The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1895-04-24
TO BURN ANOTHER YEAR
CONTRACT FOR ELECTRIC LIGHT"
AGREED TO BY THE COUNCIL.
A Long and Heated Debate Brings for'n
the Old Argument s-sev~rsl Amend
ments Defeated.


at times rather heated. but the argument
brought forth was I'm The main Cnly d
repetition OF what had been trought out
on former occasions.
Outside OF the railing there was large
number Of spectators who eagerly ioi-
lowed the procc cdings. Among the hsteh-
ers were quite a number of promihehl
citizens who are rarely found at such
gatherings. -,
AS soon as City Clerk August han
read the call for the meeting, MI
Grimes, chairman CT the committee vi
Light, moved that the vote be recohS'uel
ed by which the resolution had peeh re-
jected, providing that the Committee on
Light enter into a contract with the
Richmond Railway and Electric Company
for the furnishing cf 500 electric arc hghts
of LOO cardle-power during the ensuing
wear. the number to be eventually IN
creased TO Coz.
After the resolution had been taken
up AR. Branch offered an amendment 20
the effect that the Superinte adent OF the
pas-works shall keep a weekly state
mont of the ca1dle-power of the lights.
ard that the company shall be paid IN
nrorortion to the amount OF candle-poW-
or furnished. and that $4,000 be set ASIDE
annually for five years and placed 10 the
credit of an account TO be known as
the electric-light fund. The Commission
ers Of the Sinking Fund are instructed 10
invest these amounts, and place all pro
fits derived therefrom to the credit OF
| the same fund.
TO PURCHASE A PLANT.
Mr.. Davis offered as an amendment
! IN a part of Mr.. Branchs amendment
| that the sum of $4,000 Of per cent. city
| bonds he appropriated for the purchase
| Of an eectric-light plant.
| During the discussion of these various
rroposit!ons. MIR. John -. Epps arose to
a question Of personal privilege, ana re-
| ferrod TO certain imputations cast upon
1 members of the Council known as DAY
| labor men. The remarks alluded to had
| been made by Mr.. Wallerstein at the
| Chamber of Commerce meeting on lasl
| Thursday evening lie said Mr.. Waller
| stein had misrepresentcd some OF the
| members OF the Common Council by
| stating that the day-labor men were re-
| sponsibIe I'm the lower branch OF tne
| 60, rcil for the defeat Of the approprla-
ton for electric light.
| Mr. Wallcrstein stated the circuln-
| stances under which he made his remarks
| before the Chamber of Commerce meet
| ING. and said that the Chamber was IN no
wav responsible for his words. which
were simply uttered by an individual
member. He had spoken out in an open
| meeting about the action OF a body OF
! nubIic men. and had nothing to retracu
| He felt confident that his language wouid
| be borne out by the records OF the
| Council.
Mr.. Davis also spoke on questionfof
personal privilege. and reiterated that ne
had taken deep interest In the ngnt
| about the establishing of an electric
light plant, and that he mad ALSO AWAY ;
been a staunch advocate OF DAY labor.
He had advocated and worked for these
measures. because he believed they were
| for the best interests of the city OF Rich
| mond.
After brief remarks by Messrs. Glover,
| Murphy, Seay, aIdr Landerkin on the
subject, the question was called upon
the amendmentsof Mr.. Davis. The latter
gentleman exnlained the difficulties which
the Committee on Light had 10 meet Win
in attempting to secure reliable hsures
in regard to the establishing of mu-
niclpal electric light plant. He assured
tho Council that these difficulties were
chiefly caused by the fact that no APP
! propriation had as yet been made for
such purrCse. and ttat builders Of elcc-
| tric-light plants would not submit BIDS
unless such appropriations had been
made.
The amendment offered by Mr.. Davis
was then rejected. and the first clause
of the amendment presented by Mr.
Branch was taken up, which provides FOR
the taking of the candle-power of the
electris lights furnished TO the city.
SUPERINTENDENT ADAMS ExPLAINs.
Superintendent Adams, Of the Gas
Works who was present, was asked as
TO the manner in which such tests could
be made He stated that there did not
seem TO exist machine for making an
absolutely correct test of the candle
power of electric lights. In his opinion
| the lights furnished to the city at pres
ent had about from 1000 to 200 candle
power while the city had contracted foi
arc lights of 1900 candle-power. Ht
thought. however. that no 1900 candle
power light could be produced.
Some further discussion was indulge
in. as TO the saving of $4,000 annual.
under the proposed new contract. Mr.
Landerkin thought that the credit 10
this saving should be given TO the wori
done by the Committee on Light Will
A,r Murphy was OF the opinion ina
President Gloyer's first resolution in re
gard TO the establishing OF municipa
electric-light plant had induced the com
pany TO propose reduction of the cos
Of the lights MIR. Branch thought ina
the entire Council. By its action, de
served credit for this condition of affairs
he introduced soon after he became
member, and witch provided for th'
purchase of plant under hve-yea
plan.
The first feature of Mr.. Branch's amend
ment was agreed to, while the secon
| proposition as to the $4,000 appropria
I ton, was, after a long discussion, &c
feated by the following vote:
Ayes-Messrs. Blanks, Branch, Grimes
I and Lawder1.
Q Noes-Messrs. Bloomberg. Briggs. Broci
e | Cottrell, Davis, Dacont, Donleavy. Eppi
a ! Ferriter, Griffin, Gunst, Hobson. jackson
\ Landerkin. Mcdowell, Murphy, Pag'
: Seay, Wallerstein. Woody, and Presder
: | Glover-2l.
= The original resolution, as amended, wa
then put and adopted only Messrs
Blanks, Diacont, Lawder. Murphy, an
President Glover voting against II.
Mr.. Gunst offered resolution givin
permission to Chief Fuller. of the FIJI
: department, 10 erect two large sheds q
! temporary quarters for the apparatt
) of the department. now at old WASHING
! ton Hall, during the erection OF the ne
] fire headquarters upon that site.
! The resolution was adopted, and n
| Council adjourned.