The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1906-07-17
LIGHT PLANT IS
PROBABLY !. A ] | DEAD |: [. !
Twill Not Get Through Present.
Sessiotl----Dabney and Blair
Again Lock ITort,s.
GOES ON THE {. Tab ! g LE
MI. gDabney Makes Another
Fight for Municipal Owner
sllipgof Electric Lights.

Tho Finance Committee was presented
last night whit the option OF adopting
the plan OF ownership OF nh electric plant
FOR municipal purposes only as suggested
nnd asked FOR ~ Alderman w. T. Dab
ney who outlined 4 Ills scheme with o
long array Of facts tand statistics, and
8ints most forcible argument That IT
failed OF. Recommendation by the COM
2mittee Wns not due,6it would appear. to
my opposition based merely upon tho
merits OF tho sc.1elne, but becnuse the
committees wished to wait to see what
bids would Il be made for lighting the
city, i SsS8il ~ 4. ~ NJ
~ It was this very delay against which
Mr.. Dnbney fought most strenuously ana
which he feared. He bent oil his energy
toward speaking for the urgency and
necessity OF the proposition, showing by
III almost 7unquestonatle array OF stntis-
tics that even though the Virginia Pas
senger and Power Company reduced the
cost per nrc light S10 or even 32O.I by
the issuance OF S925,COO Of bonds, the re-
suit would really be cheaper. and In five
years $4,000 could be pnid back to tho
city. IF flfs % AZ d s58 III e II & @ II
The Disad Advantages.
II the matter were delayed, he claimed,
the city! would DO at tho mercy Of pri-
ivnte interests in the matter Of lighting,
when, on the other hand, Il the plant te
established and owned by the Smunci-
spality tho city would be better lighted,
and would, In tho end save O consider
able amount OF money Il IN support Of
his plan for municipal ownership Mr..
lEnbney said that the city owns property,
valued at $3.50, 900, Which Is available only
for this purpose, ana making use OF this
property. for lighting purposes tho city
must Issue. bonds for about 1925, 00o en-
failing an expense at four per cent. OF
slS, 900; redemption 4 at ono ana onc- half
per cent. $4,S75: opera ting expenses, s25, 900;
or s42,s75 altogether. This total EXPENSE
interest and redemption. he said is less
than tho cost Of the. present, price the
city have to pay for lighting its streets
II $50 lamps could be Installed.
Many More Figures.
He said the company cannot or will not
Install as many as seven hundred lights.
though the Committee on Light has been |
begging and urging for this pumber for
several years. He showed that this DIFF
ference In annual output i}of Il the clty's
revenue amounts to s31,4S7;50. Which,sIlf
Invested Mt 3 per cent. compound 5inter-
est. would in mine years, amount to
J,694 oU IedllIlB lHlS gllcIllO StifulSS
as an earning account. the results would
show savings each year S., 4S7. so; redemp-
ton fnnasl is8,G75 s or q total available fpr
Investment OF $9S1G2.50. This installatidn:|
wouIl provide, ~ pay the& operating en-
penses. maintenance, interest and rtE
demption OF the electric plant, and alsp
tho interest and redemption OF M95 ,00
additional outlay at the Water Works!
It would light the streets. alleyesS Ind
public buildings free OF cost. X ;es
Mr.. Blair Wins Out.
Mr.. Dabney was very impassioned I'm
his plea for a municipal plant and asked |:
hat the committee recommend It and let
L 60 to the Council, so that the RESPONSE
bility OF taking up or turning down the
scheme Wotild rest on the shoulders Of !
that body. fs5ss 81
Mr.. Blair moved as a substitute that
the matter be tabled until the Pollard
which have been passed by
the Board, be cqncurred in-by the other
branch OF the Council He was in favor
OF waiting to see what proposition would |
30 advanced by tho Passenger and Power
Company, which he thought might be I
more favorable and less expensive than
lie municipal ownership scheme.
The vote was taken on the substitute
notion, and resulted: &. N !.
Ayes--Mcssrs. Grundy, Blair, Spence,
Wood and Cottrell-5 Z.
Noes-Mr. Dabney-1.
N0pEnT X COMCEPN#IVTN |.