The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1912-03-12
SUGGESTS PL AN
TO SETTLE ROW
Mills Defends Water Committee
in Submitting New Electric
Plant Scheme.

In an effort to adjust tho long drawn
out differences and acute friction .bo-
| tween tho Water Committee and tho
| Committee on Electricity. Chairman
Morgan r. Mills. Of the Water Com-
mittee. secured unanimous approval by
his committee at n special meeting last
night of "a substitute ordinance he had
prepared meeting rs far as practicable
! the divergent views and aiming
TO carry the electric station on
with minimum expense until
the now Administrative Board takes
charge on January / next. Later tho
paper was reported to the Council and
referred to the Committee on Finance.
Chairman Mills stated on the floor of
tho committee that the. criticisms OF
the Water Committee and of himself,
both In the Electricity Committee and
In some newspapers. wore not bourne
out by the facts, the ordinance having
been under discussion In the Electricity
Committee fully six months, in tho
Ordinance, Charter and Reform Com
mittce three months. and was only re-
fcrred to the Water Committee at tho
February meeting, yet that comHittee
was accused of bad faith when 1t had
had less than month TO consider the
paper. and had had but ono meeting
Mt which 1t could have been discussed.
AS to the creation of the office OF
superintendent OF the electric plant as
u permanent position. Mr.. Mills held 1t
TO be totally unnecessary. since ons.
man could readily supervise both power
stations. His amended ordinance, which
was recommended, allows the Elec-
triclty Committee TO appoint an acting
Bupcrint andent ut $500 per month tho
compensation now paid Engineer Trat-
ford. specifying that there shall DO no
fees or commissions in addition, which
has proved source OF complaint In the
past. although the contracts under
which the commissions were allowed
ware approved by the Council. When
the Administrative Board takes charge.
Mr.. Mills said he hoped II would have
on II men OF sense and Judgment who
would see that useless multiplication
of positions was mere sQunndcring OF
money.
They talk about a niger in the
woodpile'; It's Just this eternal making
Of Jobs for somebody" asserted Mr.
Mills. Continuing. nc explained that
other changes in the substitute ordi-
nance provided for a maximum charge
for current used By the Water Depart
ment as a matter OF bookkeeping be-
tween the departments, current TO be
supplied a cost OF production. The
most important proviaion OF the new
ordinance Is clause which specifies
that nj all times current sufficient 10
pump 100000 gallons OF water III
twenty-four hours shall be available.
Il being held to be the essence of the
proposition that there DO provid ID
emergency or duplicate pumping power.
The old plunger pumps have been in
service thirty-five years and arc nei
thar reliable nor efficient. and Chair
man Mills protested that tho water
system must hava the protection It Ia
entitled TO and Its reserve power not
be dissipated in ornamental lighting.
The action of the committee In rec
ommendlng the substitute ordinance
was unanimous, several members of the
Electricity Committee who were pres
cnt saying that II met their views.