The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-02-05
MUNICH PLANT
READY FOR WORK
Prepared TO Light City as Soon
as Overhead Wires .Arc
Strung.
OFFICIALLY INSPECTED
Committee and Councilmcn See
Model Establishment OH
James River.

Members OF tho Council Committee
on Electricity, together with num-
. Der OF city oficals ana Councilmcn,
inspected the municipal electric plant
yesterday afternoon. The power
house. located on James River, jus; be-
low Hollywood Cemetery. on the site
and foundations OF tho old pump
House, was found to be in the best Of
order. with every piece Of machinery
polished ana ready for inspection Con
sulting Engineer i. W. Tranord, who is
acting superintendent Of the plant; T..
Douglas Richardson. formerly chair
man OF the Committee on Electricity
and now candidate for the position of
Supcrin,cndcnl; Chairman John J..
Lynch. Of the Electricity Committee
Chairman H. r. Pollard .Jr. OF the
Committee on Finance: Assistant CITY
Attorney George Wayne Anderson.
City Engineer Charles Z. Boiling, for
mcrIy Superintendent of the water
Works: building Inspector Beck. Bus
I!ncss Manager Dabncy. Of the Chamber
OF Commerce. who when Il member OF
the Board Of Aldermen. made the fight
for the establishment OF q municipal
electric plant: Superintendent Eugene
. T.. Davis. of the Water Department, ana
many others we're present.
MnChincry In Operation.
j. G Woodward. local mana ger for
tho General Electric Company, who in
stalled the electrical machinery. en-
planned its operation in detail. snd tho
VISITORS were taken oyer cycry part Of
the plant While the steam plant Was
hred and ready. it's turbines We're not
in operation; but the water wheels
we're going. supplying current for
pumping water and for the Broad Street
lights. The switchboards and trans
formers were shown iii place. ready to
cut on the general system OF arc lights
throug hout the city as soon as tie con
tractor completes the strnging Of tho
overhead wires and hangs tho lamps
in place
The visitors walked out on the con-
crete approaches to inspect the sources
OF the water power, and viewed the
plant from cverr point. All three
members OF the budget subcommittee
from Tho Committee on Finance were
present ana expressed their interest
and approval OF plans for providing
an additional generator and water
wheel. thus giving tho plant ample re-
serve equipment and making i,s ca
racitr sufficient TO supply WashIngt on
Ward ana to light pnhlic buildings
Inspect Wntcr Pumps.
From the electric plant the visitors
I drove 20 the New rump-li"use. where
four new centrifugal pumps have re-
Gently been Installed each driven III
electric power These pumps arc at
present supplying the entire daily
MATER supply u tho city. having "a
paGity Of nearly 4.ooo,ooo gallons each
! The water pumps are being ovorhaulcd
ana put in order
CITY Engineer Rolling. formerly Su.
eriniendcnt OF the Water Works. ex.
planned that the city now has through
(. out complete duplicate system OF
water supply. SO that any Hitch or
brea kaye cannot cause "a water famine
OF serious proportions. The setting
De SIN; arc In duplicate. there are both
water power and electric pumps. dupli-
cate pumping mains and duplicate Ia
sins III the reservoir Beside the water
pumping station, Mr. Boiling stated
that there was space and ample water
power TO increase the pumping facl-
tiles fully 50 per cent. by watcr-driven
pumps. thus providing for the growth
Of he city Tor many years 10 come, and
/ making il the more dcsira BILE in the
iNicw or Ell present. that as soon as nos
/ SIblc South Richmond should be sun
piled from the main reservoir thus
eliminating the expense OF double
pumping stations and cutting down the
operating force.
Cross New Ninduct.
The party made lis tour In motor
cars. leaving from the City Hall A
spin was made across the new viaduct
OF the Richmond and Hcnrico Railway
Company, on Marshall Street. from
s i fourteenth 10 Twenty first. now nearly
comrletcds save for some form OF light
ing, without which it cannot be opened
I at nights. The cars were stopped on
the bridge, and Chairman Lynch eX-
planned his proposition for straightcn-
ing Shockoc Greek and making tho
great valley north OF Marshall street
available for railroad and manufacture
! ing purposes.
| On the return from the pump house
attention was called TO several drive
ways around William Byrd Park. oiled
last summer which are in excellent
condition, presenting a most attractive
surface for pleasure driving Other
streets. which were oiled late in the
fall, after cold weather had set in, did
not provo so sa satisfactory.
Condition OF Grow. Avenue.
The cars came down Grove Avenue.
which. despite the heavy rain OF tho
previous night, was found to be in
fairly good condition, and at no pla &C
in the desperate and inlpa ssabIe order.
recently painted by some of its resi-
dents TO the Committee on Finance
| Many residence streets We're traverscd
which were in worse condition, some
without curbing or suttcring.
No formal meeting Of the Committee
on Electricity was held. the trip being
merely for tho purpose of generally
| informing the members as TO tho work
| ings Of the power house and its water
pumping annex and as TO conditions
generally.
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