The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1898-04-30
CONDENSED AIR
SCHEME PASSES
Committee on Water and Streets
Recommend the Ordinance.
CITY GETS FIVE THOUSAND
And Three Per Cent. Of the Gross Re
ccipts of the Company, with
Probability of More After the
Expiration of Five Years.

tho Joint meeting of the Council Com
miticcs ON streets and Water 10 consider
the proposed ordinance granting 90 JOS
cph II. Hoadley and others the right TO
use the water from the forcbay of tho
New Pump House for condensed air
power. rcfrigcrating yenulatng and cool
ing purposes, got down to business again
last night.
Tho members OF the committee present
were: Messrs. Pollock. Noble, thinner
man, Woody. King. BIoomberg. Burton,
Tanner. Foster Garter, Allen, o. A.
Hawkins and Briggs (chairman).
Tho ordinance drawn in accordance
with instructions of the committees by
City Attorney Meredith. city Engineer
Cutshaw. ana Superintendent OF Water
Works Boiling. and amended ln several
particulars at the last meeting. was dis
cusscd section a. a time and adopted with
some minor changes.
The principal matter for discussion was
the compensation The city should receive
from ilc enterprise for the right grant
cd. The committee composed of the city
Attorney, city Engineer and Super.n'en-
dent Of Water Works. recommended
that the company Doe required 90 pay $1,000
per auuum and per cent. Of its gross
receipts. This was based upon proaa-
hle 1ou horse power that the company
would get.
THE BEST THEY COULD DO.
AR. Gulg0u. representing the company
stated that they had made "a proposition
10 the city ou q basis Of 5000 and per
cent of the gross receipts They could
not possibly pay more than that. The
company would De willing TO fix maxi
mum charge OF sos per morse power per
annum upon this basis Mr.. Guigon arr
gued that the City would be receiving
this amount as clear gain. since the
power had been COINS 90 waste for cigh-
teen years. and until now there had been
no movement whatever 10 utilize it.
Mr. Allen wanted GO charge the COM
pany by the number OF horse power ,hey
developed. lie thought s. per horse pow
or charged To- consumers by the cons
pany and per cent Of the gross receipts
for the use of The streets in which 10 Jay
their pipes wouid not be- too much.
Mr.. Zimmerman favored a basis of 5000
Tor the horse power used.
Mr.. Blo0mberg agreed TO tho pr0p0si-
ton of The company. but thought that
whilo exemption from taxation ON the
pipes might bo adopted. he thought the
company should pay taxes on real estate
used in connection with their enterprise.
Aftcr some further discussion it was
agreed that 5000 DE charged for tho horse
power.
The question Of tho por cent Of tie
gross receipts was then taken up Mr..
Allen favored per cent.
Mr.. Pollock argued iu favor OF 3 per
cent.
AGREED TO g PER CENT.
Colonel Cutshaw. Mr.. Zimmerman. Mr..
Tanner and others ma b. epeerles on the
subject. and 30 was finally deCidci ttat
'Fc company pay per cent 81 frs gross
receipts FOR ten years from the time The
plant is completed. and more or less after
that period provided the amount G5cs
not exceed 3 per cent. Of the complny's
receipts.
The question of taxing the real estate
OF the company was taken up. and 70 was
agreed that tho pines. fixtures and con-
nccions Dee exempt from taxation, but
the real estate of The company Doe taxed
the usual amount.
Mr. s. W. Traverf who SIS interested
in the enterprise. argued in favor of the
committee fixing a. period during which
the city would not revoke the franchise.
provided. OF course. the city shall be
perfectly safe in its water supply. Mr.
Travcrs did not think. according o. the
present rate OF increase in the population
of tine city. the Wator Department would
Doe iu need of any part of the water sup
ply TO bc disposed Of to the company
lie wanted this point settled in order TO
put no stumbling block iu the way of the
northern capitalists contemplating iu-
yesting their capital in the enterprise
Colonel CutshaW argued that this point
be not granted 10y the committee upon
the ground that 30 was not at all GER
tain that the city would not need some
of this surplus water supply proposed 20
be sold.
MIGHT NEED THE WATER.
Superintendent Boiling, Of the Water
Works. explaining 10y request. stated
that the water waste had been greatly
decreased since the introduction of water
meters and If the city continued 10 adopt
the water meter system his apprehension
of need for the supply proposed TO be
sold would De sim less. while nc did
not think that the city would need the
surplus supply he was not sure, for he
did not know what conditions now un-
fOrcseen might arise 10 was possible
that there would De such a need on the
part OF the city within five years Tho
city of Richmond should not be willing
90 take any risk along this line. The
city was using only about sd per cent
Of the water capacity OF It's pumps now
The amount consumed was gradually
decreasing owing 20 the use Of meters
Mr. Travers wanted five years fixed
as the period during which the water
power given the company should not be
taken away
IL was finally agreed. upon motion Of
Mr.. Allen that the ordinance should pass
as emended. provided that If the city
needed any portion Of the water power
granted within period OF five years the
company should furnish same free Of
charge.
The committee adjourned az l2:iO
o'clock