Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-10-02
ASKING FOR RIGHTS.
THREE COMPANIES WANT ELEc.
TRrcAL PRIVILEGES HERE.
RIVER POWER MATTER DISCUSSED.
subcommittee Asks City Attorney
and Engineer to Draw on Ordf.
pancc--contract for OIL for City
cns-works Awarded.

The subcommittee from the Commit
tee on streets appointed to consider the
application OF the Virginia Electric Com
pany, OF Baltimore. for permission 10 do
a general electric business in .his city
held meeting in Room No. of the
City Han az o'clock last night.
There were present Messrs. Ebei CHAIR
mani, Foster, Bahen, John j. and John
NJ. King. The petition OF the Virginia
Electric Company was taken UP. and
Mr.. Eoei called the attention OF the body
20 the fact that there was an ordinance
requiring persons asking for franchises
20 use the citys streets TO put up a
bond OF $1,000 before such petitions could
pc considered by the Council. City
Attorney Meredith said ne had never
seen this ordinance, but that it was a
bad measure. IL meant the keeping of
industries and enterprises away from
Richmond. He thought IL perfectly COM
potent for the committee TO consider the
application before It. and make such re-
lamentations to the Council as IL
chose. The Council could then deal with
the ordinance requiring that a $4,000
bond be deposited. Mr.. Meredith con-
tnued by explaining that he had pre-
pared an ordinance, in accordance with
a request from the Committee on Light.
which was applicable TO the matter the
slb-committee had under consideration.
There were number of features in the
ordinance presented by the Virginia
Electric Company which he would not
recommend.
There then followed an informal dis
cussion OF the subject Of granting fran
chises to light and power companies,
and the body agreed 10 hear from Mr..
Todd. OF Baltimore. a representative of
the Virginia Company.
COMPANY'S PLANS EXPLAINED.
Mr. Todd briefly explained the objects
OF his company, which have several times
been printed in the Dispatch. and which
are 10 so harness up the water-power Of
James river as to be able 10 furnish power
TO electric-light, street-car, and other like
plants. and to manufacturing enterprises
OF all sorts. at very low cost. He said
that the company was branch Of the
General Electric Company. and that it
had spent nearly $1,000 already in making
surveys OF the river. showing that the
stream 20 sesses a water-power of over
100lO-horse power more than 5000 of
which Is available for general electrical
purposes. Il have made a canvass of
the city" continued Mr.. Todd. land have
ascertained that we can get conditional
contracts for between 900 and 5000 Of
this. which practically insures that the
company will take hold of the matter il
the city grants 1t proper franchise"
Mr.. Todd went on TO say that IL was
very necessary for his people to know, be-
fore laying out an expenditure Of million
or a million and half of dollars upon a
canal above Richmond. that when the
city was reached there would be no trou-
bic about getting into it.
After some further discussion Of the
matter. I'm a general way, the sub-com-
mittee. on motion of Mr.. J. NJ. King, re-
ferred the application to the City At
torney and Engineer, with Instructions
to them TO prepare an ordinance granting
the privileges asked, and report as soon
as possible. The body then adjourned,
subject to the call Of the chairman.
For an Electric Franchise.
The Committee on Light met in Room !
No. at o'clock last evening TO consider |
ordinances prepared by the City Attorney |
giving the Southern Electric Company |
and the Home Electric Company privi- !
leCes to do a general electric business in |
Richmond. Those present were Sub
Chairman Wallerstein and Messrs. Haw-
klns, Hardwicke. Tanner, and Noble.
The first matter taken up by the body |
was that of awarding the contract for
nsptha oil for the gas-works for the next J
twelve months. Bids were opened for |
this as follows: Climax Oil Company. !
3. 70 cents per gallon; Atlantic Refining /
Company. 3S cents; Southern Oil Com |
pany. 394 cents; Standard oil Company, |
s.A cents: Toler Refining Company. 3.S5 |
cents. The contract was awarded to the |
Standard OH Company, the lowest bid |
der.
The committee then considered the two |
electrical ordinances, already referred to- |
me ordinance of the Home Company. |
which was that passed several years |
ago granting these privileges to the r. /
NJ Traylor Company. and which had |
been so amended as 10 extend the time |
of the privileges to thirty years. in
stead Of making them revokable at the |
viii OF the Council as the old ordinance |
does was read. Then the committee /
agreed TO hear from Mr.. SHIELD, counsel /
for the Southern Electric Company, who
started to explain how his company had
been endeavoring TO get its petition pro-
nerly before the Council, but at this
point he was interrupted by Mr.. Hard
,yicke. who raised the point that there |
was an ordinance requiring all such !
10 deposit a bond of not less /
nan $4,000 before their petitions for
lights upon the streets OF the city could
,e considered. He offered a motion
nat the papers be returned to the Coun-
III and that the attention OF that body
he called 20 the ordinance in question.
This was voted down. and Mr.. SHIELD
and Mr.. w. +. Reddy. the latter being
he representative OF the Home Electric
Company, were heard.
AFTER a great deal Of debate as to what
curse the committee should pursue, the
whole matter was, on motion of Mr. No
A. laid on the table until next Wednes-
,sv night when the City Attorney IS ex-
,ected TO be present
Mr. shelton. the gas inspector, report
ID that the recent IRE at Centenary
.burch was caused by a governor which
5 being put on gas-plpes in the city by
, Baltimore concern, and said that he
boueht This company should not be al
owed 10 nut on their devices any more
Until a thorough investigation Of its
merits could be made. lie added that
he governor was all right II properly
attended TO, but declared that this was
iometimes not the case.
The committee directed the Inspector
O dive no permission TO this company
Until the next meeting of the Light Com
nittee. and TO be prepared to report az
o the efficacy Of the appliance at that
ime. The committee then adjourned.
The Electrical Committee will meet In
he City Hall at o'clock this afternoon.
Blue Grass" and "a Celebrated