Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1891-04-26
THE LIGHT PLANT.
A PLAN SUGGESTED FOR RAISING THE
MONEY.
A Citizen Suggests Tha the Gas Works IS Per-
fsctly Able TO Incur Most Of
the Estimated Expense.

! In the next few days it will be the duty
OF Council to provide ways and means TO
cover the cost OF an electric light plant.
Several plans are under consideration.
The following, however, while not thought
of probably By Council as yet, deserves its
careful consideration. II has the merit Of
feasibility. and what is more gratifying,
the funds come largely from source that
is to reap the benefit, namely, the gas con-
sumers While paying for the plant, they
are not taxed any more for
their gas than now, and when
the streets, alleys and public
buildings are lighted with electricity, the
saving will be so great that il will more
than pay for running the electric light
plant, and pay the interest on the invest
ment, with something 10 spare.
The plan, as outlined by a gentleman
familiar with city affairs, and who has
held several municipal posts of trust and
Importance, is in his own language ABOUT
as follows:
Il have a well-defned idea that the mat
ter of finances should be put largely IN the
hands of the Board of Gas Trustees. com
posed of gentlemen both competent and
able TO give it. under the concurrent ac-
Council, the proper direction. Let the
Council provide a site for the power
house and erect the necessary building
and foundations, and pay for them out OF
the general fund of the city. Then let the
Finance Committee cut all interest charges
off the Gas Board estimate. 90
over their estimated expenditures with
a careful eye, pruning it here and
there, and in this way accumu
late as much money together as is
possible Let the cash, which will amount
to considerable sum, be applied TO pay
ment of the light plant this year, and by
pursuing the same policy in 1892, feel
sure that the plant can be paid for This
need not cripple the gas works, for not
only has it tackled thugs like this in years
past, but believe it is better able now TO
take on a little extra work. for its own
ultimate benefit, than ever before. As we
all know, while the works charged up the
expenses of lighting the streets in 1889 at
about $4,000 and in 1890 at $4,000,
it still carried over surplus in
1889 Of Sl6,972 and paid S6,759 Of interest
on bonds besides, making 80, ,122, while in
1890 it carried over a surplus of Sl2, III, and
paid $l3, ,T52 of interest, making SCI, ,939, and
made very considerable betterments to the
works in addition Now, IL is not improper
TO Judge of this year 1891 by what hap
pened in 1890. After making the improve
ments ! have spoken of in that year the
works had a surplus and paid out for in
terest sums aggregating $2j, ,939 Let US
assume that it can do as much this year.
and then add to the credit account what
ever it costs TO light the streets and
public buildings with gas and oil, and
we have a sum, possibly augmented by
savings which the Finance Committee may
be able TO point out in the estimate Of the
Trustees, which will, feel sure, pay near
ly or quite one-half the cost Of the plant.
and the remainder can be settled, perhaps
by the city and the works jointly, next
year. 1t may be said, in opposition to this,
that it will cripple the works. Permit
me to say it will do nothing OF
the sort The works are in better
condition to-day than they have been
for years, and it must be recollected, in ad-
dition, tn at the moment the electrical plant
is started. the works will have 10 make far
less gas than at present, and will get cash
money for all that is made barring leak
age-a very different situation from that
existing at present, when the city burns
one foot out Of every six that is made.
Now, this is not new thing for the works
to dol mean to undertake large expendi-
lures of this sort. Twelve or more years
ago, when gas was put on the Island,
and great improvements were made, the
Trustees undertook TO shoulder the whole
cost, amounting TO over 5000, and they
paid it without trouble. The city voted
bonds for that work, and they were given
TO the Trustees but not a solitary bond
was ever sold, the whole issue being de-
stroyed by fire by the Trustees, who there
by saved the city much money in the way
of interest. The same thing happened
when the big gasometer was put in, some
years ago, which, with other i'm
provements, cost about $4,000 The
works paid this sum IN about
two years without trouble, and, as before
remarked, | think it is better able now to
tackle the electric light than it was to un-
dertake either Of the very large expendi-
lures of money have enumerated IL oc-
ours TO me that this matter is well worthy
of serious consideration by all interested
in the erection of this great Improvement,
and If the Commission. Council. the Trus-
tees aud the Finance Committee will tackle
the matter in the proper spirit all will be
tvoll -