The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1892-12-06
WILL HAVE WATER GAS.
COMMON COUNCIL INDORsED THE
BoARD's ACTION.
The City Fathers Did Great Dear oil
Important Business at the Meet
ing Last Night.

with the reading OF the minutes OF the
lac, meeting. and in the meantime great
deal of business was done by the mem
be.s for and against the establishment OF
q water gas plant.
All the members were present with the
exception OF Messrs. john Mann, Jr' anu
T. NJ Noble, who were sick.
The Committee on Streets presented
twenty-five resolutions providing Tor the
grading OF the streets Of the part OF Lee
district recently Incorporated In the CITY
limits, at the expense OF the abuttlhg pro
perty owners. On molten OF Mr.. C,I'is
the resolutions were referred to the FIN
ance Committee.
The following appropriations were MADE
ON the recommendation of the Commit
tee on Streets: 500 for the paving OF the
road-bed of Sixth street. south OF Cahai
street. with granite spalls; $Seb'S' TOT me
grading and paving OF the alley between
Cary and Canal and Second ana 1ihru
streets.
The following recommendations were
referred TO the Finance Committee on
motion Of Mr. Curtis: To appropriate
1000 for the grading, curbing ana paving
OF the road-bed and sidewalks OF mir
teenth street west of Shockoe SIP; 10
appropriate 81 1866 for the extension OF the
sewer on First street from Leigh 10 Rowe
streets
rrnon the recommendation OF the Fin
ance Committee the following appropria-
tions were made: $500 for the construc-
ton OF a sewer on First street; 300 for
the continuation Of the improvements
now going on at Shockoe Hill cemetery
5000 for the introduction of steam neat
ing apparatus in the Navy Hill ana Men
olson street school buildings.
which appropriated $3.50 for the purchasing
of gas-house coke to be furnished to the
City Mission for distribution among the
colored poor Of the city. The finance
Committee had recommended the rejection
of the resolution, but it was adopted by
vote Of p to 6.
The Committee on Light recommended
the adoption of a resolution, aVroprlating
$40 600 for the extension Of the gas mains
into Barton Heights. 1t was referred 10
the Committee on Finance.
The Committee on Water recommended
the adoption Of a resolution providing TOT
the extension Of the water main on belFh
street 10 the shops Of the Richmond freu-
ericksburg and Potomac Railroad Com
pany at the expense Of the company
which is also to pay the sum $500 annually
into the city treasury, and the water Is
only to be used for the extinguishing on
fire If the city limits should be ex-
tended in that direction, that water main
IS to become the property or the CITY
The resolution was adopted.
The usual number of building permits
was granted upon the recommendation or
the Committee on Fire Department.
An ordinance was adopted upon the re-
ccmmendation Of the Committee on Gene
teries fixing the price for lots in certain
part Of Oakwood cemetery at twelve cents
per square foot.
MIR. Gibson on behalf OF the joint Com
mittees on Claims, Salaries and Streets,
submitted a report recommending the re-
lection of the claims for damages from
overflow, which had been presented by
number of residents on Main street, near
Madison street.
When the resolution was taken up, which
provided for the appropriation or $20Ooo
for the establishment of water gas
plant Mr.. Glover offered as an amend
ment that the price of gas be reduced to
s.OO per 1000 cubic feet this reduction
10 take place at the establishment and
installation Of the water gas plant.
Mr. Glover explained that he offered the
amendment In order to bring the question
TO an issue. whether the 1000 gas takers
in this city should be benefited or some
ten, twenty thirty or forty men shOuld
be retained in the employ Of the city.
When questioned by Mr.. Glover super
intendent Adams stated with the permls-
sion of the Council that If the price or
gas was reduced to $lOO, the revenue TO
the city would remain the same, If water
gas was substituted for coal gas.
The amendment of Glover was then
adopted Ly the following votes:
Ayes-Nessrs. Boykin, Brauer, Carneal,
Carter. Curtis Davis. Epps, Ferriter,
Gibson GroOms GuigOn, King, Mcdowell,
Murphy Page. Seay, Stratton. Thomas,
Trower Vaughan, w. l.. White and
GlOver-23.
Noes-Messrs. CARRIER, Grimes. Jackson,
Smith and Royal White-5.
Superintendent Adams, at the wish OF
the members of the Council, explained
the reasons why he deemed the intro
ductiOn Of water gas not only desirable,
but necessary. II this is not done &C
cordng to Mr.. Adams. it will be necessary
to construct an additional holder at an
expense of $4,000 to supply the wants OF
the citizens. The cost Of putting coal
gas I'm the holder was fifty cents per LOU
cubic feet and of water gas twenty-five
cents AT present about sixty per cent
OF all the gas used In this country Is
water gas. The gas furnished the city
now is of 10 ID candle-power, while water
gas could easily be furnished OF % can
dle-power.
Mr.. j. Taylor Stratton spoke at some
length in favor of the measure, and
made many interesting statements. In
referring TO letters that he had received
on the subject, and which he read before
the Council he said:
Thus YOU see that while our own IA
yorite chemist, DR.. Taylor states that
water gas by itself is dangerous that
mixed with coal gas its danger is de-
creased, and that under our present
conditions he would allow its use in our
city" the other expert testimony IN the
main agree with DR.. Taylor, yet they
plainly convey the idea that the improve
ments I'm the machinery generating water
gas have been such as to almost en-
tirely eliminate the question of danger
and further that water gas mixed with
coal gas is as harmless as coal gas alone
This opinion is concurred in by one OF
our most respected fellow-ctizens, a gem
tleman long a member Of the Board of
Aldermen, and who, as chairman of
committee TO investigate this subject as
early as 1852 or "a, writes, under date OF
November 18th. that all OF the cities
they visited where coal gas was being
used have since adopted water gas. Thus
believe that the question of safety can
but be decided in the affirmative.
Now, as to the question Of cost and
brllliancy, according to the report of the
National Heat and Power Company, no
H9 Walnut street. Philadelphia. for the
month of October, 1892 Ca copy Of which
have I'm my possession. subject 10 inves-
tgation), / find that the cost Of making
and delivering water gas in their holder
at their plant in West Chester Pa, is
1881 cents. and from the letters of Pro-
fessor Wilson, that water gas is being
Ar .x.A e,lI -. Co. - 1. H..