley Low Grove Ave 2 250 Commerce _ Lafayette Davis 6 350 Davis High Hinton 6 730 West Brown Brickhouse Run ...Guarantee 6 550 Lavendar Lane Gill Catawba _ 6 430 Catawba Carter Federal 6 550 Wallace Carter Federal 6 550 Ennis Carter Federal 6 530 Gracie Lee Brickhouse Run 6 600 Gracie 6-inch Sewer Incinerator 2 200 Savage Hawk Hamilton 6 700 Paul - Savage Custer 2 350 Bland Savage Custer 2 350 Virginia Ave Melville Boiling 6 730 Shore Harding Chinquepin 6 1100 Chinquepin Alley Shore St. Mathews 6 300 Sterling and Stark Mistletoe Shore 2 600 High Pearl Virginia Ave St. Luke 6 1050 Virginia Avenue Diamond Gates Lane 6 600 Harding, extended St. Mathews Virginia Ave 6 300 Poplar Alley Harding Halifax 2 530 Gates' Lane St. Mathews Virginia Ave 6 300 Gates' Lane St. Mathews Shore 2 200 St. Mathews Harding Gates' Lane _ 6 1100 Orange Alley Harding Harrison 6 830 Blake's Lane Harding Orange Alley 2 500 Rose Alley Madison Jefferson 2 600 St. Andrews Terrace Ave West 1% 150 Shore Chinquepin West 1 100 Marks' Alley Old Church Main 2 300 Cameron, Blank Alley and Main Old Church Wythe 3 975 Watson Main Burch i 6 900 Foley Wythe Watson 2 1050 Taylor Foley Burch 2 240 Burch Wythe East Bank 6 1560 East Bank Old Church East 6 750 East Bank Old Church East 2 750 Irving Bollingbrook Miller 6 460 Main to Colonial Heights ....10 1720 Canal Grove High 10 1000 Tabb Adams Sycamore 8 620 South Main Mingea Cemetery 2 1400 Varina Ave Bermuda Johnson Rd 4 1100 Watson Foley Burch 2 240 Watson Lit. Church West end of street .... 2 300 Watson Main Lit. Church 6 360 46 REPORT OF THE CITY OF PETERSBURG DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY POLICE DEPARTMENT In undertaking the reorganization of the work of this department it was clearly evident that the first step was the development of a police organization which would be efficient and courageous in the performance of its duties, which would have among its members a strong esprit de corps, and which would merit the complete confidence and respect of the citizens of Petersburg. When the present director took office there were 48 persons engaged in the police work of the city. Shortly after his arrival the Council authorized the appointment of 12 additional men. Of this number 7 were appointed, making a total of 55 as of June, 1921. Since that date there have been some resignations, some discharges and four releases this last year because of the urgent need of reducing the municipal budget. There are now 38 members on the force with the following assignments: In order that proper discipline might exist and that the members of the force might clearly understand their duties the first general order definitely stated what would be expected in the matter of appearance, the care of equipment, the rela- tions with their senior officers, and their conduct on patrol. Men were to be clean and neat in their personal appearance and were to be inspected when reporting for duty by the commanding officer. Blouses and overcoats were to be buttoned or hooked throughout. Caps were to be worn straight on the head and not at an angle. Equipment was to be kept clean and in good working order. Men on post were to patrol at all times and not to converse with civilians except in line of duty. Men on post were to be constantly alert and to enforce the law without favor. Daily reports were to be furnished of their observations. Before taking their posts the men were to stand at attention for roll call and receive instructions from the officer in charge. Men were to salute all officers when meeting and when making reports. Stationkeepers were to be responsible for the condition of the stationhouse and no loitering therein was to be permitted. These and subsequent regulations have been consistently and impartially enforced. A second general order advised the men that their primary duty was the apprehension and conviction of persons guilty of violating the municipal, state and federal laws. In accomplishing this, complete co-operation must exist. Although good procedure required the assignment of particular cases to individual officers this by no means relieved the other officers of rendering every possible assistance. On the other hand the final report of the case should include com- plete credit for such assistance. Professional jealousy was strongly discoun- tenanced and those who continued to display it were to be considered undesirable members of the organization. The development of a better personnel policy also called for the adoption of some definite plan of leave periods. It was decided that all members of the 1 Chief of Detectives 3 Patrol Sergeants 1 Sergeant Policewoman 4 Detectives 5 Traffic Officers 18 Patrolmen 3 Station Keepers and Switch- Operators 2 Patrol Drivers 1 Policewoman (colored) REPORT OF THE CITY OF PETERSBURG 47 department should have fifteen days leave every year. The men were permitted to use this leave at such times as they desired, provided that not more than ten percent of the men should be absent at any one time, and that it be approved by the director. Men would continue to be paid for time off on account of sickness but they must present a certificate from their attending physician. When not attended by a physician they were permitted to charge off this time against their leave period. Other important employment policies were incorporated in an ordinance providing for the appointment of police and firemen and creating a police and fire reserve. No person is to be appointed to the police force who is more than 35 years old. No person shall be appointed who is not able to read and write and to pass such other mental examinations as may be required. No person who has a criminal record or who has been discharged from the department is eligible to appointment or reappointment. Any member of the police force who has served 25 consecutive years, and whose service has been honest and faithful may, on reaching 60 years of age, be transferred on his own application to the police and fire reserve. Any member who has been wounded or injured in line of duty and who shall be certified as permanently disabled shall be transferred to the police and fire reserve. The compensation of the members of the reserve shall be one-half of the average annual base pay for the five years immediately pre- ceding transfer. This retirement policy fulfills an obligation that the city owes to those employees who have served long and faithfully and raises the efficiency of the force by retiring those who are no longer physically able to perform the rigorous duties demanded of a police officer. That this organization might properly function it was essential that there be adequate information on which to base intelligent action. The whole system of records was revised and considerably amplified. There are now complete daily reports of arrests, accidents, observations of the officers on beats, complaints and police court activities, complete identification records and files of property lost and found. These records have been of particular value as a means of adminis- trative control indicating as they do the activities of the individual officers. Also it is now possible to determine with some degree of certainty the status of crime conditions in the city. While the importance of discipline and co-operation in the apprehension and conviction phase of police work has been emphasized the preventative side has not been overlooked. The work of the women's bureau is sufficient evidence of this. The development in the officers of a social attitude towards their work and the application of case methods to the study of individual delinquents is a goal to work towards but must proceed conservatively. Another innovation has been the distribution of mimeographed copies of im- portant ordinances by the police officers. This has had a twofold purpose — first the familiarization of the public with the city ordinances and second the estab- lishment of courteous and understanding relationships between the officers and the public. It is evident from the above that considerable thought has been given to the building up of a satisfactory personnel policy. It is pleasing to note the willing- ness with which the men have co-operated in these efforts. The improvement both in appearance and in results accomplished clearly indicates that the men realize that the tenancy of their position is not dependent upon political fancy, REPORT OF THE CITY OF PETERSBURG that they render service to no individual but to the city as a whole and that finally, in the eyes of the public, police work is being elevated to that position which it rightly deserves. Foot and Motor Patrol It often appears that there is not clear understanding of the many different kinds of service a police department is called upon to render and what a rela- tively small proportion of the force is available for street patrol. It is not gener- ally realized that men must be as- signed to detective duty, to the operation of the telephone and po- lice call system, to the driving of the patrol wagon, that the impor- tant work of the women's bureau must go on, and that traffic regula- tion is demanding ever increasing attention. These are all important services and ones that every police department must perform. Of the 39 men on the Petersburg force only 18 of this number are avail- able for street patrol. Moreover each man is on active duty only eight hours so that this number must be divided by three to determine the Police Motor PatroL number patrolling the city at any one time. Clearly is it evident that each officer must cover a large area if the whole city is to be patrolled. Under the old plan of foot patrol the whole city was not patrolled. Poca- hontas, Blandford and that part of the city west of West street never saw a police officer unless he was called for some specific case. This condition was not satisfactory and the only solution was the adoption of the motor patrol. In 1922 six automobiles were purchased and the beat lines extended and rearranged so as to include the whole city. The foot patrol was retained for the high value retail section. The result has been entirely satisfactory. In fact it is the only plan by which the department has been able to maintain an adequate patrol service in the light of forced budget reductions from $80,373.00 for 1921-1922 to $70,250.00 for 1923-1924. Perhaps those who live in sections formerly patrolled wonder why they do not see an officer as often as heretofore. The reason is apparent. The policeman no longer lingers fifteen minutes on the corner and then leisurely continues on his beat. He is still passing by, observing as much as he ever did, but he is doing it on an average of twenty-four times a day instead of perhaps once or twice. The improvement in results has been more than an impression — it is evidenced by the records of the department. Undoubtedly the most accurate measure of the crime conditions in a com- munity is not the number of arrests — but rather the number of complaints reported by its citizens. The relation of arrests to complaints on the other hand is a measure of the efficiency of the police service. It is therefore encouraging to note in the accompanying chart that the number of complaints has shown a decided reduction since the adoption of the motor patrol. REPORT OF THE CITY OF PETERSBURG 49 1 191/ - Complxir m a. a>. 