Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1888-03-20
THE GAS QUESTION.
The following was then presented by
the Fnance COmmittne:
RICHMOND, March lG, 1883.


TO RE Carnc1 of Pc "fgof EiciDiond:
Gentlemeu, The Committees on Finance and
Light have considered 'h- resolution referred n
the Joint committees % ihc Common Council
February Ii, .e's, concerning better supply OF
gas, &c.
We herewith submit ~ the sense Of the Joint
committees q report made by subcommittee
/ oi the joint commit.sc-. marked A.
Your sub-commi'tee charged by YOU with the
duty N cXamiuiug mo and reporting uDOu the
subject %. the resolution Of M. >pitzer referred
10 your joint committee 10y The Common Council
bo. lcate 90 report is follows:
Having carefully eZumu 81 into the neco-si-
ties o. the situation. the iuo icQIate condition Of
The present ga--works 10 supply the demand.
md the liability Of tic entire city beng plunged
into darkness 10y any arciIfn. AZ such woTts-
which dluTe-I- always throa fning aud Is liable
10 occur any time-Wr could not fail % te i'm
pre- .cI Hitl ;Le urgent duty We owe ~ the pub
llr OF acting az once On fhe suggestions already
maze ~ tie Committee ON Light aud the super
intculout Df the Ga--M orks, huthagiug also made
aQ exam .uQtlOu into the financial condition OF
Tie city. the urgent demands which have already
Teen made for large issues Oi tOnds for sunlry
purpose of AL equally great or more imperative
degree ~ importance, which viii, when ordered,
bring us daH gerOu-lv near 10 our legal bon lcd
limit, w. 90 NOT feel gt liberty q recommend
ANY further issue of bOn3- ~ accomplish the
object aet 'ouh M -9lI resolution. and which. In
our judgment. is irpo!atiyely demanded
Therefore we beg 10 call attention 10 plan
which ,coms 90 bo The only aiternative-viz.. 70
lease the works to responsible parties for term
Of --- years.
1--WE are informed that proposition can he
Obtpired from several Of our best Known AMI
philosophical citizens of character highly
Beneficial 20 the interests Of the city which
would, I'm tho languaG" ~ your resolution, en-
able Us % procure cheaper. better, steadier,
and more ample supply OF gas and at the same
lime add considerably 90 the present reyenuc Of
the city. !; would also relieve Us from any ad-
ditiOnAl expenditure whatever, which IS most
desirable al this time.
"if such o proposition accomplishing such re-
suits. coming from such source. can he obtain
cd, we highly recommend that prompt and i'm
mediate action be taken and that they po for
Warled al once with favorable recommends
ton. a. IIZHlNl, JR.,
Chairman"
and embodied as part OF this report and in
order 10 cary out the views Of the .0iai CON-
mittee recommend the adoption Of the following
resolution.
E..o.red iy the CIR Council or Richmond ttho
Board of Aldermen cOncurrngl. That tAe iOiat
Committee OF Finance and Light be, and are
hereby, authorized TO receive bids Tor the lease
OF the Eds-work-. and report same 10 this body
as soOu o. possible.
Mr.. Owen moved the adoption OF the
resolution.
MIR. Pizzini seconded the motion and
made some remarks pertlnentto the sub
iect, which he asserted was no new one,
and had only been revived now because
the gas was of such poor quality and the
facilities for making it so meagre. In
giving the reasons that actuated the
committee to make the report MIR.
PiZZini said the works had been
examined, and it was found they had
been strained, resulting IN impure and
poor gas, but still high prices. And the
assertion was made that If the works
were stopped for a few hours only the
city would be plunged into darkness.
The committee had thought that $780,
GOO would be sufficient to buy ground
and build new holder. That amount
was the estimate, but he had come to
understand the iallibility of estimates.
1t had been asserted that the City Hall
would cost only $500, coo when the build
ing WAS started; out now, with only one
floor ont of the ground and $500, 200
spent, 1t seemed that the hall would cost
Il round million. And so. with $l5O,OOO
rs an opening wedge, the committee did
not know what would be the amount
finally reached.
Mr.. Pizzini then enumerated the DIFF
ferent claims upon the city for money.
showing that the city is SO near ITS
bonded limit that no further large ap-
can be made.
While the committee were considering
the resolution offered by Mr.. Splitter
providing for an appropriation of $780,
200 to the Gas DEPARTMENT. il was sug-
gested, said Mr.. Pizzini, that the works