Virginian-pilot. (Norfolk, Va.) 1898-1911, 1900-01-12
Special Committee Of Councils
Gives Applicants a Hearing.
Tho Petitions of tho Norfolk Heat,
Light ana Power Company, ana
tho Norfolk Electric Company 20
Erect PinntsConsidcrcdL nstNI.ht


appointed by the Councils to consider
the applications for electric light fran
chise of the Norfolk Heat, Light and
Power Company, of which Mr.. w. ID.
Pender is vice president, and of the
Norfolk Electric Company, represented
locally by MIR. A. b. Seldner, was held
at the City Treasurer's office last night
Both MIR. Pendcr and Mr. Seldner
We're present and were granted 4 hear
ing by the committee.
Mr.. Seldner spoke briefly, asking the
committee to pass by his application for
the present.
MIR. Pender stacd that his company
could establish Il plant and furnish
lights to the business portion of the
city In eighteen months. He thought
his company would rather put their
wires, conduits. etc, under ground but
would not do so unless the present
company was made to do the same
Mr.. Pender stated further that his COM
pany would not come to Norfolk un-
less they were given a guarantee that if
their franchise was granted it would
not be repealed after they had gone to
the expense of purchasing the neccs-
Isary electric apparatus.
WANTS TO MAKE MONEY. =
MY company wants to come to Nor
folk to make money" said Mr.. Ponder,
and we only want the same privil-
eyes as the present company have. The
present company" continued the
speaker has been operating in your
city for fifteen years. and there are
still some portions OF the city that are
not lighted by electric lights. If you
will give my company the same chance
that the present company has l will
guarantee to cover as much ground as
they have"
| In answer to n question as to
whether his company would go into
Client Atlantic City and Brambleton,
Mr. Pender said the present company
has heen cndeavoring to get their pa
irons in these wards to sign n. five and
ten-year contract, Offering them n big
reduction in the price. He said n new
company could not be expected to do
something that the present one has not
done in their fifteen years of operation
| in this city. He thought 1t would be
| fair for the Council to prohibit the
present company from soliciting con-
tracts from their patrons before the
new company was established. IIc said
| further that If the present company OBJ
tanned n greater number of patrons by
| The contract scheme" and there were
one or two in the wards mentioned who
wanted his company to extend their
operations there. it could not do so be-
cause 1t would be an utter impossibility
ond would bankrupt any company. He
said II his company was put on n fair
| footing with the present company he
would guarantee to do MS much if not
more. in extending the electric lights OF
Norfolk.
| Mr.. Pcnder said he represented n
water company that has expended sl4.-
100000 in different narts OF the coun-
try. and they tell him that franchises
granted by Southern cities were never
sure, because of frequent populations,
ard that Is the reason he wanted the
Council. if 1t granted his franchise, to
give him some kind Of n guarantee thai.
1t would not be repealed after his COM
pany had gone to the expense OF bring
| ing lot of electric light apparatus.
There was some comment made on
the present company operating without
Il franchise.
r fizssvwell said he
thought they had one, and if he could
make them obtain one he would GER
tainly do so. lie said he was for the
present company during their recent
competition for the city's contract, but
now he would vote to compel them to
obtain q franchise similar to the one
asked for by the new company.
at the next meeting of the Council n
resolution will probably be offered
compelling the present company to OBJ
tain n franchise.
The COMMITTEES. after going into cx-
ccutivc session. decided to adjourn, sub
iect to the cali of the chairman. MIR.
Tazewell Taylor, which will probably
be made some day next week