Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1895-03-02
4 SEVEN-YEAR PLAN.
gf. Branch Presents a New Electric
Light Plant Scheme.
rrnLrc DISCUSSION LAST NIGHT.
yo Action Tnkcn-Lteht Committee
Investsgatcs Excessive Gas BiIis
and the selling OF Coke by the
Scgro Zen. TOwncs.

The question OF tDc c3ldDhrHi"'"N
the city Of an electric-llght plant engasc'
the attention OF the Council Commute
on Fynsnce In n public session heid III
Committee Room No. g. OF the Ci'y ''"''
last night. OF the members OF the o'''
,oi,.ee there were present Messrs. i"''-
v.icke (chairman) Allen. Cask'e' >o'"
IanAerf!n. Murphy. Starke. 1a'"e''
vallcrs,ein. 4 large number o, e'""e
mon more or JOSS interested IN '"e -
$50, n, l.sue we're on hama anu '0'N
part In the discussions -.
,,.1i,c, warren read the resoiuuoh' o'-
tc.cs ~ SIR clover in the Conhc"' pro-
IT., for ,be issuance OF $lS'o~ OF
nor cent bonds. covering per'od Oh "'e
s,.,s the proceeds to be ihVes'ea
~, ,jectrlc-uqhtng plant AT Mr. Al
,.,.. s-gpcs.ion. Judge w. J. heaKe was
,...,,seJ ihc privileges Of the hoor' ana
J. .,~c.efod to the committee that the
,,.,.u ,lfil property woult be desirable
go. f.r ne location OF the plant oe-
80. ~ tts splendid water-power. lie
,.,,,,tt II could be purchased NJ a very
t,,y c,f.irc. aud the city would gave money
g.. y.ser and tear OF machinery and the
,,,.ree Of steam by buying the MIL
r.1co Ieake then explained TO the COM
,,i.tce what The property comprised
Nr Glover. father Of the electric-plaht
r.solltion under consideration, was thei'
,-yffed 10 give his views upon the piah'
pfoposition. lie said that the whole POI
i.ori of hts resolution was 10 arrive AT
mo means 10 cXpcnd the 5000 now
..f.naed annually for electric-hgnts' 80
o.. g.. derive The best interests 20 the cry
,,o ,.golutions referred only 10 arc-hgnts'
i..,,ius, out the incandesctnt-ights aNo-
c.fher II the committee could make any
sa1iiiopal recommendation ne WOuiu
gladly agree 20 them.
Uore Nlr Wnllersrein read part OF
rcport submitted some time ago py
subcommittee to the Commute" "r
Iieht. and which was published at III.
time. In this the estimate 10 pu' :"
plant Of J00 arc ana o'V' lhc'l,'' .,',,ia,,
itrb,s yaa st53.asi. with necessary ouuay
~ e. sec per month. or about $O."o year
COR running expenses. The Income iro,n
ouch f, nlapt. Mir. Walerstein said' Woui'
Ie about $3.50.
THE ENGINEERS VIEWS.
colore, Cutshaw was called upon to
,rcs,nt hts Views TO the committee ne
.tnted that some four years ago ne i"u
,,,de an estitnate Of tn cost OF an elec
tric.iicht plnnt, but thought at present
the whole question before the co'l'ni'.o'
us whether the city expected To Commune
.,,s-ltght with eleciric-lght or supple
iucut or supplant il by clectric-nghG ne
question. however should De dtclutu w
lie Superintendent Of Light II fhoui" "o
,rst aarertalncd whether IL would he wise
90 ada electric-Ilght 10 the gas-plant. In
its ontnion electric-light would hnaily
take the place of gas-lght; but OF course
when this would take place coulh ho' pe
oven stated. The committee Would nave
On decide whether additions should be
made TO the gas-plant or nn elec'iic-hsn.
plart should be- established. lie thousht
fhe committee should not hamper llseH az
10 details. The proper thing 10 90 was
FIRST 10 decide the principal quesuoh~
what was To be done whethtr 'ne sn
rIent should be increased or an electric
light plant established or eieVN40"S N"'
OF altogether.