6 4- \ 1 / 2 . src€nu /-/9ZZ A S3 5"° V 9H3 3 D/so /3Z/- am/i/c/ C i 0! / \ A r '/ Mi J. j i -4-, f 1 4 Prohibit Uzl22Z i o/7 Not disposed of, police court ^41 J.UO 132 Not disposed of, Hustings court 360 541 168 132 Sent to jail 1 33 J.OO 341 Q3 £70 233 £iOO Sent to penitentiary 1 A K ± 99 Sent to State asylum H 1 A 14 A 4 Sent to Industrial School- 9 9 1 2 Sentence suspended 81 51 109 50 To other cities 64 54 45 29 State Bd. of Pub. Welfare 12 0 0 4 Whipped by parents _ 2 17 1 1 Probation 5 0 6 4 Turned over to Juvenile and Domestic Rel. Court 0 0 13 28 Ordered from city 0 0 11 8 Turned over to Federal au- thorities 1 0 9 0 Forfeited bond 0 0 0 3 Sent to electric chair 0 0 0 1 REPORT OF THE CITY OF PETERSBURG 55 DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY FIRE DEPARTMENT Efficient fire fighting is essentially the immediate application of trained men and adequate apparatus at the scene of the conflagration. Efficient fire preven- tion is the elimination of fire hazards through continuous inspection and education. These have been the guiding principles in the reorganization of our fire depart- ment. Personnel As was the case in the police department the first thought was the develop- ment of a fire fighting personnel that would be efficient and courageous in the performance of its duties. It was desired to have a unit that would function under definite and fair employment policies, that would be in good physical condition and well disciplined, and that would be interested and skilled in the science of fire fighting. On taking over the administra- tion of this department the director found a personnel which he consid- ered exceptionally good. The men were all comparatively young and interested in their work. At that time the department consisted of 51 men. An effort has been made to keep and develop this old personnel, however there have been some few resignations and a forced reduction of three men because of the abso- lute necessity of economizing in the 1923-1924 budget. The force of 46 men as of June 30, 1923, was as- signed as follows : Chief engineer Assistant chief engineer Auto engineer and inspector 8 auto engineers 3 Captains Systematic fire drills are part of the daily program. 32 privates Orders stating what would be expected in the matter of appearance and in the care of equipment were immediately issued. The plan of leave periods adopted for the police department was also made to apply to the firemen. The policies to be followed in employing firemen and in retiring them from active service were outlined in an ordinance providing for the police and firemen and creating a police and fire reserve, which has already been described. Apparatus and physical drill is carried on daily at each of the houses of the department except on Saturday, which is inspection day, Sundays, and days on which a fire occurs at or prior to the drill period. The hours of duty were reorganized so as to give each member of the depart- ment every fourth day off instead of every seventh day. This improvement in the working conditions of the men was effected without diminishing the efficiency i of the department. 56 REPORT OF THE CITY OF PETERSBURG Equipment The city is now provided with the following fire apparatus: Co. No. 1 — Halifax street: 1 Seagrave triple combination — 1,000 gal. pumper. 1 American La France aerial truck — Fordson tractor. 1 Seagrave service truck. Co. No. 2 — Bank street: 1 American La France triple combination — 1,000 gal. pumper. 1 Five passenger Dodge car — service of chief. Co. No. 3 — South street: 1 American La France triple combination — 1,000 gal. pumper. 1 Brockway hose and chemical combination. 1 Lippard Stewart supply car. 1 American La France steamer in reserve (second size). 1 American La France steamer in reserve (third size). 1 Metropolitan steamer in reserve (second size). Early in 1921 trouble began to develop in the American La France engine at the South street station. This engine had been in use for eight years and it was decided that it needed a com- plete over-hauling. This was done by a man from the factory at a cost of $600.00. The old police pa- trol wagon has been converted into a much needed supply wagon. One large motor pump engine and one combination hose wagon and chem- ical engine were purchased. The last horse-drawn steamer was with- drawn from service and assigned to the reserve service. The three reserve steamers have all been equipped so that they can be hauled to a fire when necessary. The maintenance of each piece of apparatus is definitely delegated and a monthly detailed report required of each man in charge of a piece of equipment. Our alarm system is undoubtedly the weakest point in our fire organization. It is a single over-head wire circuit and is frequently out of order. Recently our new city electrician has gone over the entire system and has put it into as good condition as can be obtained without considerable additional expenditures. Boxes are badly needed in Walnut Hill, Pocahontas and eventually in Colonial Heights should this area ever be annexed. An appropriation for a complete new system is strongly recommended. Considerable improvement has been made in street services. On Sycamore and Washington streets each fire hydrant has been provided with an individual valve so that if any hydrant is broken or otherwise injured, especially in time of fire, it can immediately be cut off with- out in any way disturbing the rest of the system. Fifty new hydrants have been installed in places COn- , . Modern fire apparatus— Seagrave Triple Com- . , , , i .i n bmation Pumper. sidered dangerous by the fire chief. All fire plugs are being tested at regular periods to insure their being in operation when needed. Fordson Tractor replaces city horses. REPORT OF THE CITY OF PETERSBURG 57 By the purchase of a few hundred dollars worth of tools and some slight in- creases in compensation an automobile repair shop has been established at the Halifax street station. First class mechanics were available from the ranks of the department and the work does not in any degree interfere with their immediate availability for service. All city motor equipment is repaired at this shop, with a considerable saving. Statistics of Operation and Fire Losses The reorganization of the department included the setting up of a complete set of records and reports. Each morning there is received from each house a morning report covering the general conditions of the men and their activities. A complete detailed report is received monthly from the captain of each house. These reports are filed in the chief's office and he in turn files a brief monthly summary with the director. Such comparative information as is obtained from these reports is the only possible basis on which the effectiveness of adminis- trative measures can be judged. The fire fighting activities of the department are summarized in the fol- lowing report: DEPARTMENT REPORT 1921-1922 1922-1923 Number of bell alarms 78 67 Number still alarms 46 59 Number telephone alarms 79 75 Number false alarms 7 10 Fires extinguished without alarms 3 7 Number feet of 2V 2 inch hose laid 54,725 54,400 Number feet of chemical hose laid 4,990 4,850 Gallons of chemical used 1,804 1,838 Number feet of ladders used 2,664 1,348 Number of extinguishers used 88 86 Total hours pumping 95.8 67.5 Gallons of gas used 1,814 1,307 Quarts of oil used 712 460 Of course the final measure of the efficiency of the department is the actual fire loss as it varies from year to year. Two customary ways of presenting this information are as a per capita loss and as a percentage of the property attacked. Each figure has its own significance and they should not be confused or inter- changed as is sometimes done when comparisons are made with other cities. The fire losses in Petersburg for the last two fiscal years are presented below. FIRE LOSSES IN PETERSBURG Buildings: 1921-1922 1922-1923 Value $687,869.00 $493,667.50 Insurance 429,952.00 304,723.03 Loss 64,064.21 16,681.41 Contents : Value . 777,606.32 238,965.10 Insurance 680,965.00 169,075.00 Loss , 136,770.59 17,537.46 Total : Value 1,465,475.32 732,632.60 Insurance 1,110,917.00 473,798.03 Loss 200,834.70 34,218.87 Loss : : Percentage of property attacked.. 