The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1897-04-29
TO BUY THE GAS-WORKs.
A MILIION DOLLAR OTFhR nv MR
WILLIAM PAFNEAND OTHERS.
Pr sent Price of Gas Not To be Increa.ed.
and Saving Of Fifty Per Cent.
Promised.

/
and Saving Of Fifty Per Cent.
Promised.
a Joint meeting OF the Committees on
Light and Finance was called for yester-
day evening to consider a proposition from
| Mr.. William j. Payne, Of Richmond. and
others TO purchase the City Gas works.
/ As there was no quorum present, the
committee adjourned over until Saturday
/ nj i. NJ. when it is hoped to have a
/ fun meeting.
MIR. PAYNE represents capitalists who are
| introducing In this city acetylene gas.
which they claim, Is destined 10 be a
/ formidable competitor OF city gas and
/ they propose to the city 20 purchase the
/ works at a million dollars cash rather
| than enter into competition. IL Is pro-
posed to furnish illuminating gas at a
| price not exceeding one dollar per thou
/ Sand. and at "A saving OF AT least nifty
uer cent. TO the consumer Ii is also pro-
| nosed TO furnish fuel gas at forty cents
/ ner thousand, and TO supply a number
I -, charitable institutions with illuminat-
inc Gas in the city free OF charge. the
/ clfv TO get it's gas at seventy-thtce cents
/ per thousand. ... -
were present held an informal conference,
! and read the proposition which Is In fui'
10 '''''"f THE PROPOSITION.
| "EtehmOnd Va. April -. 1872.
"AIr. T.. ID .starke, Chairman Light Com
mittee, City: -.
Dear Slr-Since we began taking on
ders for the lighting OF stores. residences,
| etc' i'm the city with Acetyiene gas. ana
| ia remarkable advantage over any 9th
80 l,nown oethod OF lighting been so fu!-
IA. demonstratod have been approached
| bv a large number OF citizens who nave
seen In IL menace TO The yaiue OF we
| Cifv Gas Works. and asked II our system
could not be used 10 improve the quality
! OF the CITY gas and IL such were possible
why not submit a proposition 90 the CITY
for tho .purehase Of the works instead or
tompetfg with it and possibly taking
from it a. large part OF its revenue.
Il saw without hesitation. and without
reflection i'm tho least on your efficient SUI
poriutendent that coal and water gas
| rann0t compete with Acetvlcne. either
I'm polnt of economy. or in the beauty OF
the lieht produced. and that there are no
methods known by which DO can he M
| nroved In compete with 70 unless Acety-
lone be used as an enricher) and thar
within five years IL VIII have almost en-
tirelv replaced ordinary coal ana water
cas- for domestic and public Lighting IN
fha stores Offices and homes OF our
People III TINS ivy Az "f''f
method Of making Acetyeno gas COM
mercially from coke ana lime or Wnlch
Wa are SO abuudantly supplied IN VIZ
c'nia is ono OF those radical advance
mcnts in science which seem To occur
once I'm every forty or fifty wears. nnd
which also seem TO be especially provided
10 meet the wants or new ana improved
conditions.
WHAT ACETYLENE WILL DO.
The light produced from ordinary ~ -
90 candle power gas. which the people
have boon using for the past thirty or
forty wears IS not sufficient The cror-
nous amount Of reading now done by the
publfc generally makes it imperative thht
ihev have better light. Acetylene gas
has met this want. and 90 such an extent
has 70 met with The popular favor Of
the ufOulr that we already have ln hand
"a considerable number Of orders for in
stailati0u amoue them some OF the
largest stores. residences ara Office Duld-
nes in the city.
As the suggestions previously referred
10 emauatcd nom citizens who have ai-
ways taken great Interest in the weliHie
" tho city. and been earnest workers iof
her good. we have not treated them light
~. but taken them mp I'M business way
ana given thom our careful cOnsldefatloh.
] am frank 10 admit there are advantages
10 us in such an arrangement AZ suggest
ed. We could use our Acetylene gas ar
an cnricher 70 the Gas Works ana I'M
prove its bTiliiancv 10 a remarkable eN-
tent. and supply IL through the street
mains and service pipes as is now done,
thus oDVilting The necessity OF making
individual Installations iu the different
buildings ihlCughout the city but j
would especially call TO your attention
the great advantage TO be derived by our
citizens from such an arrangement They
would obtain gas with 5O per cent more
briliiancy and which would effect saw
fnr "a ff.rrt' o. rN rfr cent
TOO MUCH LEAKAGE.
I'm looking over the condition or the
works. we ind, however, that large eN-
penditures will be- necessary al once TO
M ms throughout the central and older
part OF the city have been down for some
thirty years and are not only entirely too
small. but are badly r0tted This Is
forcbly evidenced by the great loss in
leakage and condensation as shown by
your annual experimenting to about
2i.00O00O cubic feet annually. In the city
OF London where the gas is sent dis
lance OF some seventeen miles, the leak
age and condensation Is less than > per
cent. II would be- necessary. therefore
10 take up these mains entirely and re-
place them with new ones Altogether 1t
would require a minimum expenditure
of about $4,000 on works and mains to
enable MS 20 operate the plant with anr
hope OF profit.
Taking into careful consideration all
of The points i'm question and giving full
allowance for the value Of the plant, 1
therefore on behalf Of myself and asso-
Gates. beg 10 submit the following prep
Ositon. viz
\ MILLION DOLLARS OFFERED.
we will give one million dollars (SLO0u.-
0uO in cash for the works the sale of
same to be authorized by vote OF the
people az the regular election I'm May
and guarantee TO furnish.
st-Illuminatng gas TO the public
Of greater Illuminating power and great
or purity than his now furnished free
from sulphuretted hydrogen at not over
one dollar (Si0O per thousand cubic feet.
"Sccond-Au illuminating gas used BY
the city at not over seventy-three cents
Ga cents per thousand cubic feet
'Third-Au fuel gas used by the Fire
Department for heating water in engine
az thirty-hve cents (5j cents )per thou
sand cubic feet.
'FOurth-All Illuminating gas used by
The city AlmshOu-e (white and colorcd)
not 10 exceed $1,000 cubic feet Der annum
free OF cost All over that quantity AT
Same price as furu shed the CITY.
"Flfth-All Illuminating gas used by the
Richmond Male Orphan Asylum not ex-
ceeding 5000 cubic feet per annum. free
OF cost. All over that quantity at same
price as charged the public.
"Sixth-AlI Illuminating gas used by st.
Joseph's Orphan asylum not exceeding
80 0OO cubic feet per annum, free OF cost
All over that quantity al same PRIDE as
charged the public.
"Seventh-An Illuminating gas used by
the Free Kindergarten, not exceeding 90
900 cubic feet per annum, free OF cost
All over that quantity at same price as