The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1878-03-05
1870.
Public consump-


Early in the year very extensive repairs
were needed to the apparatus at the upper
works, where an accident to the large holder
occurred which threatened serious conse-
quences.
During the year the committee under
took, out OF Its profits, to pave and curb
Poplar street, the main avenue Of approach
to the lower works.
A new building, to enclose the washers
and condensers, and steam-heaters in the
purifying house recommended in previous
reports), was completed.
An extraordinary freshet in November
burdened the works not only with heavy
expense, but with the total loss OF consump-
tion OF gas in one OF the best months Of the
year for three days and nights.
The aggregate cost to the works of these
several items OF expenditure. not including
the direct damage by the freshet, amounts
to over $4,000, as follows:
Repairing gas-hodQr. Qr......."..........$ 1855 90
Paving Poplar street. ..........,...... 1882 26
New building over washers and con-
steam. heaters in pirifying-rooms. iS9 90
Loss Of receipts while works SUBJ
merged. ................."........ 2,os5 80
s1o,276 "a
And, morever, we beg leave to remark
that, in addition to the above, 1856 meters
were submerged, which had to be replaced.
We cannot forbear in this connection to
mention in terms Of highest commendation
the zeal, energy, and devoted labors OF the
officers and men on the occasion OF the flood
OF November. Experts from other cities
who were here shortly after that accident
were frank to express their surprise that in
the short space Of three days such extraor-
binary damage should have been repaired
and the use Of the public gas restored. Un-
haDDily, the invaluable services Of Mr.
Adams were lost to the Superintendent by
his severe illness at the time, but all that
could be done to supply his place was fur
nished by the willing hands and untiring
labors OF the men who, with no intermission
save when absolutely exhausted, labored
night and day to repair the extraordinary
damage from the water.
Your committee desires specially to men,
ton the untiring energy and intelligent
management Of the Superintendent MIR.
Knowles), who, though in feeble health, re-
NAMED at his post until the restoration was
accomplished, and but for whose intimate
acquaintance with the works, both below
and above ground, the labor Of repair would
have been greatly enhanced. Your COM
mittee desires to make public acknowledge
ment OF the courtesy and favors Of Gen.
eral Williams c. Wickham, Of the Chesa.
peake and Ohio road, who sent special
trains to furnish u. with dry coal at the time
Of the flood, and who, in the early part OF the
year, when the labor-strkes threatened to
cut off our coal supply, bad the public
spirit to tender US, from the mines under
control OF his company, any amount neces-
sary to keep the works in operation.
We append a table giving the official re-
turns OF the price Of gas in the principal
cities OF the Union, from which it will be
seen that only in five is the cost to con-
sumers less than in Richmond. OF these
only one is under municipal control-that
OF Philadelphia-and the official report OF
those works for the past year shows the
was only S5,394, or but little over one half
OF one per cent. In this connection we call
attention to table OF receipts and eXpendi-
| lures OF the works for the past five years,
| furnished by the Auditor, together with an
interesting exhibit OF the actual cost Of pro-
duction for each year, charging interest on
an estimated construction account OF ST.
900. 900. II to the expenses there set fourth
should be added the city and State taxes
annually to an average of over S20,000 a
w.
private owners the works would have been
a pecuniary loss at present rates.
The experience OF the food OF 1877 de-
monstrated the great superiority OF clay
over iron retorts. At the time OF the disas"
ter we had in use seventy-nine retorts, all
of which would probably have been broken
il made Of iron, but as it was we lost none.
The same experience also suggests the
| innuirv whether IL would not be well to
construct at some suitable point reservoir
holder out OF reach OF the rise of water, In
which gas could be stored for emergencies.
We desire also to acknowledge the receipt
of coal as follows from some OF the largest
producers during the year, with the results
of test as to the amount and illuminating
quality OF the gas generated:
Williams & Lewis, cars, 4.53 cubic feet
per pound-17 candles.
w. R. johnson, cars, 4.61 cubic feet
per pouud-17 candles.
| Coal-Valey Company, cars, 1853 cubic
feet per pound-17 candles.
Halwood's, 4 cars, 1886 cubic feet pei
pound-16.20 candles.
The maximum yield OF the last lot Sent
by Mr.. Faulkner was 4.69 cubic feet Witt
an illuminating power of II candles.
In conclusion, we beg to renew our praise
of the efficient labors OF the ofhcers ano
men to whose intelligence and skill the sue
cess OF the works is due, and without whose
faithful and continued efforts the Calamity
OF November would have proved far more
disastrous.
Respectfully submitted.
JOHN NJ. HIGGINS,
| Chairman Committee on Light.