The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1920-01-06
y |. I. Z. ii 1 CTR,
Richmond 5 Gas supply as 1L5Hn
in Report Of Director 1rafford

Only ~ good management and m
SAoAros OF accidents can the ga PLAIN
u Il EXISTS today. supply the 60 a.
Eu3red during the winter 81 ASaSs s:
wa the plant cannot produce - ~
Nat WI be required IN the w1nens :.
i91O-2l unless a large ncrea.e =
Mpac3ty q provided betoye tnaL u ast
Th1s ls the heat Of ; special "a pos : :
ubritted yaeterday BY DrecsOs 80
Public Utilities Tyanoro " An,,-
Ajnslta, and by the mayor g ,r Traf-
mon council Last nlenI s.-s -
lord has had competent e =, =. -ss.o =
Eaf "a ss,rn 81 $871.i LAO should pc
.rnAndeA dur1ng the ensuing year ano
n4x7a. $40 drr1ng the next tour y
~ report Of Mr.. IrA1oro y, -
hi, - follows: .,.n :,
dessrs to call your attenroa Io
- -~~~~s3rv az Immediate and prompt
sIsssc,s ~ fkA city council OF measures
r. nroy1dA additional facilities TOR the
raanufacture and distribution OF gas
Is this city.
~ duties Of director OF pubic ut!-
No. At the commencement OF Tie
resent year {iS13). one OF nay nrs.
hc4e was to make q quick survey OF
ne gas situation. a. result OF Waica
Z fnaicared In the departments budget
ssruest cArta1n things which then
sonstda-ed important to the nnatnten-
rncA OF gas service during the year.
Because Of the necessity OF keeping
be budget expenditures TO as low q
rra Is possible. tte items pertaining
b Improvement Ct the gas system az
xTexat.rE $500. 900 were placed IN .
nnAratA paper TO DO included n =
neoposad bond issue This paper .
I'M Ia committee. and but for q Few
Hams which the department. has been
aaAAle4 e purchase by an esconoo.c&!
administration OF the funds prov.oeo
Tar Operating expenses. the t1nts
hen asked for remain uCdoos 20 r.s
Arno tor Lack OF funds
Tho failure to provide the sQusp-
nAnt asked for. has. IN some instances
wrought no ha-n--ehe management
knowing these weaknesses. ea4, BY
he exercise Of care and tho expen-
s3trre OF money, coupled with Eooo
teytuaA, prevented tie danger O.
breakdown which threateree--out IL
S&hAr Instances. inferior eervscs has
foGrltAd. and some citizens have bean
Hcorv>r.Arced with q diminished OF
kptal stoppacs CT supply cus to ina-
perfect cleaning Of the gas before its
xfvery 70 the mains
SOME DIFFICULTIES
At ttxnAs these stoppa.Ses have bean
- numerous that ever with al tn
RAAaed force at work, = was trcpoS-
Ehls 70 render prompt RELIEF. TO the
etttzsn. anything which prevents the
delivery Of the quantity o. gas he de-
tres At the tlrae he wants !c, Is termed
bad gas" Strictly speaking. however.
tka distinction should be drawn. that
.hs gas furnished has bean good as
ar as its heat qualities are coz
cerned. brs the supply IL sorcs cases
sas been deficient in quantity.
The department taeis that Ihe ccur-
Ct! should be acquainted with the
reasons which have resulted IN this
csuficsency OF suppiy~-because with
out the performance Of their part ct
lie work. relief frc-a this condition
s as impossible IS the p-overbal
making G silk purse out Of sow's
Aar." In short the CRY has not pro-
vided capital commensurate with the
phenonacnal growth al it's gas bust.
seea 10 she pass few years.
The growth OF the gas business n
Richrond since 1914 has been sur
prasA- Ia eYagy one WHO has studied
tho situation. including eminent en-
s sSass ,s who ssys sssa esssa.sss
save stated 70 ne thas n Ill Ire re-
sxpAr1ence tksy know OF no parallel
caSG However that May be, the bus
tneSs IL here. and large as rha growth
has bean. IL would have bAe- SILL
larger, had the gas works system, been
adequate 20 properly meet the situa-
NOE
srRTEx Is HAD
II 1914. q survey OF the r.aautac-
turing aad distribution gas systems
= Rtchnoc d was made by consulting
E2s Acg.rFArs o. high professional
naactng. They made computations
Of rhs quantities Of gas which would
- required in Richmond and vsc..-
!ty Tor period extending up 70 the
1eay 1884. using As basis 81 their
,asttrcates tie expected growth os
population II the area to be served
EArtaS. extensions ana trap-ove.ne nts
wore recon- caerded TO be made. tome
haraedtata.y az. Others t-ora time 70
arsAs Their advice has only been
partially fe1lnsred-and IN some casce
ne thfnss which were needed IN 1914
FIJI remain undnne.
0t&SS&S03&
yrow 20 rap.dly--thae on q resurvvy
= The past few months. the Same e1-
K4neerx ,yepors that the city Is uoev
nIltn8 a. much Gas Ia the Urea sery-
- - ft WA anticipated would be aold
= 1884, We have made scrrA ao-
Auons ana Improvements to our
woSks and distribution eysterss s.ncs
1914 but thsy have been wholly ir-
sonnEnSnAurab.e with tho growth 81
lie huxtnAsS.
do not wish 70 burden this repors
Win unnecessary statistics and wsu
therefore condemns the result az -
investigations IL = few lines:
The population Of Richmond II e.
AnnAted to have increased from no.
200 Ia 1914 to 10000 In 1918. I
rowth for the period of II per cant.
Gas sales IN tho same period hayc
Increased from 56S million cubic feet
- 1914 - over $40 million cubic feet
IA 1913. an increase OF so per cent.
Or: the growth OF the gas business
has 3ncrAased more than IL times
sS "a mildly ne the rorY1fA tiey,