Virginian-pilot. (Norfolk, Va.) 1898-1911, 1899-06-21

mere mas Deen considerable cOn1eC
ture as to what changes, if any, would
be the outcome of the sale of the plan
and franchises of the Virginia Electric
Company to the syndicate represented
by Mr.. r. Lancaster Williams. 1t Will
be remembered by readers of the Vir-
Ginian-PilOt, that at the time the sale
was announced in these columns, on the
authority of Mr.. Peter Wright, presi-
dent Of the company. the statement was
made that the electric plant at Hun
tersville, which supplies power to the
Norfolk street railway, and the plant
at lakewood, which furnishes the Nor
folk and Ocean View, and the Ocean
View and WillouShby Spit lines with
power TO propel their cars, would be
transplanIed TO this CITY and made part
and parcel of the Virginia Electric
Company's plant. And this is not all.
1t is the intention of tnc new owners
to divest the Norfolk pant OF all its
small machinery and install Il complete
double plant with Il capacity for fur
niShing all The electric power and lights
that may he required by TINS culIre sec
ton of country. The idea of duplication
IS simply n precautionary measure. as
IL Will enable the owners To put the see
ond or duplicate set of machinery III
opera ton in the event the other be
comes crippled, or fails to perform its
functions.
The syndicate OF which MIR. r. Ian
caster Williams. uf Richmond. Il mem
her of he banking house of John /.
Willie ms II Sons. is part and the rep
by ii in this city and i'm
mediate section. has already en-
pended Il vast sum of money
in Norfolk and the Immediate vicinity.
in the purchase and Improvement of
valuable properties. End may he said
to have hardly begun his work of devel-
onment. Some Two years ago he pur-
chased tho Norfolk street railway and
has since expended large sum in the
purchase of no'V ears extending is
trackaGc and otherwise improving the
service Nest he bought the Norfolk
and Ocean View railway. hotel and
other properties. and these have hecn
greatly improved. Then he secured the
Ocean Wv and Wiiioughby spit line.
which has likewise bceu improved \
new steamer was purchased to ply be-
tween the terminus of the ra ilv.av and
old FONT. n splendid new hotel erected
ana furnished. and other Improvements
made. all of which nccsssitatcd the out
lay of large sum OF money in the ag-
Grceatc. Other improvements are con-
tcmplatcd. Of which it Is too early to
speak In detail Suffice Il that he 'M-il-
| lams Syndicate" as the new owners OF
these properties has came to he known
net only has the finest sys en- Of street
railways In the South. but ono of the
most popular seaside resorts on the
South Atlantic coast.
The Williams syndicate also owns the
street railway ana electric plants at
Petersburg. Va. and Lexington, Ky
and the Richmond (Na) Traction Coin
pany whose plant. including street car
equipment and service and power
house. may, as we'll as the lines in Nor
folk, serve as model for future build
erS.
TO return to the Virginia Electric
Company's plant. which will ne greatly
enlarged. as hcrcinbcforc Indicated. il Ia
intended TO make /; he equal of any
plant in the South. not only ia capacity.
but In service. Now that electricity is
rapidly supplan,irg the horse and
sieam as a motive power il is not
doubted that the demands upon the
great plant II is intended to establish
here. Of which the Virginia Electric
Company is the nucleus. will constant
~ increase. and 'hat Mir. Williams and
The gentlemen associated with him will
iind 1t p wing investment.
ii may not hr generally known. but
ii Is nevertheless true, that Investment
made upon the advice or John l., WI
l'ans Il Sons, hnvc Invariably turned
out to be profitable. if properly man
aged and every hin" managed by thom
he's rrosncrci. The fac. that hey have
thought II wise to invest for themselves
and others something like 50 500 600 in
ms city ara vicinity and plan i'm
movements tha' will cvnntunlv cost
os much more. is strong proof that Nor
folk Is rc"arded as tho most promising
city in tho South. and that investments
made here Will increase In value with
time.