Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1915-06-11

i,of tho tcmpcstuous proceedings. werc
cc-President L. 1. Pollitt and Counsel
| Alexander ii. Sands. of the Southern
| Gas and Electric Corporation; John
| Hirschberg, of tho Administrative
| Board. and Chief Inspector Shelton. OF
the Gas Department. under whose di-
rection most OF tho tables In the Ad-
| ministrative Boards gas report were
| prepared.
| The boards report referred to in the
| petitioners statement was delivered to
the Public Utilities Committee last
Monday. 1t WAS document of more
than twenty typewrittcn pages. and
denied Categorically the company's
| claims that II could give the city bet
| ter or cheaper gas. There were also
references to the Southern Gas and
Electric Corporation which called into
question the purity of it's motives
| characterizing it as an "uninyited
guest, without satisfactory credentials,
suspicious in appearance and probably
! In disguise"
TEXT OF GAS
COMPANIES PETITION
The Southern Gas and Electric Cor
porntion's petition submitted to the
Common Council last night follows in
FULL
In March we submitted to your body
two alternative propositions TO lease
your Gas Works This communication
was referred to tho Committee on Pub
lie Buildings. Properties and Utilities
which promptly accorded us a cour-
tcous hearing. at which, naturally, how
ever, oar statements were limited to an
amplihcation and explanation of the
propositions made, coupled with n gen
cral summary OF the reasons why we
believed that the gas consumers of
Richmond. in particular, and the COM
munity at large. iudircctly would lac
better served and more largely bcne-
fitted through a private operation of
your plant than was possible under the
limitations of municipal management.
Tn" committee referred our PROPOSE
ton TO the Administrative Board for an
inrestigauon and report upon it's
merits.
CHARGE BOARD WITH
BIAS AND PREJUDICE
Apparently as a matter OF comfort
only. the Administrative Board granted
us a hearing, at which IL displayed a
spirit of such bias and prejudice as
rendered a fair and Intelligent discus
sion OF the gas situation almost i'm
possible, the attitude of the board be
coming more antagonistic and bitter
rs the presentation of inControvertible
facts demonstrated that the analysis
made by the auditors whom we had
employed OF the gas figures was cor
rect. ana that the statements Of mast
ana prospective earnings advanced by
the board were erroneous, unwnrranted
and incapable Of Qualification and sup
port.
Its brief recommendation TO repor,
adversely Oh our proposal breathcd
such manifest prejudice that even your
Committee on Public BUILDINGS. From
critics and Utilities was dissatisfied and
unconvinCcd by the same, and returned
/ a. mi :;
fuller details
II this board had the data which in
Its first report and its later report IL
alleged TO be available and in hand,
1t seems curious that its action in re-
spcct OF complying with the request
OF your committee for details upon
which its conclusions were based
should have been so long delayed that
your committee had to make a special
request for tho furnishing OF the re-
port in time for it's next regular sit
ting.
HAD No OPPORTUNITY
no BE HEARD IN REPLY
Tho Administrative Board either
iailed or was unable TO supply the re-
CURED Information eve assume the lat
ter because we do not wish 10 accuse
the Administrative Board of the same
want OF courtesy in respect 10 your
committee as they manifested In deal
Ing with ns) until last Monday night. |
when the report was submitted to your
COMMITTEES. and without giving us an
opportunity to be heard i'm reference 10
inc same was ut once acted upon
Tho language in this report is SO
unfair IN many particulars. so mani
testify unjust; so lacking In balance
that wc are not impressed with It's
being entitled 20 any persuasive force
we asked your committee and now
ask Your honorable body TO give us
an opportunity to be heard in respect
of said report.
we are prcpn rcd TO demonstrate that
the figures which we have presented
10 the citizens Of Richmond and to
YOUR committee and TO the Admins
tratiye Board arc true and reliable;
that the figures contained in the re-
port OF the Administrative Board arc
padded, untrue and observation-disclosures
CHALLENGE TRUTHFULNEsS
OF MATERIAL STATEMENTS
We arc prepared. furthermore. to
challenge the truthfulness Of substan-