, 1874-01-06
CAS-LAMPS.
Meeting of the Council Committee
OH That Matter.
Nr. Colbert Explains Hou The City Car
'sare $4,000 Year.

Ihe Council Committee on Gas-Lishts held a
meeting In the City Closas Office yesterday after
noon, Aid. Cul1oston in tie CHAIR There were
present Aid. Pickering, Miner and Jooas. aud
Mr. Z. Colbert.
Tho Chairman said the first thing to consider
was the table prepared by hlr. Colbert, fixing
times for Lighting aad exunguishing the street.
lamps.
Mr. Colbert sta.od that the table Was some-
what different from tho old plan, In tint it
allowed lohger time for twilight in the summer
than it did in tho winter mouths also moro
time for twilight iu the morning than
in the evening. Tho reason given for
the laat-naned allowance Was that, *ith
the eame amount OF light, d person
could see much better III The morning.
than in the evening, az. during the DAY, the eye
becomes fatigued by the sunlight, while It Ii
d year on the nusuuoc Of street lamps in uss last
November, was principally made up OF tue dlIor-
enccs gained in the length OF time as stated.
The Chairman said tunt tho lighting aud OK
tipSuishiug ol the Jumps should be controlled
hY tue o.ty. and lot be left ii the hands Of tho
Gas COMPANIES, Which managed the business TO
ru,t themselves. La favored tie making Of
radical change. and hav III: the policemen icpolt
to their Seryeants every morning the number Of
lighted and uniellted lamps. The test lamps
nele ligh.ed first and oxtinsuiehed last, and
here was oyet au hours difference between tho
lighting and extiuga!shing OF these lamps
and those III tue, streets. Tue
difference was CHARGED to the credit
thug" TAo Gas Inspector bal been after
them to change the 5-foot burners to Is foot
burners. and, after growing about it ior sumo
ttmo, they finally consented to The cuange.
ALI. Miner Lad calculated the saving that
could be made by adopting the table, and Ills
figures agreed with those Of alr. Colbert. Five
foot burners had been used When ou1y 4H-foot
burners were needed, and the city had 20 pay
tile diff :reuce.
Tie Chairman remarLcd that the Companies
had used every effort to oouvtuco Mr. Blown,
the former Gas Inspector, that tie Eas oo-
psccaled fout AL huul while passing through
tbe metre, and that tnoy must be allowed to Use
5-foot burner on tho test-lainps, although
1ue,e WAS O 4H-foot burner OIL the strual-laula.
Mr. CoIbelt stated that with 5-foo. burner
on the street lamps the c5st OF the 81. was
neatly S93 m hour, OF about 9l.50 fur every
minute they were lighted.
Tie Chairman had calculated that $50, 009 less
feet OF gas would be burned IN year il atr.
Colbert'H table was adopted
AID. Pickering wAs iu favor Of the city taking
bold OF tho IlYntinS and o1tinguishluS Of tile
lamps. Tue city Mas now at the mu1cY OF the
Gas CONT [anics. and had to pay for much that
could be saved by good management.
Aid. Miner WIS Of the sanu opinion. There
was ..dscrcpancy," aud the Gas Companies
were not watched - an, body. ..
Mr.. Gilbert said there were slL.y cine nights
IN year when no gas was needed: II tho
weather WAS good. There were sixty-,,lno mors
durlug which the moon could Ee depe eldcd upon
10 furnish hall the light. Allowing for bad
weather, there was the eluivae.t OF htty-two
ui:h,s when no artificial lisct was required
one e-soyenth Of tile entire year.
AID. Jouas remarked that tho clfzers also
ought to he l-otected from the zapacity OF the
Gas Companies.
alr Colbe,t added that the charge made BIZ
the Companies Tor lighting aud e1:inSuishing
was equal to what it cost to supply tho lamps
with gas for scyenty-two minutes every day OF
tho year.
Ald, Pickering understood that the cost Of
lighting ard cxtlnguishlns Was II per cent OF
tie Whole bill.
Aid. S,ner ssid that on that basis about
544 600 year was paid for this aerylco-
Air, Colbert believed that included tho cose Of
cleaning.
Aid. Miner said the city did the repairing, and
furnished tho burncra.
Aid. Pickering thought II s32, 900 year
could be saved, there WAS no necessity for Elv-
ing that amount OF money to the Gas Companies.
Aid. Jonas intel1ected that that sum Wonld
build school-hou=e.
Mr. Colbert recommended if change was
made. trying the morning part Of the table hrst.
They could not depend entirely upon the moon.
Ii the business portion OF the city the moons
rays would not reach the ground In many Of tie
streets, OH account Of the high buildings. In
other partsof tie city 1t would do very well. The
l1sh. OF the full moon was abont equal to that
given by the average lamp, through glass, at
distance Of forty feet
The Committee decided to take no action until
after the Corporation Counsel had given his
opinion upon tile validity OF the contract with the
Gas Companies.