Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1915-05-05
.80-CT. GAS NOW ASSURED
OF PASSAGE BY COUNCIL
Public Utilities Committee RECON-
mends Ordinance by Unani-
NOUS Vote.
WILL REJECT LEASING OFFER
Committee VIII Dispose Finally OF
Baltimore Company's Petition fo,.
Rental Of Works at Meeting to &c
Held on May 10.

BY unanimous vote the Council
committee on Public Buildings. Prom
critics and Utilities. last night approved
n report from It's subcommittee recon-
mending for passage an ordinance re-
dncing the price OF gas in this city
from 80 cents to so cents per 1000 cubic
ieet. me ACTION was taken practically
without debate.
Alderman Joseph e. Powers, chair
man or the subcommittee, and patron
or the So-cent gas ordinance. made n
orief statement of the subcommittee's
findings, and presented it's written re-
port. IN this was expressed the firm
conviction of the subcommittee that
the municipal plant can manufacture
and supply gas at so cents and still
show substantial annual profit.
Inc statement was substantiatcd by
superintendent Knowles of the Gas
works. who attended the meeting. Ac-
cording to figures prepared by Chief
Inspector Shelton, and presented last
night with the subcommittee report.
II cost the city plant last year Il frac-
ton over II cents a thousand cubic
rect to supply gas to tho consumer
The marked reduction in the cost of oil.
said Mr.. Knowles, will lower the cost
for ut least the next two years
ORDINANCE VIRTUALLY
ASSURED OF PASSAGE
The unanimous support of the Pub
lie Utilities Committee is taken to
mean that the S0-cent gas ordinance is
now assured OF passage through the
council. The reduction will be the
first since 1909 when the price OF gas
was reduced from 81 to 90 cents. the
present price
While no Council in recent years
lived its life without experiencing an
agitation for reduction in the price
OF gas. IL is freely admitted that the
immediate inspiration of the ordina nee
approved last night was the campaign
undertaken by the Southern Gas and
Electric Corporation, Of Baltimore. to
secure a lease OF the Gas Works, in
which the company held out the prom
Use that 1t would cheaper the price Of
gas to the consumer.
Attorney a. H. Sands, of the South
ern Gas and Electric Corporation
asked the committee to take some ac-
ton towards Fastening a report from
the Administrative Board on it's leas-
ing offer, the papers relating to which
are now in that body's possession. The
company itself. he said. had no legal
standing before the board and could
only address itself to the committee
The Southern Gas and Electric Corpo-
ration, he said. would prefer to have
the matter settled as early as possible
in order that 1T may know where
il liz at"
BOARD INSTRUCTED
TO FILE ALL PAPERS
Upon the motion of Councilman Bat
kins tho committee voted to instruct
the Administrative Board TO submit TO
the committee a detailed report on the
leasing question together with all
papers bearing upon the matter. by the
next regular meeting of the committed
which will take place on May IS. Mr.
Sands was assured that the committee
will on that date make a definite rec
ommendation to the Council with ref
erence TO its leasing offer.
II is an open secret that the commit
tee Will vote overwhelmingl TO reject
the leasing proposition. The feeling Is
general among the members that a re-
duction in the price of gas to so cents
viii give to the residents of the city
virtually everything they may reason
ably expect from a leasing of the
works.
The committee voted TO recommend
TO the Council for adoption an ordi
nance allowing the Roselawn Land
Corporation. owning tract OF land adj
joining the Richmond College property
in Wcsthampton, to tap the city water
main supplying the college.