13.7 4.7 Per capita (33,000) $6,086 $1,037 58 REPORT OF THE CITY OF PETERSBURG It should be pointed out that these figures are for the city fiscal year. In order that comparisons may readily be made with other cities the following state- ment is quoted from a report of the National Board of Fire Underwriters giving the per capita losses for the calendar years: Year 1920 1921 1922 Population 31,000 32,000 33,000 Total Loss $252,263.00 325,605.00 85,939.00 Per Capita $8.14 10.17 2.60 Loss While a big fire may break out at any time and may swell these unit losses it is significant that immediately upon the adoption of the regular drills and inspection of property they began to show a sharp decline, and have since con- tinued at this low level. Petersburg in 1920 and 1921 was on what is known as the "Blue list", which contains the names of those cities whose per capita loss exceeds $5.00. Had this condition kept up, your fire insurance rates would probably have been increased. In considering the city's fire losses and in outlining preventative measures it is of value to know the fire causes and the number of each. These are tabu- lated for the last two fiscal years. REPORT OF FIRE CAUSES CAUSE 1921-1922 1922-1923 Unknown 71 45 Sparks _ 16 7 Defective flue 10 17 Chimney 7 18 Trash pile 4 4 Adjoining building 8 3 Lightning 1 0 Grass 1 8 Set fire 2 1 Lighted cigarette _ 1 0 Oil stove 6 6 Gas stove 1 2 Coal stove 3 2 Auto rim heater 1 0 Defective grate 1 3 Hot grease - 3 0 Hot ashes 1 4 Matches 8 2 Kerosene lamp 4 1 Gasoline torch 1 3 Gasoline explosion _ 4 3 Tar barrel 1 0 Electric heating iron 1 2 Short circuit 16 20 Electric wire 3 0 High tension wire 1 0 Smoke _ 11 4 False alarm 9 4 Moving picture machine 0 1 Heat from exhaust pipe 0 1 Fire works 0 3 Spontaneous combustion _ 0 1 Burning Grease 1 1 Total fires inside of city 196 166 Total fires outside of city 7 11 : Total all fires 177 203 REPORT OF THE CITY OF PETERSBURG 59 Fire Prevention The existence of this activity has already been mentioned. It is a very im- portant one and probably largely responsible for the decline in fire losses. The program of this work includes the inspection of every building in the city once a year and those structures in the high value area once a month. These inspections are made by the fire chief and firemen detailed to assist him. The buildings are examined carefully as to contents and structure for fire hazards. Recommendations for improvements are immediately sent out and carefully fol- lowed up. The office of the building inspector co-operates closely in this work. In addition to the preventative value of this work it affords an excellent opportunity for the men to familiarize themselves with different types of con- struction and the problems to be met in fighting a fire in each type. Frequently in the progress of inspection a particular structure becomes the object of dis- cussion as to how a fire would be combated should it break out in that building. This can not but result in more intelligent fire fighting. The volume of this work is considerable and is summarized in the following table : Number of mercantile inspections- Number of residential inspections Number of notices given 1921-1922 2,110 1,911 502 1922-1923 3,766 791 520 60 REPORT OF THE CITY OF PETERSBURG BUILDING INSPECTION This office is responsible for the inspection of building construction, and plumbing and electrical installations and the enforcement of the respective sec- tions of the codes regulating them. The building, plumbing and electrical codes are designed to prevent and eliminate accident, health and fire hazards incidental to building improvements. Administration Before a building improvement is undertaken a detailed application outlining the work must be filed. This application and the accompanying plans are exam- ined in the light of the particular code applying and if approved a permit is issued on the payment of a fee. During the progress of the work frequent in- spections are made and before the work is approved there is a final inspection. The large amount of office and inspection work that must be attended to by a small office force makes necessary the complete co-operation of the various contractors. As a result of the strict and uniform adherence to the code the building inspector is pleased to report that this co-operation has been obtained to a high degree. In some few cases of persistent violations it has been necessary to take court action. In all such cases the recommendations of the building in- spector have been sustained. It is unfortunate that such measures are occa- sionally necessary but as a protection to the public and out of fairness to the other contractors who conform to the codes, such action is desirable. The building inspector is directly responsible for the enforcement of the building and plumbing codes. The provisions of the electrical code in the past have been enforced by an electrician delegated from the fire department. In May, 1923, a city electrician was appointed as an assistant to the building inspector. The city electrician continues to supervise the maintenance of the police and fire alarm systems. In addition to the regular duties of their offices both of these officials have been of material assistance in the design and supervision of repairs and alterations to the city buildings. In reorganizing the work of this office it was particularly essential that the system of records be enlarged and revised. It is felt that this has been accom- plished in a considerable measure and that the necessary data relative to building improvements is readily available to those who are interested. This allows Petersburg to be included in general statistics regarding building activities. Condemnations In carrying out the provisions of the building, plumbing and electrical codes it has been necessary to condemn dangerous buildings and defective plumbing and wiring. In the first six months of 1921 there were 30 such condem- nations, in the year 1921 to 1922 there were 22, and in the year 1922 to 1923 there were 73. It has been the policy of this department to require all such condemned work to be properly repaired or removed from the premises within a stated time. This strict adherence to a time limit has been necessary and the results have justified its adoption. There still remains a great amount Unsafe building condemned by building inspector. of this work to be done. REPORT OF THE CITY OF PETERSBURG 61 Extent of the Work Some impression of the activities of this office may be gathered from the following table covering the period from January 1, 1921, to June 30, 1923. REPORT OF THE BUILDING INSPECTOR Permits Inspec- Cost of Fees New Buildings: 1920-1921* Issued tion Work Collected 61 202 $420,026.00 $ 209.34 1921-1922 151 252 371,447.75 609.53 1922-1923 182 379 433,189.00 649.61 Alteration and Repairs: 1920-1921* 34 85 16,868.00 52.76 1921-1922 108 148 58,491.45 170.31 1922-1923 141 126 108,570.00 261.54 Plumbing Installations : 1920-1921* 170 385 27,356.00 215.99 1921-1922 383 903 56,951.67 468.69 1922-1923 415 572 76,708.00 611.32 Electrical Wiring and Motors: 1920-1921* 177 261 120.50 1921-1922 565 654 651.00 1922-1923 611 631 768.75 Licenses Issued : 1920-1921* 54.50 1921-1922 23.00 1922-1923 58.00 Totals : 1920-1921* 442 963 $464,250.00 $ 653.09 1921-1922 1,267 1,957 486,890.87 1,922.53 1922-1923 1,349 1,708 618,467.00 2,349.22 * First six months of 1921. Examinations and the Issuance of Licenses As a measure of protection against incompetent workmanship and lack of knowledge of the codes, this office is charged with the examination and issuance of licenses to electrical contractors, electrical journeymen, motion picture oper- ators and journeymen plumbers. In April, 1921, a plumbers' examining board was appointed and examined and granted cards to nine journeymen plumbers. Later in April the electrical examining board examined and granted certificates of competency to six con- tractors and eight journeymen. In addition eighteen applicants to operate motion picture machines were given written and practical examinations and granted certificates. In the year 1921-1922 seven electrical permits were issued and in the period 1922-1923 sixteen examinations were given. Changes in the Codes From time to time it has been found advisable to revise or supplement the building and plumbing codes and six ordinances to that effect have been passed. There are still many other changes that must be made before our codes will be entirely in accordance with modern practice. To this end the complete re- vision of our plumbing and building codes is anticipated at some early date. A new ordinance regulating the construction and maintenance of garages is also advisable. 62 REPORT OF THE CITY OF PETERSBURG HEALTH DEPARTMENT The health department, as formerly organized, was under the administrative control of a board of health with the health officer as the executive officer and under the general supervision of a committee on health, consisting of two alder- men and three councilmen. With the advent of the council-manager plan the board and committee were dissolved and the health officer continued in supervision of the health department reporting direct to the city manager. The system of records and reports in this department were excellent and required no revision. Its activities, however, were scattered, and the department itself inadequately housed. With the close co-operation of the health officer the work of reorganization was undertaken. The health officer was made a full time officer and authorized to appoint all subordinate officials and employees who, under the old plan, were elected by the city council or appointed by the health committee. The supervision of the collec- tion of garbage and trash and the operation of the incinerator were assigned to the highways department. Sanitary and health ordinances and regulations were revised, added to and published in pamphlet form. A health center at 21 N. Union street was established in which all activities of the department were centralized in a separate building on property acquired by lease. Petersburg Health Center In this health center are now located the offices of health officer, the regis- trar of vital statistics, the contagious disease nursing service, the child welfare station, maintained by the Petersburg chapter of the American Red Cross, the tuberculosis nursing service and clinic, the venereal disease clinic, the sanitary REPORT OF THE CITY OF PETERSBURG 63 inspection service, the food inspection service, and the bacteriological laboratory. Quarters are provided for the meetings of health clubs, mother's clubs and the Red Cross chapter. This health center has been established to carry out the purposes of public health agencies — the