The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1906-07-21
$55s Never think that Gods delays are
GODS dent al .. u n old on; hold fast;
hod out Patience 10 a genlus.
~ N, 5s8 - uffon.$3
Some Considerations on NUM-
cipal Light Plant.

ASAA1
8. shall Richmond own and operate Q
"a municipal electric plant for Lighting ''s
Nd streets ~ night and pumping water water Dy
day? W VA sss III N s
This question has received an u nus ~
4 amount OF expert attention from cohlpc-
tent engineers and ablo lawyers. I ls0''
conclusion Of tho whole matter, h J.
is by no means q sample thng. l6
Az the outset 1t Is admitted that when t'l
the new settling basin Is opened. Is ana th %
ssold punlp-house, which draws Its sup '[s
wholly from tho canal. is thereby neces-s
y sarilv abandoned, 1t will become impera-
tive to add at least one million gallons
III day to the pumping capatc'tS : % the
new pump-house. KS $S. III (: III Il 81
The estimates offered by superin't en-
Boiling call for tho expenditure Of Slss'-
III 90 n order to give this additional
pumping capacity. and the annual l1''t cost
for interest and operation is estimated
u at $55.293. III
AZ m alternative for this method 4 OF q
q ,r,aatinr the city needs. tho supporters
81 tho municipal lighting plant when N1'a1t
Vi our,t 70 10 called, PIE ighti and Pumping m
Pla /, ogrer the suggestion That the old e
nnmp-house utilize it's water '' Tor
tho production of electricity, which can an
) ha used for pumping water by day and and
Sighting the city by nigh
38s The figures and estimates subm unit! uy
+ha s,,nporters Of the municipa light and I'd
Il &, nr,p,ng plant. II they are accurate ana
In ner. show not only that It would De
:, ore econ to adopt this sugg q
h,,t cven after setting aside a sum sufii-
NE Gent to pny the interest and operating
Is EXPENSES, there would. remain no the
credit Of the sinking fund enough money
to pay for the entire plant ~ Twelve
Y years. M a 4 W
l a. appronched in different way, the Q
& .,,rn,,,s under this scheme, as opposed
# 70 that Of buying city lights and spending
II tins 600 on the water works would. &c
rordine to the submitted figures, pay
4 Cor the entire cost OF the lighting plant
al in five years. These figures have y, been y
before tho FINANCE Committee for q
X ,,,n,ber OF months; they have been SUB
tected to tho close scrutiny OF aoie ana ~
experienced counsel, and yet their main
contentious ARE ,unsnswered.
And, indeed, Z there Is an attractive enc
I. about this proposition that ls hard TO
Withstand. III tho ordinary course Of
business any Individual citizen who neoa y
electric light by night and power to T
pumping water by day, and who could
save $1,000 a year by using his own water
r,owor to furnish electricity and operate
4 his pumps instead OF buying electricity
4 from a private company and Installing
steam pumps for himself would, we thlnx
undoubtedly pursue the course which nus
I, }Ebeen SO strcnuously urged by the sup
porters OF the municipal light and pump-
ing plan: But the city OF Richmond Is not
5&j private individual, and It Is urgkd with
great earnestness by Mr.. Goulds repro
scntat!ycs that as tho city pnys no taxes
I. and as the loss from incapable manngc-
mont and unrcmuneratiWa snles would be
borne by tho people, It would DO impos-
sblo for private enterprise to co:apste
with a municipality operated plant. The
statunont by tho supporters Of tho muni-
cjpai plant that there is 40 intention 70
VI embark In general business Is not regard,
I'll as ut oil conclusive by the Passenger
and Power Company, which replies that
any Council could. II 1t 30 desired, I'M
a mediately offer to supply individuals with
a electric aigl,t, and thereby create at once
9i competition betwsum g municipal and u
private company. It u also pointed Out
that 1t viii De Impossible for tho city to
5 agree not to enter into such " conpetl-
lion at any. future time. Tho present
lnNhton OF tho city, therefore to con-
x flno Itself solely to municipal lighting Is
& a mere Indication OF present state .!
mind, and III no way Influences future
operations In the field OF private enter.
prise, S}
OF course, Mr., Gould has rights thai
must DO respected and The Times'Dls
patch would be the last to urge tho adop
ton OF course that would bring tax
city into direct composition with an ind
yidual who was paying taxes ard I'r
N@ loF'HlFB ''NS aaE's~ -. VI
other hand. however, It Is difficult Y
anywcr the argument that because My
Gould or any one else invests his none!
In q strset car line and electric. Ugh
plant tho city Ia thereby ostopped from
using It's own advantages to supply 4
4 self with lgtH when such q course wou''
efrsct q worry large sAv,ng 10 the ely,
annually, TO this paper It seems tina
she qnost ssrious ground for doubtint
the fina, outcome 81 this proposal 40 z
e setb In the recent example q Va