The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1913-09-20
SUBURBS GET GAS
CHEAPER THAN CITY
OFFER OF HENRICo GAS COMPANY
TO TAKE OVER SOUTH
SIDE PLANT
ACTION IS POSTPONED
srnCoMMTTTEE on STREETS HEARS
ARGUMENT FOR EXTENDING
FRANCHISE HELD BY SOUTH
SIDE COMPANY

those portions OF richmond IN an
nexed territory. the Southside, and ter
ritory 1t is proposed to anneN-o,'n-
ter Park. Highland Park, Barton
Heights and other Henrico county ter
vitorv-~w}ll be served with gas at
maximum. price of so cents per thou
sand feet. Il the City Will extend thlr-
teen years the franchise at present
held by he Manchester Heat Light
and Power company. This would
give outlying territory cheaper gas
than ri .hmond now enjoys
This interesting proposition was de-
veleped yesterday afternoon at tho
meeiug If the subcommittee OF the
street. committee 81 council 10 which
hss been referred the petition Of the
southside gas concern for extension
OF franchise
New capital Interested includes that
in the HenTico Gas company, con
Germ having plant In North Rich
mond and supplying the suburbs
which the annexation plan now before
i the city contempiates making part
of the city of Richmond. The Hen
rico concern has a franchise Of thirty
years for carrying on the gas business
In those towns.
Propose Consolidation.
II liz 9rapoked that the Henrico Gas
company w5l take over tie business Of
the Southside concern, enlarge and
modrrnize It's plant and extend mains
end services and supply gas to South
Richmond II the new Interests in the
Manchester company can secure the
franchise extension.
The subcommittee. after hearing
argument by Attorney A. II. Sands,
for petitioners, and discussing at
length he gas company's petition. ad-
Journed IN motion Of Mr. Nondelehr
to meet next Thursday afternoon 1t
430 o'eloce. when tabulated figures
and statement as TO Just what the
gas company proposes TO do, will be
received.
As the city is In the gas business IT.
self, and agreed in the annexation
contract to furnish Manchester with
gas ana as the city has already eX-
pended some $50 600 on laying mains
10 carry gas from the municipal plant
into the Scuthsde, members Of coun-
Gil and me committee oppose the
granting Of the Manchester company's
request, and It Is regarded as highly
improha BILE that the franchise viii be
extended.
The purchasing company would
THaiTtaTH TIA TWO gag ptHTTs. bTTr
would operate from central office
minimizing overhead expenses which
will enable 1t TO furnish gas at 90 cents
thousand for three years. at Rs cents
for the next three years. and at so
cents for the next twenty four years
of the life of the franchise The
company further proposes 10 continue
the decrease in the price Of gas. and
TO supply Il for less than 50 cents If
IL hnds 'his possible. and agrees that
during me last twenty four years of
the franchise II will not charge more
than so cents
File Long Petition.
That he interests seeking the fran
chise extension appear to have with
them the sympathy and support nf
the citizens and business men Of the
Southside Ia evidenced by petition
signed by u majority of the leading
merchants and majority of members
Of the Citizens Association Of South
Richmond, This petition was shown
by Attorney Sands at Yesterday 8
meeting of the subcommittee.
When this petition was presented
by Mr. Sands. Mr. Nondelehr. Of the
committee. asked If the signers Of that
petition knew that the city had APP
propriated $3.50. 00o of which some
$4,000 had already been expended
for giving South Richmond gas ser
vice from the municipal plant,
Mr.. Vondelehr while expressing
himself as not desirious Of opposing
OF citizens. thought the city should
be given an opportunity to thorough
ly understand the situation and to
go deeply into the proposition before
II took definite action
Mr.. Gunst and Mr. Vonderiehr dis
cussed the property ofthe city buy
Ing the plants OF the two private con-
Germs and eliminating them. but no
conclusion was reached by the com
mittee. The granting Of the fran
chsse extension was looked upon in
the light Of a stopping stone to COM
petitno.
g Want Time for Study
@@6 Urging that the question of time
@~ehouid not be allowed To interfere In
n the matter before the committee and
that careful study should be given the
situation before it decides upon any
recomme ndstion to council, Mr..
Fondelehr moved the committee ad-
5ourn until next Thursday when the
Manchester company and the city gas
department are expected to present
ali figures and facts showing up both
sides Of the proposition.
IA Even II the proposition To con-
solidate he rejected the Manchester
Heat, Light and Power company.
which thirteen years ago. when it
operated an acetyllne gas plant Sc
cured a franchise for thirty years.
wants to make extension Improvement
n In the plant. New capital has been
lined up for the enterprise. which
proposes TO give the S0uthside a gas
service better than any IL has had
heretofore, bat the company does not
want to go tn the expense cantem-
plated II IL can conduct it's business
for but seventeen years That is the
period during which the Manchester
Heat, Light and Power company or its
successors can do business unless its
request for thirteen year extension.
practically new franchise for thirty
years from this date, is given by the
city,
The offer Of the Heurico company
IN supply South Richmond and The
suburban towns with gas az 81 cents
per thousand within three years and
70 make further reductions later is
interesting just now in view Of the
recently expressed opinion Of mem
beers Of the administrative board that
the city can not reduce the price from
ninety cents because Of the increased
cost OF materials.
Cost of Materials Goes Tp.
Because the price Of the oil used
by the city gas department in the
manufacture Of gas has been doubled
by the Standard Oh company. and
because there has been an advance In