The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1895-03-02
INVITING INFORMATION
AS TO TIE ESTABLISHING or AN
ELECTRIC LIGHT PLANT.
The Finance Committee Listen to Different
Views for Nearly -Four Hours-A Com
promise Suggested by Col. Branch.

! President Glover IN the common NOuIIcIi
! looking towards the establishment Of
municipal electric light plant There was
a large attendance Of persons interested
| In the matter. and all the members OF the
committee were present, namely. Messrs.
| Hardwicke chairman. Allen, Caskic'
| Cottrell, Landerkin, Murphy. Starke, Tan
ner and Walierstein.
Auditor Warren, the clerk Of the COM
mittee, first read the resolution as re-
| ferred by the Common Council and, on
| motion Of Mr.. Allen, the privilege or the
! floor was then given to Judge Leake,
| who suggested the HaXall Mills property
| as a most admirable location for such
| plant on account OF its water power. lie
thought it could be purchased at very
! low figure, and the city would save
money in buying that property. To pro-
| duce by steam d thousand horsepower
| would cost from 5000 to 81, 800 Tor fuel
| alone. which amount represented the in
| terest on S225,OO0 i'm four per cent bonds,
| and to this expense the annual wear and
| tear Of the entire plant would have to he
| added.
The HaXall property comprised 8 81
| acres OF land, and contained ample build
! lnSs, suinclently strong and with suffi-
! Gent room for a plant, which could at
| present furnish $50 horse power, but
| could easily be increased TO liS0 horse
power The land surrounding the bull
| ingS was sufficient TO build thereon "A city
! Jail and also the city stables while there
would still be land left tor sale The prop
erty was located almost in the centre OF
| the city from the east to the west. and
| large amount Of money could be saved
! al a small additional expense in improving
| the present buildings. etc
| President Glover was then invit Il, on
] motion of Mr. Caskie 10 present his
views, but he stated that he whole pur-
| port Of his resolution was to arrive "A
| some means to spend the $4,000 now eX-
| pended annually for electric light % the
| best advantage of the city. The Tesolu-
ton referred only to are lights and left
| out incandcscent lights altogether. If
| the committee could make any additional
| recommendations he would gladly agree
to them.
Mr. Wallerstein read part of i report
| submitted some time ago by a FIb-com-
mittce TO the Committee Oh Light. and
| which was published at the time.
| The total estimate for the esta blishng OF
plant for 500 arc lights and 5000 mean
| descent lights was Slo5,5Gi. with $iS3G per
month. or about $4,000 "A year for run
| ming expenses. The income OF such
! plant is estimated at $gl 500, or a net
! profit Of S33,609 per year.
COLONEL cUIsHAw
! Colonel Cutshaw was called upon to
| present his views to the committee. lie
| stated that some four years ago he had
| made an estimate of the cost Of an
| electric light plant, but he thought at
| present the whole question before the
| committee at this time was whether the
| "A IL
| electric light. or supplement or supplant
| ii by electric light. This question. how
| ever, should he decided by the supern-
tendent of light. 1t should be first ascer-
tanned whether it would be wise TO add
| electric light 10 the gas plant In his
| opinion electric nsn, would finally take
| the place OF gas light, but. Of course,
when this would take place could not
| be now stated, but the committee would
| have to decide whether additions should
| he made to the gas plant or an electric
| light plant should be established lie
| thought the committee should not ham
| per itself as to details. and the proper
| thing to do was first TO decide the pr.n-
cipal question, what was TO be done.
| whether the gas plant should be in
| creased or an electric light plant estab-
| lished, or electricity cut OFF altogether
Colonel Cutshaw recommended that the
| city start a small electric light plant in
| a place where il could he easily en-
larged, if necessary and he thought that
| a capacity of 200 are lights would be
! sufficient for the beginning. Another
| question to be considered was whether or
| not the city should go into the furnish
| ing Of commercial electric lights. which
| would, of course, increase the running
| expenses. The committee would have 10
| decide for themselves. whether they
| recognized that gas would have 10 give
/ way 10 the electric light II an electric
| light plant was established, no matter
| how small for every established electric
| light certain number of gas lights
| should be taken ont. He certainly would
| recommend that the city place itself In
| position so as TO establish an electric
| light plant.
COLONEL CUTsHAw's ESTIMATE.
Colonel Cutshaw added that his est
| mate four years ago was for 400 are
| lights and 1500. incandescent lights, at an
| expense Of $1,000, but lie thought that at
present this price could be somewhat re-
| duced. When asked about the present are
| lights. Colonel Cutshaw thought that they
| would not average 1900 candle power
| AT the request Of Colonel Cutshaw. Mir.
| Finney, an electrical engineer, was
heard, who considered Colonel Cutshaw' s
estimate a fair one. but he thought that
to-day such a plant could be established
for Sl20 600. He also regarded the estimate
! submitted by Mr. Wallcretein 10 be fair.
| and thought that quite number OF com
| panies would be willing 10 erect a plant
| of 800 arc and 1000 incandescent lights
| for $4,000 He did not think that such a
| plant would entirely supplant gas light,
| but he advised the city. as long as II
| was running its own gas plant TO pro-
| tect its revenues, which were cut into
| by the electric lights, by establishing a
| plant Of its own. by operating only arc
! lights the sum of from $1,000 TO 10000
| could be saved annually. plant OF 80
arc lights could be established for Sl2OcO,
| including the cost of cite. ard the run
ming expenses should not exceed $500 a
| year He thought the maintenance OF a
| water power would be almost as expen-
| sive as steam power The price of a 1000
| candle power arc light varied so much in
| the different cities that he could not make
| an average estimate. their cost being
| quoted from S72 TO S2l5 per year. To run a
| 900 arc light plant by steam, he thought
would require 5000 or 5000 for fuel
| alone.
AVERAGE COST OF ARC LIGHTS.
Mr.. Charles 7. Child. another electrical
engineer. was next heard. He submitted
| a detailed table as 10 the cost or arc
| lights in 92 cities furnished by private
companies at an average cost Of sll2e5
| per year. against $500 per year in 81
cities where municipal plants are in eX-
istence. In speaking of TIE old pump
| house as a site, he stated that the water
| power there was only SEQ horse power.
| at the very best, with considerable reduc-
| lions on many days. To extend the dam
| in order to increase the power would