The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1915-11-28

In 1905 some members Of the City
Council were impressed with the fact
that the streets were inadequately
lighted. and tl.at very large additions
would have to be made in the mum Der
OF lamps employed. and consequently
to the expense Of this branch Of
municipal service. The city was then
extending some $4,000 per year, for
which sum about 500 electric are
lamps were operated. Tho chief ad-
vocate Of better lighted streets was
w. T. Dabney. then a member of the
Common Council from Madison Ward,
who introduced 4 resolution looking
to the esta adjustment OF q municipal
electric plant.
About the same time the city was
engaged in the construction Of set
Ting basins for the publication of Its
domestic water supply. and 1t became
evident that the Introduction of this
new source OF water supply would
mean the abandonment OF the old
pump house, located in the river ad-
3acent to Hollywood Cemetery. as a
pumping station for the reason that
1t would have been very expensive to
bring the purined water to this point.
At thts juActure r. w. Trafford.
whom the city employed as con-
sulting engineer to advise them con-
corning electrical affairs, suggested
that since tho water could not prac-
tically be brought to the Old pump
house It would be feasible to take its
power to the now pump house, located
some two miles to the west. by means
OF electricity there to be used for
pumping purposes.
After an extended discussion the
City Council OF 1908 determined to
construct an electric plant on the site
of itS old pump house ana to utilize
its product for municipal purposes
only; the lighting Of streets. parks
and public buildings and the pump
ing of water.
History OF Old Pump House.
Concerning the old pump house.
now the site of the city electric plant
much Of interest could he written.
Purchased from General Jacquelin b.
thought thay had solved tha questions
Of water source and power for pump
ing the same for all time. In fact.
20 vast did these water power rights
seem to them that they secured from
the State Legislature the right to sell
their surplus power. II would seem
that the parties who had this Ques-
ton in hand understood water power
ami James River conditions surround
ing the old pump house better than
many OF their successors, for. when Il
was determined 10 develop this power
to Its limit in the year 1908, the
original plan OF the engineers of 1870
was carried out. In fact, the dam
was extended to the original point and
now terminates upon the identical
rock In the river bed which General
Harvte had marked some sfxty-eight
years previously ana which the con-
tinued flow of James River had failed
to injure. OF course. the modern en-
gineer had better materials and bet
ter machinery to work with: the older
dams were Of wood: the new ones are
OF concrete: and the old fashioned
breast wheels of 1870 have been sup
erseded by modern water turbines.
How we'll this has been done is in
Dictated by the fact that tho new cleo
trio plant develops six times as much
power as Its predecessor. the old pump
house.
Since the erection Of the electric
plant in 1911 the growth Of the num-
Der Of lights In use has been very
rapid, increasing from $50 arc lamps
in 1911 to . total OF 3.333 lamps Of
various sizes and types at the present
time. and Of this number 2,413 lamps
arc Of creator Illuminating power than