Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-01-18

! occupied by Mr. Armitage was bought
! from Mr.. Crenshaw. the contractor pre-
ceding Mr.. Armitage and the fact that
! by the last fire the house was so injured
as 10 practically require a rebuilding, /
am of opinion that Mr.. Armitage has no
power 20 rebuild without your consent
| The chairman stated that he, with the
subcommittee appointed at the last meet
! ing. had visited the site OF the ammonia
! factory. and had selected a site for the
new building at a distance of 80 feet from
the gas-works.
/ Replying TO a question Mr. Wallerstein
| stated further that so long as the factory
remained idle the city was losing a
/ monthly rental of SEQ.
Mr. Hardwcke thought it was ridiculous
| for the sake Of so paltry a sum to en-
/ danger property Of the city which cost
/ very many thousands of dollars. and the
! lives of many people.
Mr. Noble said while he did not wish
/ TO appear as advocating the claims OF
! Mr. Armitage or any other man, he
! thought if the house had to be removed,
[ Mr. Armitage should be released from his
! contract to take the ammoniacal liquor
and allowed to bid again when the new
/ house was built.
/ Mr.. Hardwicke moved that the Superin-
/ tendent Of the gas-works should not allow
/ the factory TO be rebuilt.
RIGHTS OF MIR. ARMITAGE.
Hon. D. c. Richardson was then heard
on behalf Of Mr. Armitage. lie did not
/ appear as counsel. he said, but it was a
matter in which ne was interested, having
been connected with the City Council for
some years, and being conversant with
! the contracts concerned and involved in
| the present discussion. The contract be-
tween the city and Mr.. Armitage was for
the delivery of the ammoniacal liquor
/ into the boilers Of the factory. The po-
sition Of those boilers was well under
stood at that time. and pipes were laid,
| connecting the works with the factory
/ for the delivery of the liquor. Before
! the first fire Mr.. Armitage had been en-
gagged I'm the manufacture Of certain oils
which were combustble. After that first
fire. he had agreed not to manufacture
any more oil. and he had kept his con-
tract Ammonia. continued Judge Rich
ardson. it is well known. so far from be-
ring combustible. would put out fire. Mr.
Armuage was willing to rebuild the fac
tory with a roof OF corrugated iron, and
to repair il in such a way as that II
would be almost entirely fireproof. Re-
ferring to the opinion of the City Attor-
nev. Mr. Richardson said that Mr.. Mere
dith was evidently under the impression
when he wrote Il that the factory was
entirely destroyed; whereas, the roof only
had been destroyed. Mr.. Armitage, he
said. certainly had rights in the premises,
and ne hoped the committee would get
together. for while he commended the
caution Of the committee. he thought
with an the precautions that Mr.. Arpi-
taee was willing 20 take in the rebuild
ing. they might surely allow him to do
this. and to hll out the unexpired term Of
eighteen months Of the contract.
NOT TO BE REBUILT.
Mr.. Hawkins asked Mr.. Armitage
whether lime was not used in the fac
tory, and was answered in the affirma-
tive. Mr.. Hawkins said that an obvious
danger lay in that fact.
Mr. Noble asked the Superintendent If
IL would be possible to pump the liquor
into the boilers of Mr.. Armitages plant,
If IL were removed from its present site.
The Superintendent stated that that part
Of the contract would be carried out
wherever the factory was situated.
Mr.. Wanerstein said he did not think
the committee could vote against the
positive assertion Of the Chief Of the Fire
Department. that IL erected on the old
site it would be a standing menace to life
and TO the City Gas W orks.
Mr.. Hardwickes motion was then car
riod.
Another resolution was introduced and
adopted instructing the Superintendent
to give Mr. Armitage all assistance posi-
Bile i'm moving the boilers or in any other
way. and TO permit the use Of the hands
employed in the gas-works, when they
could be spared.
Mr.. Richardson suggested that as the
citys contract with Mr. Armitage expired
I'm eighteen months. 70 might be advisable
for the city 10 erect their own building.
Mr.. Tanner moved that the Superin-
tendent should be instructed TO report TO
the committee at the next regular meet
ing the probable cost Of a building for
the handling Of ammoniacal liquor
AIR. Hardwicke. quoting. from a paper
containing extracts from the city records,
argued that the property belonged rightly
10 the city, having been purchased under
the terms Of a contract between the city
and Or. j. l.. Fales, OF Washington.
After some discussion and statement
from Mr.. Armitage that the old contract
did not hold good under the terms OF
the contract with Mr.. Crenshaw, who re-
built the works, Mr.. Tanner withdrew
his motion, and the matter was dropped.
BIDS FOR ELECTRIC LIGHTS.
The superintendent stated that u" nau
received no replies 20 the advertisements
for bids 10 supply the city with electro i
lights lie was authorized 10 advertise
aSetr for bids 10 be submitted by noon
on the 1st Of February
Mr. Hrdwicke thought the bidders
sbor,id be required 10 post a forfeit with
he CITY for the faithful performance OF
the contract.
A resolution that all bids should be ac-
comnanied by a certified check for IV0O'
made payable 10 the city Auditor when
Will be returned at the expiration OF the
contract. WAS adopted. "a
An application for gas MAINS 70 ns ia, ,d
on Broad street between Ihlr'y-sniru ai,e
,rtirtv-fourth was refused. The cost