Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1919-10-31
APPROVE PURCHASE
Of HENRIC0 PLANT
AT S175,0OO PRICE
Northern Section of City to
Obtain Better Gas
Distribution.
COMPANY Is WILLING
TO ACCEPT THAT AMOUNT
Action Also Considered to Oper.
ate Property on Lease to
April l..
MEALS REPORTED DELAYED
afany Citizens Are Present and Sup
ply Councilmen With Informa-
ton as to Conditions.
MEALS REPORTED DELAYED

Alter meeting lasting moro tina n
Two hours and half and attended by
over 100 representative citizens OF tho
North Side. the Finance Committee. BY
unanimous vote, last night recon-
Incnded the purchase by tho city OF the
distributing system OF the Henrico
County Gas Company for sl75.o00 in
order to furnish satisfactory gas ser
vice for cooking and lighting 10 the
,citizens OF tho northern sections OF
'Richmond. The matter will come be-
Tore the Council for final action
Councilman Carter c. Jones put the
motion calling for the rccommcn ndat ton
OF the purchase after Alexander H.
SANDS, counsel for the gas company
had declared tina; his firm would ac-
cept that figure In accordance with the
valuation report Of Director of Public
Utilities Trafrord submitted to the
committee on June -. 1919
Mr. Jones also put the motion. which
was passed, providing for an option on
the lease OF the gas-making plant OF
The The suburban company until April /.
THIS action was taken to provide SER
vice TO the North Side in case the main
city plant should fail TO deliver full
lond TO the outlying districts after the
as BY the Hen1ieo esnn With those
pany.
Citizens Tell Their Story.
Immediate relief from the shortage
OF gas which now exists on the North
mes,. n,ee and IN ,pnd,ea. pneyed,s the cooking OF
plea Of ali he on home 20 ,s was the
who addressed the Finance Committee.
The utmost speed will not give this
fsiiet within less than sixty days was
the testimony of Director OF Public
Utilities Tranford. whose expert advice
a, was sought by the committee. Steps
of pipe which will connect the mains
OF the city and the Henrico County
Gas company: nc said. The cost OF
cording to the director. and the sum is
available for immediate use out OF
funds now held by the Department Of
the purchase of the distributing eys.
tenn provides that the money be bor-
TioWed iss~ and "a be 6e severed later by a bond
poses to make.
Price May Reach SIS5.OOO.
It 10 expected that the total mr.
Srihnt;ppr Price 9Th OF the Eas company's dis
slss.coo rns nssffm nre wl9 sI75 os6P oss6Ppaoxma.s
the estimate OF Mr.. Trafford was hased
was on the actual value OF the pipes
ieIa s"f Iae'sfa sfa Oh me company on January
out a great deal of additional piping
has been laid and Installations made
this would be about 10000 Attornev
sands declared. and II was decided by
tes tns men members ;. s OF the Finance Commit
/
pany that this amount be added to tha
January valuation. ~ '''e
Inc recon- mmendation Of the Finance
purchase Pun Of the gas. making plant 'of of
sne company The decision to secure
STtsr Snty me ne dis,sributing system was made
VINO VINO gave II as his opinion that the
Plant would be useless to the citv.
tn1ch tsns only wanted the main and me.
Aser fs eshFe she Eas pant ,hs in
niant OF OF me option of rental. the gas
lee LED and sold, Mr.. Sands said. Mr.
ihst ihaitoru ,ta thought it altogether unlikely
eYen na ones .ne city, city would need the plant
rent lot the plant the city will nav
per PEI cent on the difference between The
purcnase a, price of sl75,O0O and saG4, 600,
6mcnt. "hu equip
Many Improvements Needed.
~ viii be necessary to spend 500, 900
and VIII require until next fail ~
maze nins Az the improvements which will
as good gas service as is enjoyed in
Richmond's central sections. Mr.. Traf-
ford said, In reply to questions nut to
MN nm, Enenni1n py members Of the committee.
next two months would be the first
step In the program of Improvement. h.,
!ndieated. but would not give the relief
! - s'S CNeil Z '.NOTtn SIDE section.
Ialthough 1t would improve dcplorabIs
conditions now existing, which often
make 1t impossible to cook meals on
EEas stoves. o''
The price at which the gas comnanv
would sell to the city was set last
might after consulta tion between 7,
Irving Pollitt, president of the Southern
Gas and Electric Company, OF BaIti
more. which owns the Henrico County
Gas Company and Alexander II. Sands.
fcounsei for the corporation. The ne.
gotiations for the purchase of tie dis
ltributing system. which have extended
lover long period. have been in the
fhands OF Mr Sands for the comnanv
land he was often called on during the
Injecting for figures on the cost Of the
Equipment OF the company and the
IcOst Of doing business.
Explains Cause of Delay.
II the com-any lad ever thought
| that the territory which 1t served would
be annexed by the city, 1t would never
have sought the franchise, said presi
dent Pollitt. When asked why the
company had not Increased its facili-
tiles to provide for the increased de-
knnahd for gas with the addition of
Number OF new homes In its territory. !.
Mr.9Follitt declared that 1t had never
been assured by the city after the an.
Eexation that its pipe lines would mo.
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