conservation of life and the prevention of disease and death. Its chief aim is to become a place from which health radiates, not one to which disease gravitates. That considerable progress has been made is evidenced to by the following statement from the last annual report of the health officer: "... I seri- ously doubt whether in the entire South in a city of corresponding size there is a better planned, arranged and equipped health center than Petersburg pos- sesses. If poor work is done no laborer can attribute it to lack of proper tools. My opinion of the qualifications of the building is not prejudiced nor solitary and alone, but is shared by the leading health workers of the State as well as by some of the leading men of the United States Public Health Service who have visited us." Vital Statistics The registrar of vital statistics, in his former capacity as assistant to the clerk of the health board and in his present capacity as registrar and clerk of the health department, has developed and maintained an excellent file of vital sta- tistics. That this has been possible can be in a large share attributed to the excellent co-operation of the medical profession in reporting. This office is also charged with the issuance of death certificates and burial permits, and the filing of records and the carrying on of correspondence for all the subdivisions of the department. To permit of ready comparison with the statistics of other cities the statistics of the health department are compiled for periods covering the calendar year rather than the city fiscal year. Mortality Statistics. Since the reorganization plan has been put into effect the death rate of Petersburg has progressively declined until last year, 1922, witnessed the lowest death rate in the history of the city. And the decrease continues up to June 1st, 1923, when compared with the record of the correspond- ing period of the previous and lowest year. COMPARATIVE MORTALITY TABLE Death Rate (Non-residents included) Year Deaths Total White Colored 1920 600 19.12 14.07 25.60 1921 575 17.61 13.51 23.61 1922 564 16.79 13.51 21.11 This reduction is gratifying. The inference is now inescapable that the laws of sanitation and hygiene have been more generally observed and that the agen- cies that concern themselves in disease and death prevention have reason for encouragement in their hope for better things. Largely contributing to this reduction in the death rate and especially with reference to the decreased mor- tality among the colored population is the diminished infantile death rate among the negroes. The death rate now is appreciably less among our colored population than the general death rate was ten years ago, 64 REPORT OF THE CITY OF PETERSBURG The causes of death classified according to the International Classification of Causes of Deaths, is presented in the following table: COMPARATIVE MORTUARY TABLE DISEASES 1920 1921 1922 Section 1 — General Diseases. 1 Typhoid Fever 6 Measles 7 Scarlet Fever „ 8 Whooping Cough 9 Diphtheria 10 Influenza _.. 14 Dysentery 20 Septicemia _ 24 Tetanus 26 Pellagra 28 Tuberculosis of Lungs 30 Tuberculosis Meningitis 31 Abdominal Tuberculosis 37 Syphilis 42 Cancer 47 Rheumatism 50 Diabetes 53 Leuchaemia 54 Pernicious Anaemia 55 Purpura Hemorrhagica 56 Alcoholism __ Section 2 — Diseases of the Nervous System. 60 Encephalitis 61 Simple Meningitis 61a Cerebrospinal Meningitis 63 Other Diseases of Spinal Cord 64 Cerebral Hemorrhage - 65 Softening of Brain 68 Acute Mania 69 Epilepsy _ 71 Infantile Convulsions 74 Tumor of Brain Section 3 — Diseases of Circulatory System. 79 Organic Heart Disease 80 Angina Pectoris 81 Arterio Sclerosis 82 Cerebral Trombosis Section 4 — Diseases of Respiratory System. 89 Acute Bronchitis ', 90 Chronic Bronchitis 91 Broncho Pneumonia 92 Pneumonia . 93 Pleurisy : 94 Pulmonary Congestion .... 96 Asthma ....... 3 8 4 2 2 1 7 10 1 1 5 6 25 4 7 3 3 3 10 7 1 2 4 5 3 5 61 60 54 3 3 2 2 3 3 5 8 16 23 20 1 6 4 5 1 1 1 2 1 2 1 1 3 4 1 2 1 2 51 45 58 i J. 1 .... 1 2 6 5 .... 2 53 62 67 4 2 5 4 4 1 1 3 1 3 1 12 15 13 31 17 33 1 1 1 1 REPORT OF THE CITY OF PETERSBURG 65 Section 5 — Diseases of the Digestive System. 102 Ulcer of Stomach 12 1 103 Acute Gastritis 3 14 104 Diarrhoea and Enteritis (under 2 yrs.) 48 50 24 105 Diarrhoea and Enteritis (over 2 yrs.)-- 9 4 2 108 Appendicitis 8 5 8 109 Intestinal Obstruction 7 10 3 110 Hemorrhage of Intestines .... 1 111 Acute Yellow Atrophy .... 1 113 Cirrhosis of Liver 2 9 3 114 Biliary Calculi 1 115 Other Diseases of Liver 3 15 117 Peritonitis _ 4 6 3 Section 6 — Non-Venereal of the Genito-Urinary System and its Annexa. 119 Acute Nephritis 14 15 16 120 Brights Disease 71 59 72 122 Pyelitis 1 124 Cystitis 2 126 Prostatitis 3 132 Salpingitis 1 Section 7 — Diseases of the Puerperal State. 135 Puerperal Hemorrhage 1 137 Puerperal Septicemia 5 .... 2 138 Puerperal Eclampsia 2 3 5 Section 8 — Diseases of the Skin and of the Cellular Tissue. 142 Gangrene „ 1 144 Phlegmonous Cellulitis .... 1 145 Cellulitis 1 146 Mastoiditis .. 1 .... 3 Section 10 — Malformations. 150 Congenital Malformations 6 11 Section 11 — Early Infancy. 151 Congenital Debility, Icterus and Prema- ture Birth 52 10 28 152 Other Diseases peculiar to Early In- fancy 15 40 16 Section 12— Old Age. 154 Senility 1 1 1 Section 13 — External Causes. 155 Suicide by Poison 2 .... 2 156 Suicide by Asphyxia 1 159 Suicide by Firearms 3 2 5 160 Suicide by cutting or piercing instru- ments 1 165 Other Acute Poisonings .... 1 167 Burns, Accidental 4 2 3 168 Suffocation, Accidental 2 4 2 169 Drowning, Accidental 2 170 Traumatism by Firearms „„„„„, , , 1 66 REPORT OF THE CITY OF PETERSBURG 171 Traumatism by cutting or piercing in- struments 1 172 Traumatism by fall 12 1 175 Traumatism by crushing _ 5 7 8 181 Electricity 1 182 Homicide by Firearms 6 10 8 183 Homicide by cutting or piercing instru- ments _ 1 184 Homicide by other means .... 1 185 Fractures 8 .... 1 Section 14 — 189 Unknown 13 4 600 575 564 In the three following tables the deaths are classified according to age, ac- cording to sex and color and according to civil conditions. DEATHS BY AGES 1920 1921 1922 I 1 by A 1 4 / 1 month and under 1 year 58 61 38 1 year and under 5 years 47 42 33 5 years and under 20 years 43 42 54 20 years and under 40 years 1 OK 1 1 rc llo 114 40 years and under 60 years 116 103 110 60 years and under 80 years 140 108 145 80 years and under 100 years 30 23 Total 600 575 564 DEATHS BY COLOR AND SEX 1920 1921 1922 White- Males - 140 134 119 Females 108 110 137 Colored — Males 171 147 152 Females 181 184 156 Total 600 575 564 CIVIL CONDITION 1920 1921 1922 Single 281 287 222 Married 201 185 204 Widowed 117 98 128 Not stated .'— 1 5 3 Divorced 7 Total , 600 575 564 REPORT OF THE CITY OF PETERSBURG 67 Birth Registration. The statistics of birth registration are presented in the following table for the years 1920, 1921 and 1922. BIRTH REGISTRATION 1920 1921 1922 White- Male 267 249 199 Female 223 224 243 Colored — Male 211 201 176 Female 185 203 188 Total 886 877 806 Contagious Disease — Nursing Service Cases of contagious disease are reported to the health officer by the physi- cians of the city. The visiting nurse is notified and a visit is made to each case for the purpose of giving instructions and for seeing that the quarantine regu- lations are properly observed. An individual record is kept of each case. In the last three years the following cases of communicable diseases have been reported. COMMUNICABLE DISEASES REPORTED 1920 1921 1922 Tuberculosis 91 172 99 Typhoid Fever _ 25 58 18 Diphtheria Ill 69 101 Scarlet Fever _ 30 65 74 Measles 119 351 10 Influenza - 827 13 118 During the last three years there have been no serious epidemics. Late in the winter of 1922 and early in the spring of 1923 a sharp epidemic of influenza occurred — 100 cases were reported with 6 deaths. In June and July of 1923 there was a mild measle epidemic. Among sanitarians it is arbitrarily assumed that the existence of typhoid fever is an index to the efficiency of a health organization. While this assump- tion may not be altogether true it is reassuring to note the great reduction that occurred in the number of typhoid fever cases. Up to June 30, 1923, the date of this report, a period of nine consecutive months, there has not been a single case .of this disease. Analysis of the figures of 1922 will show that only nine cases of typhoid with one death could be attributed to local causes. The other three deaths and nine cases, as shown in the record, occurred among imported patients. When it is recalled that fifteen or twenty years ago that it was not remarkable to have between three hundred and four hundred cases of this disease annually with twenty-five to thirty deaths, the improvement that has been made is strikingly illustrated. The great reduction in the number of cases in the last three years is only incidental to and only a reflection of the rapid extension of the sewer system with the con- 68 REPORT OF THE CITY OF PETERSBURG sequent elimination of 1,400 surface privies. Sewers and pure water are fundamental. In this connection it should be noted that antityphoid vaccine is given at the health center free of charge every afternoon in the week except Saturday. It is regrettable that this preventative measure is not more freely used. Were our citizens as thoroughly vaccinated against typhoid as they are against small pox (of which latter disease there has not been a case of local origin for several years) the outlook would be more reassuring. The giving of typhoid, small-pox and diphtheria vaccinations is also part of the work of the visiting nurse. VACCINATIONS ADMINISTERED 1920 1921 1922 Typhoid fever vaccinations 171 677 294 Small-pox vaccinations 513 930 770 Diphtheria vaccinations 2 Total 684 1,607 1,066 Child Welfare Station The important contribution that has been made to the reduction of the gen- eral death rate by the diminished infantile death rate among negroes has already been stated. From the following table you will note that in 1922 the general infant mortality was reduced to 104 deaths per thousand births as compared with 149 for the preceding