The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-10-14
POWER COMPANY
WANTSFRANCH|SE
Extended Hearing Before Sub
committee on Electric
Matters.
OLD COMPANY ON DEFENSIVE
Would Safeguard Its Rights as to
Conduits and Invested
Capital.
Vi p
OLD COMPANY ON DEFENSIVE

| Sdplldl.
Extended argument was heard be.
iore subcommittee Of the Council
committee on Streets yesterday after
noon on the question of granting a
franchise to the Richmond Power Cor
poration, a company recently formed
Tor the purpose of generating electric
current from coal taken from the Md
lothian Mines, in Chesterfield county,
and Its sale to manufacturing plants
IN Richmond, Petersburg and other
cities. The company recently applied
TO the Council for a franchise to oper-
ate distribution system in the city
of Richmond
Major Miles M. Martin and Levin
Joynes appeared for the applicants, Of
fertng a draft of franchise showing
what was proposed
Defends Present Company.
Henry w. Anderson, William North
rop, Fritz Sitterding, L. r. Williams
and Thomas P. Bryan appeared in de-
tense of the interests of the Virginia
Railway and Power Company, as sue
cessor to the rights and franchise OF
the Virginia Electrical Railway and
Development Company. which erected
the power-house at the foot of Twelfth
street and which Is al present gener-
ating and transmitting all of the cur
rent for lighting and power purposes
In the city. Mr.. Anderson suggested
number Of amendments to the proposed
franchise to safeguard the interests Of
his company. He objected especially TO
a tr,h{ cyf,, ba no
two years in which to begin work.
claiming that IL 1t means to operate
in good faith 1t should begin at once.
He read from the franchise of the
present company to show that when
organized 1t gave bond in the sum Of
$4,000 to generate not less than 1000
horsepower within year, and more as
1t was needed.
Mr.. Anderson asserted that within
the past five years the charges for
electric current IN Richmond had de-
creased % per cent. without competi-
ton, and that within that time no
manufacturers; great or small. had ever
been refused sufficient power to carry
on his business and that none had
ever complained OF the rate charged.
which was about that OF other large
cities where similar conditions pre-
vail.
Use of Conduits and Poles.
Mr.. Northrop complained that 1t was
not fair to capital invested in a legit-
innate enterprise to allow the new COM
pany to use the conduits and poles OF
the old He admitted that under the
franchise of the Virginia Electrical
Railway and Development Company
the right was reserved to the City
Council to permit other parties to use
the conduits for compensation to be
fixed by arbitration. but in view Of
the fact that the new company pro-
concentrated business area, while the
old company has carried It's lines into
all parts of the city, and far into the
surrounding suburbs, furnishing light
and power wherever needed, with lines
often constructed and operated at an
actual loss until the neighborhood
grows up to create general demand,
he did not think it would be fair to
the interests he represented for such
permission to be given. His company,
he said, was not opposed to fair COM
petition on an equal basis, but was
opposed TO bearing the burden of in
vestment in expensive conduits and
pole lines for the use of a competitor.
Major Martin argued on the advan-
tages TO the city Of having competition
to hold down rates for electric power,
outlining the plan to erect units Of
power generators at the Midlothian
Mines to generate current from the
coal taken out, claiming that 1t could
be transmitted to the nearby cities
even cheaper than current can be gem
Grated from water power. He empha-
sized the value to the city Of having
an abundant supply of power for all
classes of manufacturing purposes.
Amendments Suggested.
Without completing the discussion,
the committee adjourned to meet at
the call of the chairman, when addi-
tional facts and figures will be pre-
sented, Mr.. Anderson filing with the
committee several proposed amend
ments Among others. one prohibits
the Power Corporation from disposing'
OF It's franchise to any other company
netore 1t has erected It's plant and car
ried out Its agreement with the city to
furnish and distribute current. Mr..
martin protested that the present fran
chise of the Virginia Electrical Rail-
way and Development Company had
provided that it could not be trans
tsrred except with the consent Of the
council, and yet 1t had been turned
over. hrst to the Virginia Passenger
ana POWER Company, and was now held
ny me successor, the Virginia Rail-
way ana Power Company. Mr.. Ander.
son .housht the city and his company
snoulo be sufficiently safeguarded In
any new franchise and that 1t should
not be taken out merely for specula~
I've purposes, to be sold to some other
oo,porauon before development
members of the subcommittee hear
lns me argument We're Chairman Adj
ans ana Messrs. Kain, Davis, Powers