Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1886-09-10


streets. .o,-ha,..
the Staunton Gas Co., and not council
man. T have no doubt that should feel
as Col. Skinner
THE PROFITS OF THE sTAUNToN GAS
WORKS.
Mr.. Skinner.-I will just interrupt the
gentleman minute, with his permlsslon'
to add that 1 am not familiar with the
history of the StauntOn Gas Co.. pug IN
conversation with Mr.. Stuart, who IS. he
said that, taking into account the reverses
and losses of the company, it had not paid
more than six per cent. on the Investment
since its formation. He, Col. s., thought
if the electric light was not introduced,
the Gas Co. would in time make a turner
reduction in the price of gas. 1t had al
ready been seen that the large city OF VIII
mington paid $3.50 for gas, While the
small one of Stauntop paid only 81, and he
thought this might be taken as an earnest
of the Staunton Co. s intentionsiln the dl-
rection of low prices.
Mr.. Tams.-I was going on to say That
as one of the committee, on our visit TO Dan
vile got my figures about the COST OF the
light, from the books. There was no guess
work or hearsay about it, but the actual
recorded cost for six months of the electric
light. The 60 lights cost Danville for six
months 1912, equal to 81 ,944.a year. have
figured on the cost of horsepower. and lind
that the net cost of our 81 lights will be
1926. Beside this, we.can sell lights. We
will thus be enabled to save money on our
annual expense Of lighting, and put that
saving On improving the bad. streets that
Col. Skinner mentions. As to our streets.
they are bad and so are our schoolifouses,
and we expect to improve both. and this'
without increasing anybody's taxes.
Col. Skinner here said there couldAbe no
sort of doubt about his informant's state
ment of Danvile appropriating $500, for
there had been discussion over appropr-
iating that amounJ,in the Danyille council
He would add that the improvementof the
streets in Staunton would give work to
many laboreTs.
STATEMENT FROM THE AGENT OF THE
HoUSToN-THOMPsoN COMPANY.
Mr.. Mcknight. Agent Of the Electric
Light Co., made statement, by permis-
sion of the council. He said that Mr..
Daggett, who had written Col. Skinner
from Wilmington. was an ex-stockholder
in a gas company and was bitter oppon-
ent of the electric light. The Gas Co, at
Wilmington had been charging that city
So 900 and reduced it's rate to $4,000 when
the electric light came. AS to Charleston
abandoning the electric light, he said that
city had an old system IN use and aban-
doned it. 1t was now putting in the
pson-Houston plant and he had al
ready sent some of the machinery there,
for 500 lights. In Washington where they
are using our system, | have just sold the
machinery for 1000 more arc lights. st.
Louis had ordered 900 more lights. Out
of 24O cities using our system, not one has
abandoned it.
tify the contract.
Mr.. Cochran said he was prepared to
vote for it, even if it cost third more than
the present lighting; but he would like to
he accurately Informed as to the cost of
operating it.
Mr.. Tams said we had the expense set
down here before US. 1t was absolutely
proved what 1t would cost to run 81 lights,
10 hours. 800 nights in the year.
Mr.. Mcknight called attention to the
fact that the six months during which 60
lamps were first run in Danville, common.
ced with November. whichsgave the long
est lightings of the year.
The ratification Of the contract was then
put to the vote and resulted
Yeas-Messrs. Butts. Berkeley, Barga-
min, Cochran, Craig, Crowle, McQuaide,
| Summerson, Teabo, and Tams. Noes.-0.
So Staunton gets the electric light.