year. The reduction among the colored race was from 210 in 1921, to 126 in 1922. In other words only a little over half as many colored babies died last year as did the year before. INFANT MORTALITY Deaths Per Thousand Births Year Total Rate White Rate Colored Rate 1920 144 77 214 1921 149 97 210 1922 104 85 126 This reduction in the infant mortality rate has been a distinct achievement and it must be stated that it could not have been accomplished without the assis- tance of the local chapter of the Red Cross. Their offer to establish a child welfare station in the health center was gladly accepted by the city. On Sep- tember 1, 1921, this clinic was opened with a nurse, trained in child welfare, in charge. Regular conferences and public clinics are held twice during the week from 3 o'clock to 5 — on Tuesday for white, and Friday for colored. In February, 1922, an ordinance regulating the practice of midwifery became effective. Under its provisions only those midwives who comply with the require- ments as to methods and equipment are permitted to practice. Classes for mid- wives have been held on Monday and Friday from four to five o'clock, at the welfare station. REPORT OF THE CITY OF PETERSBURG 69 In addition to the clinic work the nurse does a considerable amount of visit- ing. The extent of her work and that of the physicians is tabulated below. REPORT OF RED CROSS BABY WELFARE STATION, 1922 (Established September 1, 1921) 1922 New babies visited _ 613 Visits to children 471 Expectant mothers on list _ 292 Attendance at clinic _ 1,543 Tuberculosis Clinic This clinic was started by the Virginia Tuberculosis Association, in con- junction with the State Board of Health and the local health department. The expense of its operation at the time of starting was borne proportionately by these three organizations. A week previous to the opening of the clinic nearly every house in the city where there had been a death for the past five years was visited — the number of deaths being obtained from the bu- reau of vital statistics. All con- tacts were advised to attend. The people became interested. It brought tuberculosis to their notice and they began to discuss it and not pass it by as something that could not be helped, hopeless for those who had it and of no concern to those who had escaped it. The demonstration was very en- thusiastic — 1,127 people came for examination. A quantity of health literature was distributed and to prevent it being a passing interest the permanent clinic was started immediately with good results. A larger share of the credit for its success is due to several of our leading physicians who have voluntarily contributed many hours of their time. The clinics are held semi-weekly from 12 to 1, Tuesday for white, and Friday for colored. These clinics have resulted in the discovery of many cases of tuberculosis not hitherto suspected and has greatly increased the work of the tuberculosis nurse who was formerly under the direction of the King's Daughters, although her salary was paid by the city. She now reports directly to the health officer and is a city employee. Like the contagious disease nurse she also does considerable visiting. In the following report of the activities of the tuber- culosis clinic the visits of both of these nurses is included as a single total. TUBERCULOSIS CLINIC REPORT 1920 1921 1922 Total number visits 3,874 4,352 4,146 The results of these clinics indicate a woeful need of proper facilities for the care of tubercular patients in Petersburg. Volunteer attendance and volunteer diagnostic- ians are important factors in the fight against tu- berculosis. 70 REPORT OF THE CITY OF PETERSBURG Venereal Clinic At the beginning of the fiscal year 1921 the city took over the full expense of the venereal clinic, which heretofore had been largely supported by the Federal and state governments and the Petersburg chapter of the American Red Cross. The work is carried on by a physician and a nurse in quarters provided at the health center. Clinics are held semi-weekly, and a small fee is paid by the patient when he is able to do so. This clinic is continually expanding its work and the decline in new cases would indicate that the work is effective. General Clinic. REPORT OF THE VENEREAL CLINIC 1920 1921 1922 Patients admitted 506 403 288 Syphilis 175 206 199 Gonorrhoea . 167 195 89 Chancroid 8 2 Wasserman tests 432 483 639 Microscopic examinations for gonococcus— . 638 445 210 Doses of arsphenamine administered 717 1,380 1,494 Visits for treatment, examination or ad- vice 4,375 5,122 3,372 Committed to jail and held for medical ex- amination - 73 96 24 Food and Milk Inspection Another important activity of the health department is the inspection of the food handling agencies. The force consists of two inspectors. Each place visited is rated according to a standard schedule and an individual record is kept of the results of the inspection for the purpose of later inspection. Each food handling agency is required to renew its license annually at the office of the registrar. A new milk ordinance was put into effect in July, 1922, which effectually regulates the quality of the milk sold in the city. The herds are regularly tuberculin tested, and all reacting animals excluded. All herds whose milk is sold in the city are now tested every six months. Another feature of the ordi- nance requires periodical examinations by a physician of all persons connected with the production of the milk. REPORT OF THE CITY OF PETERSBURG 71 REPORT OF THE MILK AND FOOD INSPECTORS Dairies under inspection Milk depots under inspection Markets under inspection Hotels and restaurants under inspection Cook shops under inspection Bakeries under inspection Soda fountains under inspection Soft drink places under inspection Grocery stores under inspection Meat shops under inspection Fish houses under inspection Bottling plants under inspection Ice cream plants under inspection Fruit stands under inspection Confectionery stores under inspection Inspections made Complaints received and attended to Permits suspended Permits reinstated Arrests for violating food ordinance Milk and food permits issued during the year. Collections during the year Fines paid Peddling wagons under inspection Tubercular cows slaughtered 1920 1921 1922 28 28 31 1 2 2 2 2 2 36 28 28 18 18 18 11 11 11 50 50 50 34 34 34 215 215 215 26 26 26 17 17 17 5 5 5 4 4 4 17 17 17 28 28 28 8,087 8,990 7,862 42 4 4 25 14 3 4 22 524 430 $1,084 $860 $ 25 $15 $151 5 31 54 Sanitary Inspection Two inspectors assigned to this work are responsible for the investigation of the sanitary conditions on private premises and the placarding and fumigating of residences under quarantine. The work calls for continual vigilance and strict follow-up of recommendations. SANITARY INSPECTORS' REPORT 1920 1921 1922 Premises inspected 20,447 21,293 19,351 Premises revisited 465 650 1,121 Miscellaneous visits 5 17 Summons served 38 Privies inspected 14,685 13,590 12,582 Privies cleaned 22,145 26,116 14,327 Privies found to comply with sanitary regula- tions 14,064 12,211 11,270 Privies disinfected to prevent typhoid fever 82 Notices served to reconstruct privies 575 534 787 Lots found insanitary and notices served to clean same 3,994 3,845 4,272 Insanitary sewer closets ordered put in a sani- tary condition 200 215 343 Sewer connections ordered made ... 235 208 397 Complaints received and attended to 1,250 1,354 1,087 Mosquito-breeding pools oiled 47 5 3 Nuisances ordered abated 3,081 3,250 3,707 Stables inspected 524 640 482 Houses placarded 225 278 156 Placards removed . 217 274 147 Rooms fumigated 224 304 223 Notices served to remove hogs out of the city 3 6 72 REPORT OF THE CITY OF PETERSBURG Bacteriological Laboratory Many of the city activities are dependent on the examinations of the labora- tory for intelligent action in carrying out their respective duties. The bacteri- ologist and her assistant co-operate closely with the quarantine work of the sanitary inspectors, the milk ordinance enforcement of the food inspectors, with the tuberculosis clinic, with the venereal clinic, with the water department and finally with the city physician in the control of infectious diseases. Milk Examinations. The milk ordinance of July, 1922, in addition to regu- lating the sanitary conditions under which the milk shall be produced, if it is to be sold in the city, also set certain bacteriological standards and cer- tain standards for fat and solid content. Raw milk as delivered to the consumer must not develop more than 100,000 bacteria per cu- bic centimeter when counted by di- rect observation under a micro- scope. The count for pasteurized milk shall not exceed 25,000. Milk shall not be sold that contains less than 3%% of butter fat and less than 12% of milk solids. No cream shall be sold that contains less than 18% of butter fat. Bacteriological Laboratory. 