The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1905-10-07
A Costly Experiment.

stf@J5rtE "a NOStly Gh ~ AAAAS" 5.f7a
The CITY Of Richmond is already opcr.
ating water works and gus works, ana
i It cannot DO fairly claimed TINT she mas
IA been very successful in either OF these
Il directions. Our drinking water is rare
Nv clear and is usually SO muddy as TO
be unfit to drink. Sometimes It IS DIS
gracefully muddy and visitors are amflz-
cd that we are compelled to use such wa
ter for domestic purposes. Moreover IN
tho elevated sections Of the city II IS
difficult to get enough water on the
third floor for a bath. Usually when the
water is running on the second moor, ~
stops running on the third Yet the city
has not lacked for money With which
y to make improvements, and It has charg-
4 ed Its own rates for water, for 1t has
had a monopoly. You may SO away for
1.-THE summer and close up your house.
but the water bill goes right on.
The people have submitted to these
Inconvenience and this imposition be-
cause they had to- The city has mo-
nopoly and there Is nothing to do but
submit But If our water were sup
piled by private corporation. there.
had long since been change for the
better, for the cons unlers would have de-
lnnnded 1t
5 The operation Of .t;M gas works has
been little better. The gas has been
none Of the best and the works are i'll
such wretched condition as to DO in
danger of collapse: so the expert says.
This to say nothing Of the scandal which
was revealed a few years ago. when It
was shown that tho city had for years
been systematically robbed. We believe
that the best thing the city could do
with the gas works would be to lease
them to some enterprising man or COM
pany upon favorable terms. But that
l is othcr question. Our present pro-
test is against the city's going Into other
ventures in the face of the above record
The city has rhe water works and the
gas works and holds each as a monopoly
She may with propriety continue to hold
them as SUCH But when it comes to
erecting an electric light plant, the ques-
ton assumes a very different phase, for
the city would then go into competi-
ton, and most unfair competition, with
an onterpriscIa1rcady In existence here.
II there were any adequate demand for
competitive plant, somo enterprislng
concern would soon start 1t. and nobody
could fairly object. But when the city
goes into competition. it may put the
price OF Its lights down below the cost
OF production. supply the deficiency out
OF the general tax fund and destroy the
value OF tho plant with which 1t COM
petes. II Is vicious principle and
ought not to be tolerated.
Who knows that such plant would
pay? It certainly would not pay unless
the city got large part OF tho busi-
ness OF the Gould plant, and 1t does
not seem to have occurred to gentlemen
who are advocating this measure that
Mr.. Gould is not likely to surrender his
customers without a fight. He may
meet the competition and put the price
lower than tho city's price. What then
For u time very cheap lights for the
people, but sooner or later that sort
OF war would have to end and in the
meantime large sums of money would
be lost and legitimate enterprise crippled
Moreover, If electric lights were to be
had for the asking. what would DO the
effect on the municipal gas plant?
We do not pretend to be making All
accurate forecast. We are simply sur,
missing. but these surmises go to SHOW
that the proposed electric light plant vii
at best be an experiment and expert
ments usually come high.
There Is no occasion for making sucl
& an experiment now and It seems to III
rash and stupid for the sake OF II Il
offend and discourage man like Mr.
Gould, who has invested so much none,
In this community who Is preparing Il
X Invest great deal more. and who hal
employed his money In legitimate en-
,erprise and not In debauching our gov
eminent, Apart from every other ques
lion Involved, We believe that the GOO
will of such man Is worth far more /,
Riichnlond and this section than an,
electric light plant the city can build
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General Gomez and Cuba
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