Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-04-29
CONDITIONS OF THE PURCHASE.
To he Paid For I'm Cash, ana the
Product to BE Better and Cheaper
Than Now-No Action Taken Upon
the Matter.
the Matter.

upon certain provisions to be lived up to
by the purchasers. The sum Of $4,000 Is
to be expended in full gas plant, and
II is guaranteed that Illuminating gas
will be given to the consumer at a much
less cost because Of the increased illumi-
mating power to be given thereto. In
brief. the syndicate proposes. i'm addition
to the above. to furnish citizens with
Illuminating gas at 81 per 1000 cubic feet,
and gas for heating and cooking at 20
cents per LOCO.
The members Of the committees pres
ent We're Chairman Starke and Messrs.
Rountree. Harrelson. Tanner and Witte
Mr.. Paynes proposition was submitted
and informally considered. and it was de-
cided that another meeting to take the
matter under advisement should be held
Saturday afternoon at o'clock.
MIR. PAYNE'S PROPOSITION.
Appended is the proposition of Mr..
Payne:
Richmond. Va, April % 1891
Mr.. T.. d. Starke, Chairman Light Com
mittee. City:
Dear Sir.-Since we began taking orders
for the lighting of stores, residences, etc.
in the city with acetylene gas and its
remarkable advantages over any other
known method of lighting been so fully
demonstrated, / have been approached by
a large number OF citizens who have seen
i'm il menace to the value OF the City
Gas-Works. and asked If our system could
not be used TO improve the quality of
the city gas and If such were possible.
why not submit proposition to the city
for the purchase of the works. instead Of
competing with it. and, possibly. taking
from it a large part of its revenue.
/ say, without hesitation, and without
rejecting In the least on your efficient
Superintendent, that coal and water gas
cannot compete with acetylene. either in
point of economy, or in the beauty Of the
light produced and that there are no
methods known by which il can be inn
proved TO compete with II unless acety-
lene be used as an enricher, and that
within five years it will have almost en-
tirey replaced ordinary coal and water
gas for domestic and public lighting i'm
the stores. offices. and homes OF our peo-
pie in this city. The discovery of the
method OF making acetylene gas. CONNER
cially. from coke and lime. Of which we
are so abundantly supplied in Virginia.
is one Of those radical advancements in
science which seem to occur once in every
I
TO be especially provided TO meet the
wants Of new and improved conditions.
QUALITY OF THE GAS.
The light produced from ordinary 10
to 2O-candle-power gas. which the people
have been using for the past thirty or
forty years, is not sufficient. The enor-
nous amount Of reading now done by the
public generally makes 1t imperative that
they have better light. Acetylene gas has
met this want. and 10 such an extent
has ii met with the popular favor of the
people that we already have in hand a
considerable number of orders for in
stallation, among them some of the
largest stores residences, and office build
ings in the city.
AS the suggestions previously referred
10 emanated from citizens who have
always taken great interest In the well
fare of the city, and been earnest work
ers for her good, we have not treated
them lightly, but taken them UP I'm a
business way, and given them our careful
consideration. l am frank TO admit there
are advantages to US in such an arrange
ment as suggested. We could use our
acetylene gas as an enricher at the gas
works, and improve its brilliancy to a
remarkable extent. and supply it through
| the sLIeel-lnalnS ana service PIPES as is
now done. thus obviating the necessity of
making individual installations in the
different buildings throughout the city;
but / would especially call TO your at
tenti0n the great advantage to be de-
! rived by our citizens from such an ar.
rangement. They would obtain gas with
| 80 per cent. more briliancy, and which
| would effect saving to them of 50 pei
/ cent.
In looking over the condition of the
works we find, however, that large ex-
/ penditures will be necessary at once "a
equip them properly. Most of the street
| mains throughout the central and Older
| part Of the city have been down fol
some thirty years, and are not only en-.
| tirely too small but are badly rotted
| This is forcibly evidenced by the grea
| loss in leakage and condensation, as
shown by your annual reports-amount
ing to about 2i,O00.OO0 cubic feet annually
| In the city of London where the gas is
| sent a distance of some seventeen miles
the leakage and condensation is less thar
per cent. 1t would be necessary there
fore. to take up these mains entirely anC
replace them with new ones. Altogether
| IL would require a minimum expenditure
| OF about $4,000 on works and mains L
enable us TO operate the plant with any
hope Of profit.
OFFER OF A MILLION
| Taking into careful consideration al