Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1891-03-15
IDEAS ABOUT LIGHT.
EXPRESSIONS IN FAVOR OF AND
AGAINST a CITY ELECTRIC PLANT.
Question Of Competition Also piscnssed-
Talks with President Dickerson
and Others

Although tho resolution 10 appioPi.
$4,000 for the establishment OF an electric
light plant for tho city was defeated IN the
Board of Aldermen at last Monday nights
meeting, the matter is by no means dead
The subject is one Of great puolc con-
Germ, and there is so much interest," pslng
manifested in 1t that strong pressurs wli
be brought to bear to influence the Cosn-
Gil TO give further consideration to II.
The people are clamoring for more hight
and cheaper light. Thew either want .
municipal plant or such franchises granteu
as will permit q competing COMPANY "
enter the field. In either event the cost OF
| lighting both homes and pubic thotougn-
| fares will be greatly lesseued.
A number OF friends and opponents OF
| these two measures were seen yesteruay oF
| DISPATCH reporter and asked 70 give e1-
pressions oftheir opinions, which resquoSt'
as can be seen. was readily computed witn'
What Mr.. Dickerson Thinks.
President Joseph G. Dickerson, OF the
| Board of Aldermen, was the first person
! seen and from his remarks IL can be plainly
seen that the question can DE reconsiu-
cred, although it was beaten for the time
| being.
when the present contract for lighting
|
per light per night wns first given out,
said Mr.. Dickerson, offered resolution
| that the contract at that price be maze
for five years This was referredl 70 the
Joint Committees on Light, Electric Light,
and Finance, who instead of reporting Oh
rectly, on my resolution, , rmHrU,
for an appropriation of $4,000 for the
erection and installation by the city OF lts
own plant. When the superintendent OF
the Gas-Works informed me that the city
would save between S200 600 and S3O,oOO PERI
year by lighting all its streets with electrl-
city, at once favored the plant scheme.
zone thing is sure, if the company Is
willing to enlarge its plant 70 furnlsh the
lights at 191fc. each per night, there must must
be O profit in il at that price, or tney "oulo
not want to do it.
CHEAPER STILL.
at seems 10 me that | have seen list
somewhere of the prices paid by the va
rious cities for electric lights, ana that
| one of them got 2, 000-candle power lights,
the same as for which we contract, for IL
cents each per night. and that there was
profit even at this low figure.
| NOW that tho city IS not TO nave ltS
own plant, am in favor of allowing the
Trayior or any other 6ond-t;de company to
come in and furnish light to private con-
sumers. Not TO do so would be manltestly
| unjust. especially as the present company
by its own allegation is unable TO furnish
its customers with sufficient light.
THE RIGHT TO RECONSIDER.
II hardly think the Board of Aldermen
will reconsider its action IN voting down
the appropriation for plant for the city.
The fight was waged coolly and deliberate
", and no one that can think OF has had
| on,, roooop N ahanua hiq ViaWs.
" According to my idea the fact that the
Board refused to reconsider thelresolution
last Monday night does not prevent such
action in the future, "a the rules are not
explicit in that direction, but simply say
that reconsideration can only DO had
within sixty days. Neither Is there, SO
far as know any law to prevent the IN
PRODUCTION of a new resolution IN which
the sum to be appropriated was altered
saw to the extent of one dollar or even OF
ono cent"
Better and Cheaper Service.
Mr.. Traylor, of the Traylor Electric
Company, whose petition 10 be allowed 70
furnish lights to private subscribers was
refused several weeks ago, had this TO say
"As to what our prices would be Tor
eIactric lights in case we should become
competitors of the present company, L
would cay it would depend upon the ser
vice required. There IS no doubt that bet
ter service and cheaper rates would De
given consumers by Doth companies. i
would have to consult our board OF direc-
tors before making fixed price. In few
DAYS we will add several new members 20
our Board of Directors. COLONEL Ialcott Will
be president of the company. Considerable
additional capital has been subscribed
Our present capacity IS 125 arc-hghts WIN
. motive-power to double the same. We are
, now manufacturing dynamos for arc, IN;
candescent, and power service, ana VIII
, add to our poWer.station as the demand IN
{ creases. would add that 1914 cents pen
. light per night is low price for arc-hghts
for street service, but we would be willing
to supply some at that price"
Captain PizzlnI Thinks 1t Inadyisabie.
Captain Andrew Pizzini, who is con-
, nected with the management OF the Rich
mond Railway and Electric Company,
which has contract for furnishing the
CITY with electric light for one year from
February Sth, was asked for his views.
? II deem it inadvisable," he said, foi
the city TO venture at present into the
electric-lighting business, because
| First. 1t Will take very large sum OIL
money, which is needed for other and bet
! ter purposes, bozo,dou. bus;.
ness; az our insurance men would say
! too risky.
: Third. The city cannot make anything
ont of the venture except loss.
Fourth. II would not afford any relie
: 10 those of our citizens who wish to USE
3 the lights in thor houses and stores.
? Fifth. am opposed to the corporation
entering into any business which shoulc
: not be a natural monopoly.
D ~ do not know whether you wish any
: argument on the question or just want me
A TO state my position; but should you re
3 auire any argument | would say that M
Q firstly has been demonstrated better thar
/ il is possible for me to do by our able Citl
Engineer, who In a most elaborate an(
o careful estimate states the price for
. plant one fourth tho size that the city, II
o ms Judgment, will require at $4,000, an!
r il further demonstrated by your local tell
ing OF the Street Committees annual tou
,, and the condition of the streets.
= DOES NOT PAY.
NV secondly is stated from experience
7 entered the business some years ago, ant
some of our best-known and most venture
n some capitalists told me, in refusing =
| xtyil matt until IN