The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1883-02-11

FURTHER EXPLANATION.
RICHMOND. February s, 1SS;

RICHMOND, February s, 1893.
+. r. GLASGOW, Esq, Chairman Joint Com
mittee on Light and Finance:
Dear Sir,-We neglected to make any
provision in our bid submitted TO your
committee for q transfer OF our improve
ments to the city at any time the city de-
sired tc annul the contract, and now beg
to offer the following:
II at any time the city should desire TO
annul the contract made with us for fur
nshiug coal-gas as per terms Of our bid,
then we are TO he allowed fair valuation
for improvements made by US, said valua-
ton TO be decided by arbitration. We
would require the city TO take all material
on hand at its market value, and would
alse require a notice of six months
Of the cily's intention TO annul said con-
tract. We will also increase the capacity
as the demand increases.
Very respectfully,
CHARLES p. STOKES
and Associates.
NIB. AsI have understood that some Of
the members Of your committee desired to
know the names Of the gentlemen associa-
ted with me, will state that they are ALL
residents OF this city and men OF ample
" III any NOisAi''t Wv Aasts mum.
WHO THEY ARE.
A gentleman interested in this offer says:
G.. p, Stokes and his associates are all Rich
mond men, having an interest in the city,
with every motive for its good government.
The profits, if any, would be spent here,
and the laborers employed would be our
own people. The whole change, in word,
would be a private corporation Of Rich
mond gentlemen in place of the city OF
Richmond. The price named for gas in the
holder would enable the city 10 give her
citizens gas at from 81 toSl.25per 1000 feet.
ACTION on TIE PROPOSITIONS.
The Board Of Aldermen will meet to-
morrow evening, when il is expected that
the COmmittees Of Finance and Light, joint
w, will recommend the adoption OF the bid
OF Granger & Co. TO make water-gaS and
put it in The holder at 81 cents per thou
sand feet. When the committees acted
there were but ten OF the thirteen members
present-fiye were for and five against the
Granger proposition. To enable the COM
mittces to report, one OF those who had
voted in the negative (Mr. Bowie) voted
"Aye.v As IN outside matter, tie commit
tees are reported in their entirety to stand
seven for and SIX against the plan.
The proposition OF Mr.. George III. Poin-
dexter on behalf ofthe United Gas-Improve-
ment Company Of Philadelphia was also to
furnish gas in the holder by contract, and
though it reached the committees too late,
il is understood that it offered gas lower
than did Granger & Co.
GAS MADE BY CONTRACT.
These three bidders-Granger, PoindeX-
Ter, and Stokes--propose to make gas for
the city by contract-i. e., put it in the
holder. The city will Gf any one of these
bids Is accepted) continue in full charge OF
the holder, mains, and meters, and will
continue 20 make out and collect the gas.
bills as now.
Under the Granger proposition (say) the
cost OF gas would be as follows:
Cents.
Cost Of distribution Qneluding condensation,
leakage, taking state of meters, etc.l....... 20
Total cost to city from first to last.......... rs
FIGURES.
The city has been making a very satisiac-
tory profit on her investment upon n mar
gin (reported by the Committees on Light
and Finance) OF siXty-fve cents q thou
SaDu 1ceL, WHICH,, IL COIftCt, hOulQ tu-
able her by the Granger plan, upon
the basis OF present consumption, to fur
nish gas to private consumers at S1.40. IL,
as il naturally would, a reduction OF the
price 80 per cent. increases the consump-
ton largely, the city's profits would also be
increased.
In the opinion OF many the price Of gas
can be put at S1.40 without the slightest
risk to the city, no matter what plan il
adopted.
WHAT THE COMMITTEE CAN DO.
The minority of the Committees on Light
and Finance (and those committees, sitting
in Joint session, have always been pretty
evenly divided are OF the opinion that the
city ought not to have gas putin the holder
by contract, but should remodel her works
according TO the Anderson plan at cost
not exceeding $4,000, which il done they
expect the following results:
Cents.
Cost OF labor per 1000 cubic feet ........... l6
Cost Of coal per 1000 cubic foot.............. 81
Incidental ..'..'......'.............. Os
6I
Credit by residuals.... ......"."........"....... ll.6
otsl..,................... ............. 49.0
or say 80 cents per thousand feet in round
numbers. Add 20 cents per thousand for
distribution.
WHAT IL TO BE D0SE.
The recent invitation for bids was from