0ne Can not tel1 the Quality of milk by looking at it and it is for this reason that these standards have been laid down and the tests made a part of the routine work of the laboratory. These tests are made weekly on samples obtained directly from the delivery wagons. The samples of twenty-eight dairies and two pasteurizing plants are included. The results have been encouraging and the quality of the milk has im- proved considerably. The bacteriological index which is a measure of the quality of the milk has increased from 75.68 in 1920, to 80.43 in 1921, and to 87.94 in 1922. The distribution of the samples tested according to the bacterial count is given in the following table: BACTERIAL COUNTS PER C. C. STANDARD AGAR, 37C 1920 1921 1922 Below 10,000 49 150 248 Below 50,000 53 168 175 Below 100,000 17 40 41 Below 250,000 20 51 35 Below 500,000 12 17 9 Below 1,000,000 7 7 6 Above 1,000,000 3 6 4 Total 212 439 518 In doing this work the laboratory has made the following number of exam- inations : 1920 1921 1922 Samples of milk and cream examined for fats and solids 252 374 Samples of milk and cream examined bacteriologically 212 439 518 REPORT OF THE CITY OF PETERSBURG 73 Water Examinations. Daily tests are made of the raw, applied, filtered, sterilized and tap water and the water superintendent promptly notified of the results. Similarly the product of the dealers in spring water are subject to periodic examinations. Among other miscellaneous samples is a weekly test of the water at the bathing beach at Willcox Lake. Every effort is being made to exercise an effective control over the sanitary standard of our water supply. WATER SUPPLY TESTS 1920 1921 1922 Number of samples of water from city sup- ply examined bacteriologically 306 819 1,187 Camp Lee supply 225 Number of miscellaneous samples exam- ined bacteriologically 100 359 382 Total 631 1,178 1,569 Diagnosis An important service is that offered to the physicians of the city for the control and diagnosis of infectious diseases. This service permits of the diag- nosis of doubtful cases and makes possible the more timely release from quaran- tine. Diphtheria, typhoid fever, tuberculosis and the venereal diseases are those for which tests are most frequently made. MICROSCOPICAL EXAMINATION OF SPECIMENS FOR DIAGNOSTIC PURPOSES NATURE 1920 1921 1922 Malaria Typhoid fever (widal reaction) 31 Tuberculosis Pos. Neg. Pos. Neg. Pos. Neg. 332 792 126 424 96 515 104 314 73 221 82 313 5 243 2 123 1 94 31 97 61 105 17 106 62 212 60 221 34 169 133 171 278 335 248 554 252 547 281 659 111 257 0 1 0 3 0 9 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 8 7 65 5 64 10 69 0 1 0 0 0 0 332 663 751 Neisserean infection Spinal fluid (meningococci) Spinal fluid Blood cultures for typhoid Contacts examined for typhoid car- riers Intestinal parasites Animals examined for rabies Examinations not classified Medical Relief The city council appropriates every year $3,840.00 for medical relief. This work is under the supervision of two city physicians whose work is concerned with the care of the charitable cases, the cases at the city home and cases referred to it by the police department. During the last three years the following work has been performed. SUMMARIZED REPORT OF THE CITY PHYSICIANS— 1922 Total number of patients 1,072 Total number of visits paid 4,146 Child Labor Under the act regulating the employment of children in industry it has devolved upon this office to examine and certify as to their physical fitness. Through this means cases of physical defects are discovered and many of them have been and are being removed. Those children whose health render it inadvisable to engage in certain occupations are refused certification. 74 REPORT OF THE CITY OF PETERSBURG PUBLIC WELFARE Early in 1922 at the instance of the Virginia League of Women Voters, Governor Westmoreland Davis appointed a children's code commission. This commission undertook the study of the child welfare laws of the State and as a result of their labors submitted seventeen bills to the General Assembly. In general these bills provided for a State Board of Public Welfare, for county and city superintendents of public welfare, provided for the supervision of all State, county, municipal and private institutions of an eleemosynary, charitable, cor- rectional or reformatory nature, regulated child placing and child labor and established juvenile and domestic relations courts with adequate legislation for their intelligent operation. These additions have given Virginia a set of juvenile and welfare laws which place her in the first rank and which have been frequently referred to as standards by other States undertaking similar legislation. In Petersburg steps were taken as soon as possible to put these much needed provisions into operation. Director of Public Welfare Acting under the authority of this new legislation the council appointed the city manager as director of public welfare, ex-officio, without additional com- pensation. This appointment gave the city manager general supervision over the public welfare activities of the city. The extent of his responsibilities may be gathered from the outline of his duties as provided in the statutes. 1. To have the care and supervision of the poor and to administer the funds now administered by the overseers of the poor. 2. To administer mother's aid funds, if any. 3. Under the direction of the State Board of Public Welfare to look after and supervise the conditions of persons paroled from hospitals for the insane and colonies for the epileptic and feeble-minded, and from other State institutions. 4. To act as the agent of the State board in relation to any work to be done by said board in the city. 5. To have oversight of persons in the city released on probation or on parole from the penitentiary, reformatories, industrial schools, an all paroled prisoners in the city. 6. Under direction of the State board, to have supervision of dependent children placed in the city by the State board. 7. To assist the State board in finding employment for the unemployed. 8. To investigate the causes of distress, under the direction of the State board, and to make such other investigations as the State board may direct. 9. To act as chief probation officer for the city and, as such, to enforce and administer the probation laws within the city. 10. To foster co-operation and intelligent division of work between all public and private charitable and social agencies in the city to the end that public resources and charitable donations may be con- served and the needs of the city adequately cared for. REPORT OF THE CITY OF PETERSBURG 75 This is a comprehensive assignment but the director of public welfare has attempted to carry out these duties conscientiously. The city almshouse has changed its name to the city home and its humane administration has been an effort to reflect the same motive that inspired the change in name. The State board has been co-operated with and many miscellaneous cases satisfactorily disposed of. A juvenile and domestic relations court has been established and a probation officer appointed. Close relationships between the city departments and the private charitable and social organizations have been established and every possible assistance and encouragement was given to the development of the associated charities and the community chest. Juvenile and Domestic Relations Court Acting under the authority of the juvenile and welfare laws the council appointed the civil and police justice as judge of the juvenile and domestic relations court. In December, 1922, a probation officer was appointed. This court immediately organized and proceeded to function. As applied to juveniles it set up a scientific, humane and preventative method for solving the problem of delinquency. It involves the case study of the causes of the child's delinquency, a hearing which takes the nature of a private talk with the judge rather than a criminal court procedure and finally probationary supervision whenever possible. A similar procedure is followed in the case of dependent and neglected children. The success of this court is almost entirely dependent upon the completeness and accuracy of the information on which the disposition is based and upon the nature of the probation supervision that is applied. It is evident that a large share of the responsibility rests upon the probation officer. The extent of the juvenile work of this court since its establishment in No- vember, 1922, is indicated in the following summarized report: PROBATION OFFICER'S REPORT Six Months, January 1, 1923, to July 1, 1923 w c Number of juveniles placed on probation by the court.. 27 9 Number of adults placed on probation by the court.... 3 5 Probationers released with improvement 2 Probationers committed for violation of probation 2 Probationers committed for new offense 1 Transferred to other probation officers 1 Absconded or lost from oversight 1 1 Cases investigated officially 27 46 Cases investigated unofficially 24 17 Visits paid to homes of probationers 32 25 Visits paid to school, places of employment, etc., in be- half of probationers 15 1 Helped to secure employment for probationers : 3 Helped to reinstate probationers in school 3 Sums collected from probationers: Fines $10.00 76 REPORT OF THE CITY OF PETERSBURG The other phase of the work — one closely related — is that of domestic rela- tions. The procedure of this court is designed to deal with and prevent deser- tion, non-support and other family difficulties. Considering the short time the court has been in operation a large volume of cases has been handled. From January 1st, 1922, to June 30, 1923, 124 cases have been heard and disposed of; $574.00 has been received and paid over for the support of wives in non-support cases. This is a work, which by its preventative and corrective application of pro- bation to those who are to be Petersburg's future citizens, has great significance for the future of the city. The work has but started and the co-operation of every individual and organization is necessary for its complete fruition. Recreation The last three years has witnessed the development of a new activity — that of recreation. To be sure the good citizens of Petersburg have always had an innate desire to play but heretofore little encouragement has been given either in the way of facilities or leadership. That condition has changed, however, for to- day finds our city with six playgrounds, each equipped with play apparatus, provided with baseball diamonds, volley ball courts, swimming pools, and super- vised by competent directresses. All this has been accomplished through the co-operative efforts of the city manager and the superintendent of schools, at a ridiculously small expenditure — less than $3,000 a year — until now it is con- sidered one of our city's strongest assets. Purpose. The attendance records, the enrollment schedules of the many games, and the lists of visitors, leaves little doubt as to the popularity of the playground work. But even this testimony of interest leaves some question as A Varied Program of Playground Activities REPORT OF THE CITY OF PETERSBURG 77 to whether or not the full significance of the work is appreciated. It is not just an attempt to bring the children off the streets and afford them amusement. It is more visionary and has a deeper