The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1906-02-01
GREAT INTEREST
IN CAS- REPORT
Report Of the Committee With
Recommendations Much Dis
cussed Everywhere.
THE PROPOSED ORDINANCE


The report OF the special committee
to investigate the Gas Works was by far
the most discussed subject in City Hall
circles yesterday. There was little or
nothing doing in the court-rooms. and
business was not particularly brisk on
the other floors. and the report was
freely talked of everywhere except in
the Mayors Office and In the gas Office.
II the ordinance carrying out the re-
commentators OF the committee is
passed by the Council the Mayor Will
have to sign or veto the same. and, Of
course. he will not talk about the report,
until it reaches him officially in the
shape OF an ordinance.
Superintendent Knowles. OF the Gas
Works. will have nothing to say at pres
#ent. He may make public a signed
statement later n.
The report, several features OF which
were surprise to everybody outside OF
the committee room. was discussed in
other quarters besides the City Hall.
The Recommendation OF the committee
that the gas plant OF Richmond be leased
F to private corporation seems to have
been a surprise to nearly everybody, the
public having in some way been led to
think that majority OF the committee
was opposed to leasing tho works. 1t
lis well known that some OF the COM
mitteenen who now favor lease were
at one time very much opposed to it.
Mr.. John r. Crimes explains his change
of front as follows
Il was OF the opinion that the city
should own its own gas plant before I
went on a tour OF investigation through
the gas plants of Philadelphia and Bal
timore. Seating and approaching dhe
radical advantages enjoyed bv these
modern. up-to-date plants. and seeing
how one man could sit in his Office and
read the pressure in pipe as much as
five miles away. changed my opinion
on the subject and joined In the rccom-
nlendation OF the committee last night.
that either the city appropriate S350,O00
Immediately for TIE Improvement OF the
I Gas Works. together with tho services
of an expert gas engineer and who was
to draw a $4,000 annual salary, or that
the works be leased"
Who is the Bidder?
In the report the committee assures the
Council that II the people of Richmond
want to lease out their gas works bid
der for the plant can be found. The Ian.
guage In which this assurance is con-
veyed Is such as to lead the reader To
the conclusion that the committee can
name the prospective bidder. One who
Is IN a position to know something aboul,
the matter yesterday expressed the opin-
ion that the bidders in the minds OF the
committee are the United Gas Improve
ment Company, of New York and else
where.
This is the company which raised such
row In Philadelphia last year. The lease
to that company of the Philadelphia Gas
Works created the political revulsion In
the city Of brotherly love and made
Mayor Weaver famous
The company now operates under leases
the gas plants of thirty-eight cities In
the United States.
1t Is said that when Expert Bruce was
In this city investigating the gas works
he carried In his pocket little book
which he allowed no one to look at and
every time he obtained any information
concerning Rchmond's gas plant and
It's operations he would pull out that little
book and compare the information re-
ceived with something within It's lids.
Being asked about the little book he
smiled and said 1t was his s'pocket Bibla.',
One gentleman who accidently got a
hurried peep at the pocket Bible" saw
upon it the initials III. o. Tstco,"
Proposed Ordinance.
The committee has recommended the passage
up for consideration at the next meeting OF
The Council probably a called meeting: ri 81 {
Whereas. the special Joint Committee on In
yestig,tion OF the Gas Department have report
ed to the Council OF the city OF Richmond that
they have reasonable grounds to believe that u
satisfactory lease OF the city Gas Works can
be made, insuring to the city of Rlchmond the
following conditions
l. TO pay the city more net Than the works,
are nav earning. 3lf
2, ia furnish our consumers much better
\ grade az light at a cost not exceeding the
present price. and providing for q gradual res
duction N the price 4, 4, c, \, i,