The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-01-10
STORMS CO. MAY
FORFEIT CONTRACT
City to Proceed Against 1t I'm
less Work on Light Plant
Begins in Three DAYS.

On report of Consulting Engineer
Trafford that Storms &c Company, of
Newark. y. j.. contractors for the dis
tributlon system for the municipal
electric light plant. were far behind
contract time. and could give no as
surance of when they would complete
work which their contract specified
should have been delivered on Novem-
Der last. the Committee on Elec-
tricity last night directed the City At
torney to prepare and serve on the
contractor legal notice that 1t was
the sense OF the committee that the
work was not progressing satlsfac-
torily; that the company was not COM
plying with the terms of the contract,
and that unless work is resumed within
three days, the city will consider the
contract forfeited. and proceed to have
the work done at the expense Of the
company's bondsmen, as contemplated
i'll the original contract
Involves Large Outlay.
Inc work involves an outlay of about
$4,000. Most Of the underground and
conduit work has been completed, bur
comparatively few poles have been SGT,
and few wires have been strung or
the appropriations. the last report shows
that the city has paid out $s6.27s.05,
and has remaining S29,72I.g5 unex-
pended. It was stated that by reason
of the delay of the company the city
was at an expense of about $4,000 a
month. as it Is both operating its own
electric plant to run the Broad Street
lights and pump water. and at the same
time is paying the Virginia Railway
and Power Company for street light
ing.
Lights for viaduct.
Samuel l.. Kelley and John C. Hagan
appeared before the committee In re-
gard to the lighting of the Marshall
Street viaduct. which Mr.. TIagan stated
would be open to general traffic about
February !. Mr. Kelley explained that
his company had not yet completed its
power plant. and that Il would be dan
g;erous TO open and operate the bridge
without lights; that after Its car line
was In operation cars would stop at
midnight. and 1t would be burdensome
to run the generating plant merely to
provide lights for tho viaduct He
proposed that since under the franchise
all city vehicles. including ambulances
patrol wagons. fire apparatus. street
and street cleaning carts, and other
city vehicles and all city officers, would
have free use OF what was otherwise
toll bridge, and as his company was
willing to grant to the city the freq
use OF all OF its poles, now or here
after erected. for municipal purposes
without any arbitrau ton whatever as to
cost OF joint use. that the city should
furnish the current for lighting what
will be to some extent public thor
oughfare
What Light VIII Cost.
Engineer Trafford reported that he
could supply the current. but did not
wish to connect the twelve lights pro-
posed with any existing circuit. pro-
posing new wires through from the
city plant. all wiring and equipment 20
be at the cost OF the Richmond and
lIenrico Railway Company. lie re-
ported that figuring merely on the ex-
cess cost the city could operate the
arc lights at $40 each per year; but
that. taken IN connection with the total
outlay and cost of the plant, the lights.
like all others in the city. would cost