significance than that. Supervised play builds strong bodies through the use of apparatus, the playing of games and swimming; it fosters and affords an outlet for the child's creative instincts through sewing, using tools and the sand-pile; it teaches rhythm and the power of self-expression through dancing, games played to music and dramatics; and finally it teaches fair play, leadership and co-operative effort through group games and competitive sports. It does all these things not only for children but for grown folks, too; teaches them how to play again. In short it is a citizen building program and a long step towards the development of a strong community spirit. With these playgrounds as a nucleus it is no difficult nor unlikely step that each will develop into a community center with a still more ambitious program. It is such motives as these that have inspired the development of municipal recreation. Activities. In organizing activities the individual requirements of the dif- ferent ages and sexes have been carefully considered. The girls are taught sewing, modeling, basketry, join in the folk games and play tennis. Lawn ball and volley ball have been enthusiastically taken up. Among the older boys baseball has been the center of activity. The younger boys join in the group games, have their own baseball teams, play tennis and take considerable interest in the manual work. This work has been well received and the products are many and varied. For the younger children there has been story telling, sand piles, singing games and the play apparatus. Now another group is to be provided for — the older folks. The first step in this direction has been the provisions made for horseshoe pitching. This is an old familiar game and already is making a strong bid for popularity. At A. P. Hill and East View playgrounds the swimming pools have been so constructed as to permit of night bathing for the adults. Later it is planned to have occasional nights of group games and folk dancing. Swimming is provided at all the playgrounds. In the warm weather it is by far the most popular activity — averaging well over 100 children a day for each swimming pool. The pools are carefully supervised and the time of staying in is regulated. Life guards are appointed and swimming lessons are given. The water is continually circulating and the pools are emptied daily. Some idea of the extent of the playground work may be gathered from a summary report of the activities of all five playgrounds for the first three months of the 1923 season: Total attendance (morning and afternoon) Hours open Visits of citizens Number of games played Number stories told 67,083 1,431 6,517 3,011 537 78 REPORT OF THE CITY OF PETERSBURG A Swimming Pool for Each Playground Interplayground Activities. In this way each playground has individ- ually prospered. But there has been another motive behind it all. And that has been the breaking down of strong sectional feelings and the replacing of it with a community spirit, the re-routing of the gang enthusiasms along the lines of fair play and impartial recognition of athletic skill no matter from what part of the city it may arise. This idea has pressed itself through the development of inter- playground activities. A baseball league was the logical development. This was so well taken that it was necessary to organize three boys' leagues and a girls' lawn ball league. The West End boys carried off the honors in this activity with Central Park a close second. Along the same line a marble tournament was arranged each playground sending its champion to the finals. This was so successful in developing cham- pionship material that our representative — an East View boy — carried away the honors of an inter-city tournament with Lynchburg. After the playgrounds had been given an opportunity to train their athletes a general field day was held at East View. This brought a large group of children as visitors to another part of the city. The sportsmanship displayed was excellent. Finally the playgrounds have been given an opportunity to demonstrate their respective skill in pitching horseshoes. The singles tournament was won by REPORT OF THE CITY OF PETERSBURG 79 West End and the doubles by Central Park. A surprisingly high grade of skill has been unearthed and the city feels confident of the favorable outcome of the intercity tournaments which are contemplated. In all cases the desire to get the citizens of different parts of the city ac- quainted has been foremost and it is with this idea in mind that the various meets have alternated from one playground to another. The honors have been remarkably uniformly distributed. Administration. An important feature of the playground administration this last year has been the co-ordination of the work by the appointment of a general director. This has insured complete programs of activities at each play- ground, permitted of special supervision of boys' games and made possible the inter-playground sports. By far the larger share of the responsibility and quite justly a larger share of the credit reflects directly upon the directresses. They have been indefatigable in their work and an inspiration to their children. They have given liberally of their time and often of their property to this work. They have cordially wel- comed visitors and generally have been very potent community forces in their playground area. 80 REPORT OF THE CITY OF PETERSBURG PUBLIC PARKS The extent of the park and recreational development is one measure of a city's progress, and one question about which prospective residents and industrial concerns usually inquire. Playgrounds we have in large measure but these have been possible only because we have provided generously of park lands. Our city is now the fortunate possessor of four large parks. They are Cen- tral, East View, West End and Lee Memorial. These parks have a total acre- age of 600 made up as follows: Central 11 East View 4 West End 21 Lee Memorial 564 Pocahontas Basin — an historical feature of Central Park. Petersburg now compares favorably with many larger cities. This has been brought about through the development of the two new parks — East View and Lee. In administering these parks the sole object has been realization of their full possibilities and that realization included the preservation of their nat- ural beauty, shady walks for strolling, quiet places for resting and reading, and ample space for recreation. At Central, East View and West End large portions have been devoted to playground activities. Swimming pools and com- fort stations have been erected. At East View a large pavilion has been erected which bids fair to become the community recreation center. REPORT OF THE CITY OF PETERSBURG 81 Formal parks are a luxury and keep-off- the-gr ass signs a relic of other days. The removal of our warning signs was the first step taken and it can not be claimed that the beauty of our parks has suffered from this step. Rather as the result of more frequent inspec- tion — closer follow-up of park ad- ministration by the executive sec- retary — is there a marked improve- ment in the appearance of our Hillside approach to East View Park. parks. And with it all the parks are actually being used for that purpose for which they were intended and hereto- fore were never permitted to realize. Lee Memorial Park The definite abandonment of the Willcox reservoir as a part of our water supply system made it possible to plan the development of this large tract of land as a natural park. With its rugged contours, natural lake and his- torical battlefields it was admirably adapted for such a purpose. The raw ma- terials were at hand — what was needed was a plan of development and the means of financing it. The council entered enthusiastically into the project and early in 1921 definite steps were taken to make it a reality. Quite appropriately it was decided that this wild park, abounding as it does in evidence of the War between the States, should be known as Lee Memorial Park. Fortunately this area was in a position to finance its own development and it has not been necessary to spend one cent from current taxes. The sale of 53 acres of land to the Country Club yielded $8,000.00 and the sale of timber on the south side of the Norfolk and Western belt line brought $12,600.00. With this money it was possible to go ahead with the opening of this park. The whole area has been made accessible by the building of four and a half miles of park drive. Here again the raw materials were at hand for the 82 REPORT OF THE CITY OF PETERSBURG park had its own gravel beds. Along the shores of the lake and through the hills three miles of trail have been cut. Picnic tables and benches have been built, and six baseball diamonds provided. Willcox Lake, the old reservoir, was found to be admirably suited for bathing- purposes. Bathing houses and other improvements were made at a cost of $4,000 Lee Park— 864 Acres, Containing Earthworks of the War Between The States through the concession given for bathing privileges at a rental of 5% of the gross receipts. The bathing pavilion is now the center of Park activities. Shallow wading places have been provided for the little children, deeper places for the older ones, and a diving tower for those more venturesome. Searchlights have been provided for night bathing. That a warm day finds this beach attended by thousands of patrons is ample evidence to the sore need of some such facilities for water sports. Lee Park has still greater possibilities. Much can yet be done to make this a great city playground — a place for picnics, a place for large open-air gather- ings, for hiking, and for camping. The bare opening up of the park and the building of the road system is a long step toward the realization of these things. REPORT OF THE CITY OF PETERSBURG 83 BLANDFORD CEMETERY Petersburg treasures its heritage of an old, historic and beautiful cemetery. The city has come into its ownership as the direct succes- sor of the parish, when the Church of England was dis-established in Virginia. The oldest gravestone is that of a man who was born in 