Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1915-03-03
HUMPHREYS & MILLER
WOULD BID ON GAS LEASE
Southern Gas and Electric Company
Faces Sharp Compe-
titiOn.
MILLER WRITES COMMITTEE
Suggests That City Determine It's
Policy as to Lease or Sale and
Then Invite Proposals From Re-
SponSihlc Concerns

II the city. through tho authorization
OF It's voters. decides to lease the Gas
Works. the Southern Gas and Electric
Corporation will not be alone In bid
dinC for the lease. Already the Public
Utilities Committee. which is In charge
or tho matter, has received a request
from Humphreys e Miller. Inc, of New
York. asking 10 be permitted in the
event OF Il decision TO lease the plant.
TO submit q bid
The letter was presented to the COM
nittce. last night. and was laid on tho
table for consideration in connection
with the gas lease proposition. Hum
phreys " Miller are successors to Hum
phrcys " Glasgow. OF New York Ar
thur Glasgow, OF this firm. Is the we'll
SHOWN gas expert now of London. who
made an inspection of the Richmond
plant more :han 4 year ago.
FIRM Is ONE OF
WIDE REPUTATION
II is stated that Humphreys & MIL,
Ter is firm OF unQuestioned rcspon.
, sihility. Mr.. Miller. of this firm. is a
native OF Richmond. a brother of DR..
/ clifton NJ Miller, and is a cas- expert
OF wide reputation. The FIRMS Euro
pcan correspondent is Humphreys e
Glasgow, Of London, the last named
/ being the gas expert known to Rich
! mond as one-time resident and an au-
/ thority OF international reputation
An examination of the files OF Tie
/ Public Utilities Committee shows that
! humphreys x Miller, of New York, APP
! piled for permission to bid on the Gas
| Works lease when the matter was he
! ing discussed last year. Under date
| of February 10. 1914 Alton S Miller.
| vice-president Of the concern said with
reference to the outright lease promo
sltion submitted at that time by the
/ southern Gas and Electric Corporation
that 1T would seem to be very easy to
| make proposition that would be very
much better for the city than the propo-
sition that is before your committee"
WOULD LIKE OPPORTUNITY
TO HID ON LEASE
The letter from Humphreys e Miller.
l65 Broadway. New York. TO the Public
| Utilities Committee. signed by Vice
| President Miller. reads:
Il note that proposition to lease the
| city gas plant has been referred TO
your committee, and that n hearing on
the subject will be given by your COM
mittee at some future date.
las 4 native of Richmond, who is
interested In the gas business. ] write
| TO say that If the city of Richmond in
tends to sell or lease its gas plant,
wish at least to have an opportunity
! to make an offer for the same, and,
| therefore. request that your commit
tee recommend that the people of Rich
| mond decide, first, whether they will
!, lease or sell the plant II Il favorable
| offer is received. and If this question
is decided in the Affirmative. that the
matter be then referred to q committee
| TO receive bids and to recommend the
lease or the sale of the plant TO the
| highest responsible bidder"
WANT CITY TO DETERMINE
IT'S GENERAL ATTITUDE
This whole question has been up so
many times, and so much time and
, money have been spent by me and
! others III going to Richmond and exam
/ lining the property, with a view to
. making offers. that few of us feel that
| We can afford TO spend the additional
time and incur the expense necessary
to make an examination when the pos
sibilty of lease or sale is apparently
so very remote. On the other hand. 1
! shall De moro than glad to make Il
\ very complete examination, and am
sure that my knowledge of Richmond
and my interest therein will enable me
to make n proposition as favorable. if
not more favorable. than can be made
by any other responsible parties. In
any case even II I should not be so
the city Will have nothing to lose by
handling the matter as 1 have sug-
gcsted. shall. however. hope to be
in n position to make the most fav-
orable bid"
PUBILC HEARING IS
SET FOR MARCH II
The Committee on Public Buildings,
Properties and Utilities last night fixed
the evening of Monday. March Is, for
public hearing on the question of
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