The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1913-09-26
REJECT 1T, but

r. should take the city council and the Ad'
,n,n,x,ra,ive board very little time to decide to
reject the proposal Of the Baltimore company
which wishes TO lease the city gas WORKS. he'
section should be speedy and final
The offer is one which would be tempting under
certain conditions. but the more tempting " Is
the greater the reason for refusal
This apparent paradox is easily expiaihaoe'
THE price to he paid the promised reduction IN
,ha nr,ce to consumers and the pledge of better
oua,,ty. contained In the offer Of the ~ouid-be
purchasers. tempts the city treasury and the con
sunera Of gas but the question Immediately
arises. WHY cannot the city give better qhaliy
and an even lower price, If q private corpora
ton can pay for the lease of the plant and give
better gas than ia being given at lower
rate the city should be able to Increase the
cuaItty and free from the necessity Of paying for
tho lease reduce the rate below that promised
by the corporation of Baltimore. What Temps
the city to sell or lease and more should be Sc
cured without a sale
For these reasons the city should reject the
sffer OF the private corporation to lease. but 1t
should go further
private corporation believes that IT can
aparata the city GAS plant at profit and Is will
ing to back its confidence with an annual ex-
penditure Of $4,000 with more thousands spent
In operating expenses and with still more thous-
ands spent for improvements.
II not only believes that It can do this at a
profit but II believes that it give better salts
lection than Is now being given,
II believes that 1t can improve the present
pIanS manufacture higher grade of gas and
make fair profit plus $4,000.
This is business proposition made by bust
ness men. They are not philanthropists who are
making this offer, but men who are after profit
on their investments and men who are credited
with knowing a paying business when they see
II these men can do this the city can do and
do stn better for It Will not have to pay $4,000
annually for the privilege
The council and the administrative board,
after rejecting the offer TO purchase, should take
cognizance of these facts The confidence Of buFi'
ness men that eighty cent gas at profit is pos
sible should set them to thinking and out of the
thinking this idea might evolve
A commission, of which the superintendent of
The gas plant would be one should be engaged to
study the problem in effort TO discover whence
comes this confidence on the part of the corpora
ton wishing to buy This commission should
be composed of experts, paid and paid literally.
Such commission should learn why 1t is that
q private corporation has such faith in the pos
abilities OF the Richmond gas plant as to bc
willing to invest real money in It, Having
learned this 1t would be in possession Of facts
and figures to show the city Of Richmond how IT
could do what a private corporation is anxious
to do. 1t would have facts and figures. in other
words To demonstrate TO the council the admin.
.strative board and the gas department that
Richmond gas plant can supply better gas at a
lower figure than is now being supplied.