Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1915-03-16

| gas lease question a full hearing at
! the present meeting
ASHAMED THAT HE VOTED
TO EXTEND HEARING
Yes. voted for IT," replied Mr.
Christian. but left the committee
room ashamed that ! did So"
| Alderman Christians resolution was
put to n vote and defeated. the patron
alone voting for It. The meeting was
| thereupon thrown open for the bust
ness OF the evening. and Attorney a. II.
| Sands. local representative of the Bal
| tmore company, presented Mr.. Pollttt.
| lie outlined the companys proposition
In virtually the same manner in which
| Il had been presented 10 the subcom-
mittee two weeks ago by Mr.. Homer.
Mr.. Poll!tt read statements from
John T. Wilson. T.. y. Stumpf. J. +.
| Fourqurcan, Ludwell H. Jackson and
Jacob Levitt, favoring submission
OF the leasing question to the citizens.
! or recommending careful inquiry
| into the advisability OF submitting this
! question TO tho voters.
Mr.. Sands indicated that the company
would. for the present at least. rest
It's case with Mr.. Pollitt's presentation.
The call Of Chairman Mitchell for other
! advocates OF the lease brought no re-
Spouse. Upon motion inviting an
expression from the city departments
affected by the proposition, the chair
man called upon Vice Chairman Hirsch-
berg. OF the Administrative Board.
SAYS BOARD SHOULD
| PASS ON PROPOSITION
| Mr.. IIIrschbcrg told the committee
tina: the Administrative Board was not
/ In position AT present to make a
statement since the amended charter
| placed the Gas Works In its care II
was only right, thought Mr. Hlrschberg,
that before the Council or any OF its
committees decide the question It should
( be referred for report to the Admins
trativc Board.
Alderman Powers said that II was
the committees intention TO cooperate
with the board in every way, and OK
pressed the belief that the whole mat
ter should properly hrst be referred to
! IL for its report. His motion turning
over all the papers in the matter to
! The board was carried unanlmous!v
The hearing attracted a large repre-
sentation from the employees OF the
Gas Department. as we'll as prominent
members OF the CITY Council and mu-
nicipai government and citizens at
/ large. Among those present were
President Adams OF the Board OF Alder
men: President Peters, OF the Common
Council: former Councilmen Morgan r.
Mills and Jacob Cmlauf. Superintendent
| TraTord, of the Electric Plant: Super
! intcndent Knowles and Chief Inspector
/ shelton. OF the Gas Department.: City
Attorney Pollard and Business Man.
agcr Dabney. of the Chamber Of Com
merce.
ARTHUR GLASGOW is
INTERESTED SPECTATOR
! An interested spectator who occupied
4 seat we'll in front was Arthur Glas-
gov, the London gas expert, who made
an investigation OF the Richmond plant
about two years ago, and many OF
whose suggestions for Improvement
have been followed by the Gas De-
partment and the Administrative Board
Excerpts from his report showing that
| the system is in need of improvements
have been extensively quoted by the
company seeking the lease in its adj
vertlsins literature.
There is no question n, this time"
said Mr.. Homer In the letter read 10
| the committee by Mr.. Pollitt, las to the
terms OF lease, the personnel Of the
lessee or the safeguards which the city
should properly insist upon, In order
amply and fully TO protect the real and
best interests OF the community. These
are all matters properly subject OF
consideration only after your Council
shall have decided that the question of
negotiating n lease shall be submitted
| to the citizens of Richmond. and tho
latter shall. by the affirmative vote. au-
thorize lease of the Gas Works"
PEOPLE MAY VOTE
ON DETAILED OFFER
! Mr.. HomeTs statement that there was
no question at this time as to the terms
OF lease was not accepted by several
| members of the committee who dis
| cussed the point after adjournment
These made the statement that they
had been competently advised that the
! completed lease. In blank. detailing the
actual conditions and terms OF the
! rental, would have TO he submitted to
| the voters. mere referendum on the
question Of lease or no lease, 1t was
held by these, would be unfair to the
people
Should q definite lease finally be ap-
proved by the voters, it was stated
further. II would subsequently have to
be advertised and awarded to the high
est responsible bidder. The procedure
would be virtually the Same AS the
practice that is now followed In grant
| Ing franchises.
SUMS UT CASE FOR
LEASING GAS WORKS
| In summing up it's case for n Lease
of tho Gas Works, the Southern Gas
and Electric Corporation, through Mr.
TIomer's letter to the committee, drew
| attention to these claims:
That a lease would not mean that
the city would lose its :itle to the
plont