The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1890-09-07
WHAT ABOUTPUBLICLlGIIT
WILL TIE CITY ERECT ITS OWN
ELECTRIC PLANT.
Resolution Pending Before n Joint Com
snittee Of the Council Having that End
fa view-We~sure Asking for BIDS to
EurntsA illumination.

0coOtuttor Ienuih& betore Sotns Soh'-
snittee Of the Council Having that End
IA vicw-Ne~sure Asking for BIDS 10
Furnish illumination.
s'Be IL resolved by the Council Of the city
u Richmond, That the sum OF $4,000 be
appropriated for the purpose Of establish
ing and operating an electric plant 10 he
owned aud operated by the city, and tina,
the Finance Committee he instructed to
provide the means necessary tot the same"
This resolution was introduced In the
Common Council last Monday night by Mr.
w. Dcane Courtney, The chairman Of the
Committee on Electric Light, and was re-
ferrcd 20 a joint committee consisting Of the
Committee on Electric Light and Finance
and the superintendent OF the gas-works
At the same meeting of the Council Mr..
Rolfe Glover member from Monroe Ward,
introduced the following resolutions, which
were adopted:
"Resolved, That the Committee on Flee
trio Light. CITY Engineer. and Supcrinicn-
der. of the Gas-Works he. and are hereby
Instructed 10 ascertain, by obtaining bids
from responsible manufacturers, what Will
he the cost OF establishing an clCctrc-light
nItut 10 lufDlsU lot SuttA Nt us VI i,-'N
candle power, and the same number Of are
aud incandcsccnt lights as are now in pri-
va.e use. Also, TO ascertain the cost OF land
and building suitable for said plant, due
allowance and consideration 20 be made Tor
the further future extension Of the plant.
All to he reported 10 this body nj the earli-
est moment.
The Committee on Electric Light also
asked for 81 800 10 pay for lights now in use
rafn A
the Committee on Finance, and as yet there
has been no report made TO the Council con-
ceinng the questions involved. and there
will be none made at the meeting of the
Board Of Aldermen, on Monday night, none
of the committees having met.
WILL NOT ADOPT II.
Talking with parties who seem 10 be
wcll-informed, and who knows the many
difficulties In the way, it does not appear
that the City Council will adopt the resolu-
ton offered by Mr.. Courtney, which asks
for $4,000 to purchase and place in opera
tion a plant which will be owned by the
city. The present Council is most careful
and sieady-goIng one, and while the fact
as apparent that there must be action
of some sort TO supply light after January
4. 1896, when the contract with the present
Electric Light Company expires. still the
fact remains that temporary considerations
can be made at smaller cost 10 the city m
looking out for lights than would naturally
result from adopting resolution which
would carry with it an appropriation Of
$4,000.
Ii is therefore thought that the Council,
In view of the facts grouped in the light
question, will mere naturally take hold Of
the Glover resolution, which calls for bids
from responsible parties who will inform
the Committee on Electric Light, Of which
Mr.. Courtney is chairman, superintendent
of the Gas Works, Mr.. W, 4. Adams, and
the City Engineer, Colonel W. L. Cutshaw,
what will be the cost Of establishing an
electric-light plant here, and such eXten-
sion Of the same as the growing condition
Of the city may demand from time TO time.
FORMER ACTION.
The Committee on Electric Light at one
lime thought il would be best 10 order
down thirty-seyen Of the electric lights, but
after arriving at this conclusion, there were
protests in writing and otherwise which
caused the committee TO reconsider its
action and withdraw its recommendation
ordering out the lights. The lights had
been ordered bv the Council in contract
entered into and agreed upon by all
parties 10 the same, and this action on the
part of the Council relieved the Committee
on Electric Light from any of the personal
obligation alluded TO by Mr.. Charles V.
Meredith wher he stated before the Com
mittee on Streets that when they exceeded
the appropriation set aside for their use.
that under an ordinance provision they
could bv held individually responsible for
all work ordered 10 be done by them. So IL
will be seen that the question OF light as
sumes an interesting phase, aud one that
will give the Council opportunity for grave
concern. There must be light-nO doubt
about that, and the Council will be COM
PEELED 20 provide it.
GAS CAPACITY.
In reference TO our gas-works and its ca
pacity. MIR. w. c. Adams, the efficient SUI
perintendent, said in his report for this
wear. and dated January LIST: The mean
descent electric-light reduced the revenue
of fireworks TO some extent the past year.
but we are gradually pgaining our con-
sumers and judging from the past three
months, must say that the outlook Tor the
coming year is quite encouraging. ! be-
lieye we will send out more gas in 1890 than
any preceding year since these works
started.
These facts speak for themselves. Mr..
Adams has lately spoken in THE TINES a
30 his views on the water-gas question, and
his support of the same means simply that
he wants the public &c take all the bearings
OF the case. Now, the Council can look at
the electric light probabilities, the prestige
OF owning plant, and, at the same time,
contemplate improvements at the gas
works-already the property of the city.