The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1848-08-22

OUR DARK STREETs-THE LAMP DEPARTMENT
Now that the streets have been let out by con-
tract to be cleaned, we hope that something will
be done by the Committee on Lamps and Gas-we
believe that is the proper title of it--towards re-
trenchment in the matter of lamp-lighting. The
people of this city suffer more for want of system
IN their municipal government than probably any
other people IN the Union and II is high time
that some plan were devised whereby they could
obtain little relief from the tremendous rate of
taxation with which they are burthened. Mem
bers of the Common Council, as general thing,
fancy that they are elected merely TO distribute
the spoils of office and 10 set in their legislative
rooms TO vote away the peoples money, by making
appropriations for various objects but as there
is general rule without some exceptions we
have better hopes of the present city fathers be-
cause they have already shown desire TO make
themselves useful.
We now return to the lamps. The expenditure
during the last year, for lighting the streets and
public buildings, was Sl62,sl5 and the cost Of
supplying oil and lighting was s12 - per lamp,
exclusive of other expenses. For the year 1876,
il was SO 43 per lamp and that, certainly, is
enough for such light as they have given Ii
our readers with TO know with what kind OF
hight we have been furnished heretofore, let them
remember how TIE Park looked when :" lighted
up with oil lamps before gaslights were intro
duced there, and then they can form some idea OF
the swindle which the patient, kind hearted,
and benevolent people of this city have been suf-
ferine under for so many years
The cost OF lighting this city is thus accounted
for For oil, s55,i70 6S for lighting oil lamps,
81, 100 80 @; for supplying, lighting, and extln-
gushing gas lamps, $751; 80 80 and for supply
ing markets, station houses, Nc, with gas,
sl2,162 ~. The remainder of the sl62, SD was
for contingent expenses, salaries, &c.
Now, who imagines, that If an individual had
the control Of this department. it would cost
$4,000 10 purchase oil, $1,000 ligls the oil
lamps aene7 a lamplighter can do all the work
in district of lamps IN about two hours. and for
this he receives ten shilhngs-which is five shil-
llngs an hour, or Whereabouts. Who does not be-
leve that it can be done great deal cheaper, and
that oil can be obtained at a much lower rate than
il is at present! Give the work 10 individuals by
contract, and the light department will not only
cost far less than II does now. but we shall have
much better light; tor, as contracts can be made
for term OF only one year, competitors would
constantly stand by TO furnish better light at
cheaper rate than the person holding the contract.
Consequently, the contractor would always en-
deavor TO outshine all competition; and thus our
street lamps, instead OF looking like solitary
lightning-hugs at roost, would blaze mp like gas
lights.
We have before, IN mentioning this matter,
said, that a saving of thirty or forty thousand dol
lars might be annually made, by putting tins
department to the test OF the contract system; and
we believe now that vast deal more than that can
be saved The fathers of the city have an oppor-
tunlty now of mmortalizng themselves by adopt
ing measures of economy; and If they viii 90 10
work and devise means TO tighten the burden their
constituents now groan under, they will reduce
the rate OF taxation far below what 1t is At pre-
sent, and receive the thanks and good wishes OF
every man, woman and child who knows any
thing about excessive taxation the remedy for IT,