The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1900-08-18
CITY COUNCIL.
Bids for Electric Plant ordered-To Stop
Private Sewerage.

The regular meeting of the CITY
Council was held Thursday night and
there were only seven members present.
Mayor Willis presided. Present, Messrs
Wr0ten, Bradley, Rowe, McOra' ken I.
Jones. Gately and Bradford.
Mr.. MoUraoken. Of Finance. present.
ed resolution TO put on record the deed
OF trust for s25, 600 on the gas works, as
required by law. for benefit OF DJnd-
h, ! .ers passed.
Mr.. McOracken, Of Light, presented
letters from Engineer Willis showing
cost Of running the proposed new cleo.
tric.light- plant by water and gas. and
also cost Of an incandescent system oil
500 lights in addition TO the arc system
| The difference in cost OF winter and gas
for power per annum is about TO ! In
favor OF water 5000 for water and
81 800 for gas. 10 one Of the letters OF
Engineer Willis he advised against an
inoandescent system under the present
plans and specifications made by Engi'
neer Stakes
Mr.. McOrGoken said his committee
was in accord with Engineer Wills as
to the inOandescent system at present
He also conteuded that under the act
granted by the Legislature the city
could only issue bonds TO the amount OF
Sl2, 900 for an arc system; that this
system would cost, when completed, over
that amount, and would have TO be sup
plemented from the general treasury
and asked that Mr.. Fitzhugh. counsel
for the city. be heard on the subject.
in, hcf that
the Si2 900 could only be used for the
arc system, and that the act authoriz.
ing the issue Of the bonds was for the
sole purpose Of lighting the streets.
Under the resolutions offered by Mr.
Bradley and passed at the last meeting
of the Council, the committee was in
structed 10 bring in estimate u cost OF
an inoAudescent system all G, and 81 a YER
tise for bids Mr. MoOraoken said, In
view OF the information obtained by
his committee, he thought it advisable
before advertising for bids. 30 present
the whole subject 10 the Council and let
them see the status Of the case.
Messrs Bradley, jones and Bradford
had advocated an up.tO date arc and In
candescent system but when confronted
with the act authorizing the oonsIuc-
tion Of only the arc system. were wilt
ing 90 take hGlf a loaf az they could not
get q whole one.
Then Mr. Bradley moved the reoou-
sideration of his resolution Of the last
meeting as TO the iucandesce1t system.
which was unanim0urly passed
Mr.. McOracken offered a resolution
instructing the committee 10 advertise
for bi Is Tor the arc system OF street
lighting, which was unanimously adopt
ed.
Mr.. Bradford, Of Streets, asked for in.
structions and Information In regard to
extension Of sewer mains along streets
belonging to private companies, and TO
what extent the Street Committee con-
trolled the tapping Of said mains and
digging up the streets. lie said be
could find on the minutes Of the Ooun-
Gil no record Of privileges granted to
private individuals to connect with said
Sc 1ers since August. 1897 and only one
privilege, that Of Stearns and Bode, to
lay mains along Commerce TO the canal
since that time. This brought On a
lively discussion
Mr.. MoOracken, ia emphatic terms,
declared against privileges being allowed
any private company for sewerage. lie
said every private sewer put in was q
blow against a general sewerage system
OF the city, and declared his purpose
20 vote for that measure when presented
to the Council. he called attention 80
the fact that privileges had been grant.
ed 90 enter the Jail sewer without con.
sent Of the Council. This aroused MIR.
Wroten, Of Public Property, who said
on his own responsibility he had grant
ed this privilege, and he had no apology
20 make. as he had saved TO the city the
original cost Of the sewer from this
source.
Mr. Jones then offered this resolution
Resol ved, That any extension OF the
present system Of private sewerage be,
and is hereby prohibited.
Mr. Rowe offered as q substitute that
the matter be postponed until Street
Committee could report on sewerage.
He said he was opposed TO any more
private sewerage II the city proposed
general sewerage, but II IL was demon
strated that the city would not do so,
he was willing to grant q privilege TO
any citizen who wanted O sewer. This
was ouCptCus -
Mr.. Bradley asked that privilege be
granted at once to Messrs. Hall. Dog
Rett, Rosebro, Johnston and Smith, some
Of whom we're building new houses and
had their material in place for the sewer
connection He said il would be
hardship to these gentlemen TO prevent
them from connecting with the sewer
as their ueiRhbors had done, and after
they had made arrangements to do SO;
that not an objection had been raised
heretofore, and their action had been
based on this fact.
This was opposed by Capt McCracken,
and he moved that the request be tabled
until the next meeting, when the Street
Committee is expected to bring In q
sewerage report.
The vote to table was recorded as fol-
lows: Ayes-McOraoken, Rowe, Jones,
and Gately. Nays-Wroten. Bradford
and Bradley.
The Council then adjourned.