1615, and who was buried at the age of 87 in the year 1702. The church, which is now the city mor- tuary chapel, was built in 1735 and it proudly bears its scars of the Revolutionary War and the War between the States. More people lie buried there than now live in Petersburg, for it is well into its third century, and more than 25,000 Confederate dead lie buried there. The oldest church in Petersburg — 1735. Improvements Certain improvements have been necessary to this beautiful old cemetery in order that its beauty might be preserved and that it might conveniently function as a municipal burial ground. In undertaking these improvements great care has been taken to insure that they are consistent with its best traditions. Particular attention has been paid to the improvement of the cemetery road- ways. Virginia and Venable, the main avenues, and a number of the cross-roads have been regraveled. Considerable time and money has been saved through the use of a tractor for this work. The alley between Virginia avenue and the old part of the cemetery has had a change for the better by the removal of the tool houses to the north side of the cemetery, the laying of drain pipe and the cutting of new roads and walks. Lights have been installed in the old church and a new floor is being planned. An Areola heating system and toilets have been installed in the office. The system of records has been revised and new charts of all the wards have been prepared. These are some of the changes that have been made in the ceme- tery. More difficult to describe, but of equal importance has been the decided improvement in the gen- eral appearance as a result of the greater attention to the details of maintenance under the new super- Blandford — a municipal cemetery. intendent. 84 REPORT OF THE CITY OF PETERSBURG Additions Threatened with the early ex- haustion of available plots the city in the fall of 1922 purchased forty acres adjoining the cemetery on the east for which it paid approxi- mately $12,000.00. This new sec- tion was surveyed by the city engi- neer and the roads, curb lines and plots laid out in accordance with a systematic plan. Time has shown that the pur- chase of this new addition was a wise action for all the available squares in the older sections have been sold for some months past. Cemetery Charges The charges for services at the cemetery had not been revised for many years and the cemetery was operating at a loss. An ordinance was passed fixing charges which were more commensurate with ser- vices being rendered and which would permit of keeping the prop- erty in the desired condition of appearance. The oldest grave in Blandford Cemetery 1615-1702. For the further purpose of improving the appearance of the cemetery in September, 1921, an ordinance was passed providing for "the perpetual main- tenance in good order, by the city, or any burial lot in the Blandford cemetery, on application of any person interested therein or of any fiduciary holding funds for the purpose." This ordinance provided that the city would, upon the payment of a maintenance charge and upon assurance that the plot was initially in good repair, assume in perpetuity the maintenance of the lot in proper condition and the curbing, mausoleum and vault thereon in good repair. The maintenance charges are deposited by the sinking fund commission and the interest thereon used for the above purposes. These two measures place the cemetery on a proper financial basis and in- sure its remaining so. REPORT OF THE CITY OF PETERSBURG 85 CITY HOME This worthy activity of the city government was formerly known as the city almshouse and was under the supervision of the overseers of the poor. Under the new form of government this duty passed to the city manager with the over- seers retained as a board of visitors. This plan was continued until July 1, 1922, when, under new State legislation, the city manager was appointed director of public welfare, and as such in direct charge of the almshouse. By this same act the board of visitors was retired. This board labored faithfully and intelli- gently and many of the improvements that have since been made found their inspiration in their recommendations. One of the first steps of the new administration was the change of the name from the "City Almshouse" to the one more in line with the motives and methods of administration that were to be applied. It was called the "City Home." i Welfare of the Patients On June 30, 1923, there were at the city home 44 patients — 22 white and the same number of colored. This represents a fair average of the number for the last two years. In 1921 the average number of patients was somewhat higher. Before a patient is received every source of information is exhausted in search of some method by which the patient can be kept in his home or that of relatives or by which his health can be restored so that he may be self-supporting. Once ad- mitted, he is provided with clean quarters and wholesome food. Foodstuffs are well prepared and all groceries are standard. Every effort is made to eliminate any atmosphere of pauperization. Many of the patients are able to assist in a small way in the cleaning work and the feeding of the stock. Some few are able to assist in a more material way in the running of the farm. They are all permitted to have their own little personal effects and to keep them in their rooms. Smoking and chewing tobacco are furnished regularly. Such things as these seem small matters and they are small matters so far as cost goes but to these unfortunate people they loom up as larger things and make life a whole lot more bearable. 86 REPORT OF THE CITY OF PETERSBURG Wherever possible this stay at the City Home is made a conval- escent period where a patient may fit himself to again live indepen- dently. It is some testimony to the care that is given them at the City Home that several "cures" have been effected. In short the same spirit that prompted the change of name has guided the administration. The ef- fort has been to humanize this City Home and remove the taint of in- stitutional pauperization. Ward Used by The White Patients Improvements in the Plant That such a purpose might be carried out certain repairs and additions have been necessary. The superintendent's house was rebuilt and a steam laundry, obtained from Camp Lee, installed at nominal expense. Probably it is not generally realized what an important part of the home the city farm is. Yet from this farm comes the major portion of the foodstuffs con- sumed at the home. During the last fiscal year the value of milk, butter, eggs, vegetables and fresh meats produced totaled approximately $3,700.00. This activity is so much along the lines of the patient's welfare and so conducive to economy of operation that it has been developed as much as possible. During the last two years an implement shed, new hog houses, chicken houses and barns have been added. There is still much that can be done to develop this farm when the funds are available. Such things as fencing, ditching, the building of a silo, and the planting of additional acreage will all work towards the more economical and humane operation of this city home. REPORT OF THE CITY OF PETERSBURG 87 W. R. McKENNEY FREE LIBRARY A recent gift to the city to be known as the W. McKenney Free Library. Early in the year 1922 the council was virtually besieged by petitions from practically every organization in Petersburg advocating the establishment of a public library. The need of a library in this city of 33,000 had long been realized but the active interest in the project had heretofore been intermittent and un- organized. Such a demonstration as this one impressed the council deeply and they were sympathetically inclined. Where to find the funds required for the purchase of the land and the erection of a library was the problem, however. Gift of Clara J. McKenney To Mrs. Clara J. McKenney the people of this city should be deeply grateful for the solution of this problem. On May 10th of this year, there was deeded to the city the handsome residence at the cor- ner of Sycamore and Marshall streets to be used for a free public library and museum. This library is established as a memorial to Wil- liam Robertson McKenney, who was a life long resident of Peters- burg and was always deeply inter- ested in its welfare and develop- ment. It will be known as the W. R. McKenney Free Library. Conditions of the Gift In accepting this gift the city has agreed to make an initial expenditure of $10,000.00 for the purchase of equipment and books and to expend annually $7,500.00 for equipment and maintenance. The library is to be maintained for both white and colored persons; all of the building including the first floor and above is to be for the exclusive use of white persons and the basement is to be kept for the exclusive use of colored persons with a separate entrance and exit. In addition to the library the city is to maintain a museum in which shall be collected and preserved relics and matters of historical interest in connection with the city of Petersburg and the territory adjacent. The deed will become effective the first of January, 1924, and the library will then be opened. Administration It is absolutely essential that the library be administered with the utmost econ- omy and to that end the most experienced librarian that can be obtained for the salary available will be employed. With the Mechanics Association's library of 12,000 volumes as a nucleus and a building that is admirable situated geographically and admirably adopted structurally, Petersburg is well along the way to realization of a municipal library. Probably nothing that has been done heretofore has greater significance for the future of the people of this city than the establishment of this properly equipped and properly administered free library. IN MEMORIAM THOMAS JEFFERSON MEREDITH 1861--1921 MEMBER OF THE COUNCIL GERMAN BURTON GILL 1845-1922 CLERK OF THE COUNCIL FORREST WILEY TUCKER 1875-1923 AUDITOR AND CLERK OF THE COUNCIL UBli tir OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS-URBAN A 3 0112 110859797