The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1889-05-25
ELECTRIC LIGHT.
Joint FINANCE COMMITTEE DISCUSS
THE NATTER.
WILL THE clTY'owy ITS PLANT
TIRxr NEE INs 90 THE HOLLY
w0OD DIRaCIoWS.



Electric Light met in the Conner
Chamber yesterday evening at orlocs
Mr.. HaIgroye. chairman. from th'
Committee on Finance. stated that thu
committee had postponed action TO al
low MIR. Murphy an opportunity TO lool
INTO the question which had been lief
10 this subcommittee. for report to th'
Joint committee.
Mr.. Murphy honestly spoke ont
stating that he was IN the dark. Their
are 80 many technical terms. | mus
confess that i cant understand The
matter. Nc. W.Deane Courtney IS Tho
chairman of the Committee on Electro
Light. and he can, no doubt. throw
more light on the subject than can.
Mr.. Courtney was empbaticaliy N
favor of the city s owning It's OVID elec
tr,c plant. In ninety days it could be
nut ND. and bond ana good security
would be gwen by any company with
whom the city would contract. For
So, co. 400 electric lights could be put
up. The incandesceut lights would
bring revenue also. At present The
CITY is bound under contract with tht
SCHUYLER Electric Light Company foI
100 lights. There are 1873 lights pow, and
o. will have 10 be ordered done.
Mr.. HargrOve, who was chairman OF
the committee, stated that he had nc
objection to the city owning an electric
plant. but where are we to get the
money from" He went further IN re-
bntting what had been said by Mr..
Courtney. to ray that he did not think
a reassessment would bring IS much
revenue as people expected. The idea
of the electric light hurting the gas
works was discussed, aud II seemed
that the committee felt that there was
fear from this service.
THE trouble is, said Mr. Murphy
.'that we have no money. The floating
debt is now about 1908 Og0. and The
Finance Committee have stretched IT.
receipts to the fullest limits. There i,
no provision made for further III
surance Of greater indeb edness. There
has been more or less floating debt. but
the figures have never reached the
present figures.
Mfr. Courtney cailei attention TO the
fact cemeteries and culyerts could get
appropriations.
Sir. Hargrove called his attention to
the fact that the cemeteries, with the
exception Of OikwOOd. were nearly
filed. and asked Mr.. Courtney If he
would not prefer TO be buried in the
River View CcmctryY
Il wouldn't say anything about 1t
after | was buried. said Mr.. Courtney.
Mr. Murphy called attention TO the
eed of parks. work-honse, a new
bridge in place of the Free bridge TO
Manchester, and a settling basin for the
water works. Counting up the cost.
Sl92.O00 would be required. This
amount would be as much as the city
could stand at this iunctufe.
Sir. HsTgroye said 1t would be in
polite to undertake rev schemes be-
fore those on hand were completed.
The city pays the Richmond Electric
Lighting Company $4,000 for electric
lights, and Mr.. Creushaw 5 idea was
that if the city owned its own plant,
there would bc source of revenue
coming into the city's Golfers. The
contract with the city and Electric
Light Company viii not expire for two
years.
MIR. Murphy moved that it was
deemed inexpe1ient at this time to own
plant of its own for electric light
purposes.
Mfr. Courtney offered as a substitute
hat 100000 be appropriated to pur-
chase pla0t. This was lost The
committee then al burned 10 meet again
next Tuesday in the Chancery Count
room TO report 10 the JOINT Committee
on Finance and Electric Light.
THE EXPOSITION QUESTION.
When the matter of appropriating
money for the purpose Of purchasing "a
plant for an electric light 10y the city
was up before the subcommittee from
the Committees on Finance aud Electric
Light. the question: ~ the appropriation
of $40 0O0 for the Virginia Agricultural
and Mechanical Society was incldently
brought up.
Mr.. Courtney. in the course of some
remarks, referred 10 the fact that the
Society had never made pablo an ex-
plicit statement of receipts and cNpcn-
ditures by the Exposition authorities.
He made it plain that such a statement
would be in order just at thus jancture.
and expressed the bop0 that 1t would
be forthcoming. believing that the city
should have all the light on the subject
that " as possible. since il was manifest
that finances would be charity dis
pensed.