The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1884-06-14
RICHMOND. Va. June 10, 1884

RICHMOND, VA. June 10, 1901
To the Editor Of the Dispatch:
In your account OF the discussion In the
Board OF Aldermen on the appropriation
of 800, 900 additional for the new gas-malns
| cut 80 sorry figure that in justice to my
self / ask permi ssion to state my position
on this question. To make the matter
clear 1t must be stated that the Board OF
Public Interests had recently submitted
report to the Council, based on recon-
mendations and estimates OF MIR. Benson,
the gas expert, asking an appropriation OF
x55. 600 for this purpose. This recommen-
dalton had been adopted by the Council.
The Committee on Light, however, at a
meeting held on Monday afternoon at D
O'Clock. and which was extended up'to the
very hour OF the assembling OF the Board
OF Aldermen, agreed upon new report, in
which the size Of the principal main was
enlarged from sixteen to twenty inches.
The distance il was to be laid was in
creased two squares, and IL was to follow a
different route from the one previously
recommended; all OF which involved
an additional cost OF $4,000. Under
the rules this report should have
been referred to the Finance Committee.
n IUOilOH WAS uiiuC w SuopVhN wv Ab'~S
that il might be put upon its passage,
which motion required a two-thirds vote.
spoke against this motion on the ground
that the proposition was entirely new to
every member not upon that particular
committee; that 1t differed essentially
from the report OF the expert lately EN-.
ploypd at considerable expense to inyestl-
gate this very subject in the size and eX-
tent OF the mains, also in the route, and
involved nearly 40 per cent. OF greater
cost. To be called on so suddenly to vote
for q proposition OF this character, abso-
lutely without moments notice, was
wholly uniustifiable, and subyersive OF
sound legislation. To prevent legislation
under Just such rush and hurrah as this
our rules had been adopted. and In my
opinion should not be disregarded. Speak
ing on the general merits OF the question /
stated that was unwilling except under
stress OF circumstances to vote for either
proposition to expend so large a sum on
the aDtiquated works at Rockets. In my
opinion water-gas would be introduced
here as in most OF the large and intelligent
" conducted private works elsewhere;
and instanced the fact that even in the
Washington works, whose Superintendent
and President, Mr.. George A. McIllheny,
was most relied upon last winter by our
gas people us the chief pillar Of the coal.
gas system, when now confronted with the
necessity of increasing his own supply had
only last week contracted with Messrs. o.
A. Granger e. Co. for two additional sets
of their water-gas machines after one or
two years satisfactory trial Of the process.
Itben advanced the idea. not well thought
out, but believed to be feasible and worthy
OF consideration, that the proper thing to
do was to build water-gas works in the
pententiary bottom near the track Of the
Richmond and Allegheny railroad (Which
now with its connections penetrates the
coal and oil regions OF the West and let
the distributing pipes radiate from that
point to the west end, intersecting the old
mains wherever desirable or practicable.
This would not only give us the benefit OF
both SpstemS, but ,oOuid double our prOdu-
c,nq capacity and perhaps cost no more, all
told, than the present scheme, whilst in the
near future our production would inevita-
bly, have to be enlarged. Therefore urged
That the proposition should 90 to the FL
nance Committee.
The question was here asked If the for
mer proposition had not been considered
by the Finance Committee. / answered,
No. Whereupon your reporter made Mr..
Glasgow fatty contradict me on this
point.
The report OF the Finance Committee,
presented May 5, 1884, will best show
whether or not was wrong in my answer,
and is ir the following language:
"The Committee on Finance beg leave
to return herewith the resolution from the
Board OF Public Interests referred to item
by your honorable body. They do not I'M
derstand your instruction to require an in
vestigaton into the technical questions in
volved in the resolution, but report only
upon the proper mode of providing the
money needed should the Council decide TO
adopt the recommendations Of the Board.
They advise for this purpose an issue of
bonds, and present for your consideration
the following resolution" etc.
Mr.. Glasgow very promptly and frankly
explained this to the Board, repeating al
most literally the language above quoted
but your reporter either failed to "catch
on " to the explanation, or thought it un-
necessary TO mention ii.
Very respectfully,