The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-12-26
ELECTRIC PLAN I
PROVES COSTLY
Outlay for Municipal Power
House Far Exceeds
Estimates.
WHAT WILL LIGHTS COST?
Councilman Debating Election
OF superintendent and AMOUNT
OF Salary.

Now t!iat the ,ine is approaching
when the City counc! must eiec, a
permaneii; 1;:Tc:ntcndent Tor it's cleo
tric plant. IL is being conceded ,Hlt
however valuable an asset AZ may prove
To the city. the municipal puwcr-nuui,.
ahd itiiuncts nave cost lar more Than
the preliminary estimates. The cost Of
4 ths plant and distribution system up 10
this time has c&ccedcu 100000, and the
comm sstons paid by the city to Con-
suitinS Engineer Il. ". Tranord amount
to more than 10000. not counting the
salary he HAS received AS superintcnh-
ent during the Year that tho plant has
been III partial operation. opinion as
TO the necessity of creating u separate
oihcc Of superintendent is divined.
Chairman Morgan K. Mills, of the Wa
ter Committee, having asserted that
since the Water Department uses fuzzy
two thirds OF The current generated,
the balance being used for lighting the
streets. large annual outlay could
be saved to the city By merely placing
foreman or manager i'll charge of the
po"cr-hodSe, reporting 10 the super
intendent of the Water Department,
and turning over to the Council Com.
mittee on Light. which now directs iho
Gas Works, all matters relating to
street lamps. thus avoiding duplication
OF electric and gas lamps. as well as
much other expense.
Full Cost Not Known.
The full cost OF The city's venture
Into municipal ownership of an cleo
trio plant is not yet known, although
the power-house has been running
more than year. The distribution
| system has not yet been fully com
| pleted. Neither South Richmond nor
the outlying sections have as yet been
fully served. Additional ornamental
lights are planned, and already an
| additional water wheel and generator
have been found necessary to enlarge
| the capacity of the power-house. Not
| a single public building has as yet
been lighted from the city's power
house.
The public schools paid $4,000 lust
year to the lighting company. mainly
for the John Marshall High School.
The City Hall is poorly lighted with
gas-the only public building in the
city so Illuminated. Fire engine
| houses. police stations, the Jail and
other city-owned buildings continue to
be source OF profit to the lighting
| company.
Promised Lights Mt $50.
Councilmen are asking where the
comes in The city was paying for
| street lighting S54.I5 per lamp per
year. and had perpetual rights which
| supplied power for water pumping
| part of which is now going to waste.
The Council was promised that the
new electric plant II erected on the
plans then presented. could supply all
| current needed for water pumping and
for lighting public buildings as a by
! product. and light the streets OF the
city at sa6 per lamp per year. The
statement was made on the floor OF
the Board OF Aldermen by Mr. Tranord
In answer TO question from Alderman
Reynolds. when the final vote was
the plant possible. The hrst year Of
operation OF the entire plant has not
| yet elapsed. so that It is not possible
to say whether the preliminary esti-
and expense Items for the year have
| amounted to $4,000 without allowing
tor extensions, interest OF deprecla-
| ton. Nor does II allow for valuah le
| water power rights turned over with
| the site of the plant
TraTOrd's Commissions
IN regard to the emoluments OF Con-
| sulting Engineer Trafford. the follow
ing figures have been furnished by the
| Special Accountant:
l9o5-Prcliminary report. .s 10000
S.Ieo9-Plnns and specin-
1oloGAddiitionai plans i 100 90
1909 l9l0-Three per cent. on
construction bills ....:.... 7,o2sss
| - II UTee per cent. on
distribution system .. 1,o56eS
! ls1o-F!vs per cent. on Broad
| Street lights .............. 701lS
Additional claim. PIG per cent
| on distributing system after
| Storms failure ....,.. 53slS
| Extension Broad Street light, 2IS.se
| Installation electric pumps
| for Water Department. -. 1,314S5
| Commission TO date, Wash
ington Ward and Jefferson
Avenue Observation-Disclosures. sos.1s
| Storms contract commission, ssS94
| Extensions distribution sys-
Extensions Broad street lights 32l.s5
Total commissions to date, so0.49l.+3
Mr.. 1rafrord receives n salary of 5000
per month IS Superintendent of the
plant not being required to give all
Of hts time TO the city. He receives
no commissions on amounts expended
for pay rolls or for expenses of opera
ton.
Cost OF Power Plant
AS to the cost OF the plant itself. Mr.
| Trafford has submitted a report OF cX-
| penditures which makes no allowance
for the value of the site and water