Cciouol Cutshaw recommended tnnt 'ne
citv start small electric-light pant IN
"a ulacc where II could he easily enlaigeu'
a necessary. He thought that capacity
of 2e0 nrc-lights would be suIhcient Tor
the BEGINNING. Another question TO DC
coYsldcred was whether or not the cry
should 70 into the furnishing oi colniner-
c,,l ,leciric-Hshts. which would, OF course,
Increase ;he running expenses. The COM
,,i,tcr vouid have 20 decide for them-
s,lyea whether they recognized that gas
,,ould have 70 give way to the electric
u M If en- clectrc-light plant was es-
tablisbcd no matter how small TOT every
clectrlc-light certain nunlpei
pf Gas nrhts should be taken out lie
would recommend that che CITY
place Itself In q position so as 10 estap-
isn an clcctric-lirht plant
The Guy Engineer added that MS eS"
r,,te four years ago was for plant OF
a capacity Of - are and Loo incanaes
cont lights at an expense of $4,000; bd'
he thought that at present TINS price
could bs somewhat reduced. Nhen asked
phout the present arc Lights, Colonel Cut
phlw though, that they would not aver
nae 900 candle-powcr
THE ESTIMATES FAIR.
At the request Of Colonel Cutshaw. Mr.
r,,ncv. an electrical engineer. was heard
IIe considered Colonel Cutshaws estimate
"a fair one. but he thought that to-day
fuch a plant could be established ior
$4,000 lie also regarded the estimate
submitted by Mr.. Wallerstein TO be ialr'
ana thought that quite numb OF com
pnnies would bc willing TO erect plant
Of 10 arc and Goo incandesctnt hghts
for $4,000. lie dil not think that such a
4 liant MNhil ANAI ~ 0hitahh' fN'
i.it he advised the city. as long as IL was
running S. own gas plant TO protect i's
, venues. which were cut into by the cleo
trlc-lghts. by establishing a plant OF us
own. ly opcmting only arc llghts 'hc
sum Of from N5OQ0 to SlW1 would De
saved annually \ plant OF 800 arc lights
could be established for $4,000. including
the cost Of site. ami the running eN-
prn.es should not exceed $4,000 year.
Hp raj Ipf of |
.owcr would b. almost as expensive as
.team.pawer. The price Of a 2,0O-candle-
nov.tr arc lght varied 80 much In the dii- !
rent cites that he could not make an !
,Ver.., estimate. their cost being quoted |
fom $72 20 X2l5 per year. To run 1lp-
trc-lrbt plant 10y steam. he thought, |
WOULD require $SoCO or S9oO0 for fuel alone
Nr Charles T. Chi.ds. another electrical
rg nrer. was next heard. lie submitted
detailed table as 10 the cost or arc
.-ht. La nincty-two cities furnished by |
if.,at, companies al an average cost Of
/, Ss ger year. against $3.50 per year IN
cities where municipal plants
ue .n u.s. In speaking Of the ola
PUMP House as a site he stated that the
vater-puWer there was only W-horse-
lower. at tne very best. with considerable
,-uct.ons on many days. To extend the
Lsm IA Order 10 increase the power
would bras ou legal controversies with
.sc different owners as 10 the riparian
.ignts
COMPANY NOT RESPONSIBLE
Captain Andrew Pizzini. Jr.. was given
Tie floor. and said that he was present
10 "a d,-d capclty-as a member OF the
lNchmonl Railway and Electric Company
ani as taxpayer OF the city He asked !
Mr huncy if Do, We're not In attendance
us ihe representative of the Fort Wayne
Company and received a
negative reply. Captain pizziul said that
his company was usiag the Fort Waync's
j M machines. which had been guar
antsci of 2wV candle-powcr and II the
] thts were actually less than that the
rtspCns4biliiy should not rest upon the
richmond company. Tho latter. however
captain ilzzlni continued was ready fo |
pay Tor the services OF an expert who |
lisht be called In at any time TO test
he candle-puwcr Of the lights furnished |
% The city. In the event the test shoui1
tycal an infcriorlty the company would {
.car all expenses ana bear the loss by
,ssou % such deficiency.
THE PRESENT PLANT. ,
re said that the capacity Of the presen ]
ant WAS of 80 arc and 1850 incandescen,
amps The company was perfectly Will. ,
'F 10 have subcommittee examine uS
.llSs. and would BE- glad 10 sell the plant
% iNr city al a low figure lie areafp