The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1892-04-19
ENCORE THE ELECTRIC PLANT.

The Dispatch must pardon US, but we have
really TO say that we do not see any meaning
in the popular expression. Natural Monopoly
in Gas" Gas is made from coal. Cider is
made from apples. Coal is accessible to all
men; apples may be grown bv all men; the
air is free to all men. As cider may be
pressed from apples by all men. so may gas
be taken from coal by all men. We can per-
ceive no more of natural monopoly" in gas
than in cider
So far as gas is concerned. the Dispatchs
principal objection to private gas companies
seems to be based upon its proposition that
the principal streets are already occupied by
all the pipes the city can or ought to allow TO
be put down." Whether the city ought to
allow any more pipes to be put down in the
streets is of course question of policy. 1t 10
the main question, TO wit Should there be
private companies. or should there not II
is perfectly idle to say that the streets contain
all of the pipes that can be put down in the
streets skillful engineer will put down in
| our streets many times the number of pipes
| that they now contain, and still have plenty
of room for many more. II the Dispatch
should look at lower Broadway with its sur
face removed, and then at Main street with
its surface removed. it would come to the
conclusion that Main street had hardly
enough pipes in il 10 make the fact known.
AS we have said before. we do not think the
matter of laying down pipes entitled to a
moments consideration.
We clipped from the Dispatch last Friday
an item of news which is a curious common
tary upon this controversy. 1t was that at
| meeting of the Rockets Democratic Club
Thursday night resolution was adopted ask
ing the Common Council not to vote for the
resolution, which was agreed to in the Board
of Aldermen last Monday evening. establish
ing water gas plant and appropriatng $780,
| 600 for its erection.
We wish this resolution had been passed by
a Republican instead Of Democratic club.
Water gas can be manufactured by fewer
hands than coal gas and therefore with less
expense to the tax payers. But since the
cheaper water-gas plant will cause fewer per-
sons 10 get living at the city's expense. the
| Rockets club wants the water-gas appropria-
ton defeated. And this is all there is in the
backbone of the movement for an electric
plant.
1t will furnish places for ward politicians
to live in at the expense of the taxpayers of
the city. and so they naturally favor it, We,
of course. are far from suggesting that that is
the reason that controls our neghbor. We
put our neighbor down as amongst those who
are joined TO an idol. 80 we let it alone But
the popular strength of the proposition. If it
has any. is amongst the toe warming" gentry
and not amongst the tax payers.
IL there were no other reason why the city
should not erect an electric plant, the follow
ing is sufficient to deter her from doing so
now: The science is in its infancy. Improve
ments 60 on in it so rapidly that we know
the various companies engaged il electrical
industries refuse to make up their exhibits
for the Worlds Far at Chicago, alleging that
they will put off their make up to the last
moment to include the latest improvements
They fear to be improved" out of their
make up" If they are at all previous
We know electricity is produced by the
simple act of combustion. That is. our din
ing-room CRATES are every hour producing all
the electricity that We Iced for the nights
consumption. which we lose because we do
not know how to catch il. Yankee has
patented process for catching and storing
all this electricity. and The Electrical World
for April Q, 1892. contains at page GAG an
account Of an invention by Frenchman for
collecting the electricity evolved at our cook
| ing stoves during the dav and STORING n fo,
night use. The Electrical World thinks ths
invention will do.
What is to become Of our el25. 900 plant Ito
cost 100000 whom this simplifcation of the
process occurs? We shall have to treat It a
Macbeth would have treated al medicine