New-York tribune., 1878-12-26
FACTS ABOUT THE COST.
EXTRACTS FROM LETTER BY PRESIDENT sTEBBlN
or. nnnnEL NN-IuE IIGuIs USED Is PAE

EXTRACTS FROM A LETTER BY PRESIDENT sIEBBlNs'
| OF BRooKLYN-THE LIGHTS USED IN PARIS
MORE EXPENSIVE THAN GAS.
Among the visitors at Paris this last Sum
mer was Mr. James H. stebbns OF Brooklyn, the Presi-
dent Of the Citizens Gas Light Company, who paid
much attention TO subject OF the electric lights, by
which certain places and avenues in Paris have been
brilliantly illuminated for the edhcaon OF strangers
Mr.. stebbins has written q long letter, giving
the result Of his observations, which was recently
read before Board Of Directors OF his company IN
Brooklyn. Mr. stebbins Investigated particularly the
cost OF the electric night II is this point that his let
ter especially dvells.
The principal place where the electric light was seen
in Paris was the Avenue dc POperd, street $3.50 feet
long in which placed 81 Of the celebrated Jahoch-
kon candles. replacing 63 lamps. each with burn
ers that Is 20 say, replacing ls9 gaslghts Mr. steb
bins asked the chefengneer Of the Paris Gas Company
about the cost OF the light in the Avenue dc lOpera
This was the result Of the interview:
In response my pressing inquiry, and after much
deiberaton. he informed me TO the relations exist
Ing between the city and the Jablochkof Company. He
stated that the city gave tho company the privilege OF
using the Avenue dc Opera, ana sundry public places
during whole period OF the Exposition, from May
November for the purpose OF testing the new ixh
Tn. cost machinery lamps. posts underground con-
duotors etc. be betrayed by the company The com
pany contracting TO supply tne eeGo u fra S ac,acT
III IL every evening during the period above named
Before and after tnreo hours gas was to
The cost Of gas to the city for the street lamps ia GA
centines per hour per burner or III our money hai
cent.
Mr. stcbbins SAYS that VI. Alphand the head OF the
Bureau OF Public Works and Public Streets, confirmed
the above statement the chief engineer, and added
that electric lamps OF certain intensity l6o CEN
times (33 centsl, was paid per hour
Mr. stebbns then went to the Hotel and Magazih du
Louvre. He says OF the hotel:
In the courtyard hotel eight electric lamps are
used IA place OF ysx gas burners, or one electric
seven Rss lights. Addressing myself 10 my old
friend the manager Of the hoIel, J asked him how he
liked the electric light lie replied 1--WE Ike 1t very
question OF economy how does 1t compare with
gasi" -,,. 49,, g., ,,o,ro,r, tho
fwSat amount of steam power you employing for
" We Commenced with three-horse, added four
horse then a fort yhOrse and now We propose TO add
fifty horse power engine, and then iSht up inc "hoe
store"
Mr. stebbns then visited the store with this result:
To nv question: "Do you md the electric light more
economical gasp he replied es 'e qWeSt.om Gt
d,cor r. M est pds une question decOHOHe" win US IL
is all for show, an advertisement slmpy,H III hoI
"Bu, is IL your opinion that it is cheap as gasp
AS to that and as a financial ana economical dnes-
ton the electric light is not practical ,., -, - a
DO you tnlnk II is likely TO Interfere Win the use oi
No. dou't think it viii hurt gas electricity VIII
have It's sphere, and gas Will hold It's own place..
These lights were all the Jabochkof candles. The
same candle used in seven other places In TWO
places, the Orangere at the luheEes "hu TUG Aio uo
Triomphe sixteen candles were kept burning with one
machine The electric lights displaced only from five TO
nine gas lights each Mr.. stebbns sums up thus;
one electric lamp costs per hour go cents l2o CEN
SIX gas lamps cost Gig centmes IL cent? each say 10
ccntilnes. - .,oh. o,a ana ,hirJ
The electric light thus costing eIghl auu oue-lhiu
times more than the gas dIspaced oo .-,.., T.,
cleyen tines dearer than gas A., o,o -., 1.
H A. me medium price, say 1I5 cenmes l29 centsl IL
10 - ne M and IwoLirIs times costly than the
~, the nriyate consumer, VINO pays about centmes
n cent er hour for his electric light would cost
nm a he above prices 40, 5l1 and 4os times much
-.
any one economically disposed 10 use electricity
Mr. stebDns does not believe In the superior economy
of electricity.