The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1916-06-24
IRAFFORD OPPOSES
OFFER OF COMPANY
Thinks City Would Make Mistake TO
Accept Current From Virginia
Railway and Power Company.
BIG CONTRACTS AWARDED
Work to Begin at Once on Improve
ments to Shockoe Creek from Sec
ond to Harrison Strcets--Many
Offers for Farm Sites

After hearing the clerk read a
lengthy report from Superintendent
Trafford, of the electric department
Of the city. the Administrative Board
yesterday tabled the report for flu
tuFe consideration.
Mr.. Trafford had been asked to
consider and report on a proposition
made by the Virginia Railway and
Power Company to furnish the city
with additional current AT a price
manufacture. The proposition stipu-
lAtes that the city Is not to manufac-
ture more current than is necessary
to supply the present demand.
This proposition did not appeal to
Mr. Trafford. who recommends that
the offer of the company be rejected.
inasmuch as the city would, by its
acceptance, place itself under moral
obligations not to extend It's output
OF current. In his report, Mr.. Traf-
ford says:
Mr.. TrafYord's Report.
ut will be seen that the price at
which the company offers to sell cleo
tricity to the city is lower than the
present average cost of production In
the city electric plant; at least three
times as great as the cost of produc-
ing additional electric current III the
city electric plant. From an examina-
ton of the companys annual report
believe that the conf y y is offering
the city current at mucn less than its
own average cost Of production. while
emergcxcy service to the city would
in all probability he the most ex-
pensive to supply which they have
on their lines TIE city electric plant
as at present equipped. is able to pro-
vide for so per cent increase in
street lighting and pumping power.
and can produce this necessary cleo
trio current for the increase by either
water or steam power
AS a standard of safe equipment
this department desires to he SO equip
ped that assuming total failure OF
water at its plants, Il shall be able
TO operate its maximum load by steam
power, and, further, that II shall be
able to do this with any one of It's
steam operated units temporarily out
of commission To this standard the
city's plants do not conform. and for
this reason alone additional steam re-
serve machinery tnot electric cur
the Virginia Railway and Power Com
pany also fail to conform with the
above standard of safety. The
city would have TO expend a consid-
cradle sum OF money To utilize the
company's current which money
would be lost If we ceased to pur-
chase from them. The company
would have to expend a large sum
of money in the construction of lines
tvA A&Sxv-r ~
would receive little or no return for
a Ions time. There are several tech
nical objections to the use OF the COM
panys current by the city electric
plant, but these need not now he dis
cussed.
Keep Out OF Commercial Field.
Under the companys proposal as
submitted tho city may not generate
electric current in excess o. that gem
Grated by the machinery nov INSTALL
ed In the city electric plant Hence
We are indirectly asked to contract
that We will not enter the commercial
held. Such contract, II made,
would be morally binding upon the
city and commits them 10 policy
which many would view AS undesir-
able. The city may not utilize It's re-
manning water power RESOURCES for
the generation of electricity. and. in
effect. would permit the company to
do So to their advantage, The city
may not replace or renew its present
machinery at the city eleotrtc plant,
We may not buy electric current. \:
available. from any other concern.
Such provisions l re.yatd rs con-
trary to public policy and the con-
tract clause as SUBJ tilted should he
rejected. The departments plan FRO
ytdes for q supply of electricity Tor
municipal purposes for a city OF $780,
600 reople, and the cost - current, Il
this plan Is followed. will ue ma
teriAlly less than would lie attained
b. the adoption Of tho companys
plan OF course. the city wilt have to
make extensions to les plants from
time to time, but 1t Is believed the
cry will be able to anahce its neces-
SNry public Improvements as they he
cosn> Lec~rsary. No good reason has
been presented which would justify
. departure from these plans.
with reference to the sale OF cleo
txScity. whether surplus product or
not. We are without authority TO ef-
6oct such q sale. II We do not fur
nish = general supply. our surplus
should be sold as other city property
for the best obtainable price. / be-
lieve the price offered by the COM
pany does not meet this condition"
\ The question Of charging and Inn
proving the electric plant will hinge
upon the action OF the board in this
matter.
Offers For Farm Site.
The board received thirty offers for
city farm site. ranging in price from
80 to SIS per acre. The farms are
located In many sections. some az far
~ 81 miles from the city The various
Offers were turned over to City Ac-
countant Cofer for tabulation. etc.
These offers were received In re-
Eeponso to advertisement for site for
the proposed city farm. Council has
delegated the board with the duty Of
negotiating the sale Of Pin, Camp
farm, from the proceeds of which the
city farm Is to be purchased
NJ r. p. Murphy & Son were given the
contract for supplying the Water De-
partment with 10 tons OF anthracite
coal at 81 ton.
The City Engineer was directed 70
estimate the cost Of crawling Meadow
Street. between Ashland and Amelia.
Sh0ckOe Creek improvements,
Contracts for Shockoe Creek i'm
Eprovements. amounting to $23S,429.fS,
were awarded yesterday. After care
sful tabulation by the City Engineer of
bids by ten contractors. the bids were
awarded IS follows: