, 1876-08-06

10 | 0o44oi4 co0ACA LII regard 10 Inc stree
d lamps is an important step in the directi
= of economy in city finances. There is e,
y IDENTIFY no use in burning gas when such ar
t tclal illumination is equaled or exceeded |
= the light furnished by either the sun or Il
i moon and, if the weather be fine, there q
= several nights in each month during whit
the streetlamps need not be lighted at all,-
3 except those at the hridge-approaches, and
, few others in the most thickly-built portion
t of the city. But the weather is a very in
portant element in determining the quantit
/ of artificial illumination required in eithe
case The Light Of the fu11-moon may be er
tirely shrouded during the greater part Of th
night by clouds; and even the duratio,
Of twilight is often materially shortene,
under an overcast sky. And it is impossibl
to calculate and allow for these things NOR
than few hours beforehand, whatever th,
weather prophets may say to the contrary
so that the use Of the present table, or any
other that could be compiled, ought to b*
tempered with Judgment The city should
not at any time be left in absolute darkness.
SO long as taxes can be collected; and total
darkness can only be avoided by burning
great deal more gas than is actually
needed, or by sometimes extending the hourg
for gas-1ghting which are given in table
that is calculated with an eye to municipal
economy. OF course, it would be folly, and
extravagance, to waste gas during ten or a
dozen falr-weather evenings and mornings in
order to avoid the necessity of departure
trom the tabular times on one occasion.
There Is also point in regard to the
moonlight itself which it is important to
note !; though it seems to have been entirely
ignored in tho recent discussions of the sub
ject. On the open prairie, aud in the thinly
populated districts, the Light Of the moon be-
tween the first and third quarters il bette.
than gas during the whole time that she is
above the horizon. But in the more thickly
settled portions of the city, where the build
ings are high, the Light Of the moon is of lit
tie use, unless she be at least thirty degrees
above the horizon, because the buildings |
cut on the light from the streets when tho |
moon Is low. The lamps should, therefore,
De Kept burning longer, On moonlight even
lngs, m the business sections Of the CITY than
in the suburbs Ths central portion should
not at any time be left in darkness but it
would be an extrayagant waste Of gas and
money to light the larger ares during the
whole time that the smaller area REQUIRES
artificial Illumination.
Ihe business Of lighting the streets of a
'reat city cannot, therefore, be economi-
ally governed by any cast-iron rule, It
hoald be under Intelligent supervision but
y whom Hitherto it has rested entirely
nth the Gas Companies, or the officers
hereof, to decide when and where the rules I
nou1d be departed from, if at ALL As those +
art1es are interested in having the greatest
erm1sslblo quantity Of gas consumed, it
'nnot be expected that they will pare very 4
osely in the interest of the city. It needs J
ny a very little cogitation on the subject n
De satisfied that it is about as absurd to O
ave the matter to the Gas Companies and e:
er employees as it would be to allow the il
me parties to dictate the times when the N
$ shall be lighted and extinguished in our a.
ices and residences S,
In each case the 'say " in this imnortant lu
atter should rest entirely with the marty b1
ylng the gss-bills,-not with those who St
pply the gas. The private consumer turns ar
gas on and off when he thinks best =: and Or
city should follow his EXAMPLE,. An Of W
81 OF the Municipal Corporation, intell- th
1t enough to control the matter economic Ri
?, and above suspicion OF collusion with ab
Gas Companies, should be charged With Bit
important duty of deciding when, Ind th,
much, the tabular times shall be devi. 81
from, and of furnishing due notification the
ne lamplghters. This could essilv he lin
70 BY telegraphic signals..to the police Th
ions and engine-housa, which are so wh
ely scattered that no lamplighter need sci,
el far out Of his beat to reca;ve the
ructions And it ought not to be deemed fro,
7ssary to pay an additional officer to per- as
this duty. There are probably several star
IN the employ of the city, even with the
recent reduction in working force, either the
whom could easily spare the time for or u
from his other duties. But even if II the
found impossible to have the matter bere
lded to without paying a fair salary the
sfor to a suitable person, it would still com
the interest Of the city to make the poss
lgement. The gas tha: could be saved bv NJ
hcious attention to the street-lomps m bett.
Il OF the taxpayers would amount tn to "
many more dollars pc: annum than The surel
y needed to compensate for the service der
ke last night as an instance. So far as rnde
we'd, the lamps in the South Division have
unlighted; while those in the Vest nj n;tx
were burning their full complement Of secnr
hough the moon was less than twenty SVEN,
'ours past the full, and giving much are 90
Light than that furnished by the peo- not :
w.. \oA7 Ut TWO districts meth<
shipshod arrangement, possibly due to n;ck;7
bsence of Mr. Bn1Nos At SARATOGA, ron~t
Il hundred dollars worth of pas vera oyarta
n;r;a:". @ su ,se. ~ 4ue buee1-lamps Of the They
scientific knowledge required in the he -
IS not by any mesns great A few IN
Of study is sufdcientfor man Of aver ~ . -
ELECT to understand the leading n,in- - NV,
Of weather change. A mere glanc;no a1+ir.a