The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1912-11-19
MAYOR A|NSL|E
TURNS ON LIGHT
CITY HALL Is NOW A BLAZE OF
ELECTRICITY SUPPLIED BY
THE CITY.
OFFICIALS PRE- SEN 7
BUILDING INSPECTOR BECK SEES
THE ELIMINATION OF HIS
DREAM OF YEARS CONE
OFFICIALS ESEN T

With grip of his right hand as
: firm as the grasp of his min9 on
civic questions, Mayor George Ainslie
at 1880 o'clock yesterday afternoon
/ pulled a switch which flooded the
City hall in glow of yellow light
and brought forth sigh of grstifl-
cation from ali the employees of Rich
! mond who here have their quarters.
1t was the elimination OF one of the
dreams OF Building Inspector Henry
r. Beck. whose dreams concerned
with the welfare Of the city always
come true through durcss of work.
There was no ceremony u the
| lighting up OF the hall. ]. l.. Speights,
city electrical inspector. who has
had the work in charge underline
| supervision of the building inspector,
notified Mayor Ainsiie at $3.50 O'Clock
that he was ready, and a small party
proceeded to the second floor, where
tho mechanism Of the main switch
| board was explained to the mayor.
Lets have some light" whispered
the mayor. paraphrasing another say
ing, and he swung the switch. I'M
| mediately 1850 lights sprang into
being. and from the FIRST floor 10 the
! tower the hall was suffused with 3
mellow light.
/ Not Vet Completed.
! CONNEXIONS nave iol yet pfeIt
! completed in the basement nor in
the first floor. The corridor of the
| first floor and the mayors office are
! connected. and It will be only "A few
J days before every office in the city
1 nall ~ connected with the electric
| supply.
| An appropriation of $4,000, in two
! instruments. was made for the light
! ing OF the City hall by electricity.
/ and approximately $500 has already
t been expended. The work was be-
/ gun on January 23d, under Inspector
J. l.. Speights, with only two men
/ G. NJ. Miller ana J. c. Herbert--in
| charge. They worked alone up 10
March. when the force was increased.
! All the material was bought through
| Richmond jobbers. Twenty years ago
/ the city hall was wired at a cost Of
/ $4,000. The new wiring, with new
i swftch beards and panel boards and
| 1896 feet of wire, have cost so far
/ less than $4,000. Lamps to the num-
| her of 1850 have been installed. and
| 1850 are now In use Everything is
up to the latest standard require
ments. .,..,. .-.,..s--s -.......4e
I City Ofgicials Present.
! Many of the City hall officials and
! Engineer E. w. Trafford, superinten-
dent of the city electric plant. were
T present when Mayor Ainslie made
| the magic touch. and there was
! murmur of applause when the lights
flashed above and below them. Build
! ing Inspector Beck has worked for
| electric lighting of the hall for three
years. and he was at last satisfied
The lights range from 40 to 60
candle power A voltage Of 4soo0
runs to the basement, and Is there
reduced to 115. The power Is con-
trolled in the basement, where, in
case Of emergency. the power may
he cut off by the engineer In charge.
The main switchboard is on the sec
ond floor and there are PANEL
board switches on every floor. A big
reflector will be installed in tho tower,
so that the clock may be discernible
for squares around.