Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1880-06-09
LIGHTING THE city



A special meeting Of select and common
councils was called for last evening to award
the contract for lighting the city for the
ensuing year. which was deferred at the
regular meeting held on Wednesday even
ing Of last week. In common council the
following named members were present
Messrs. Albert, Beard, Boos, Brown.
COrmeny, Downey, Franklin. Hartley,
Johnson, Keeler. Lichty. McMullen,
Smeych. Snyder, Springer, White, Yackly,
Levergood. president.
The clerk having read the call for the
meeting, Mr.. johnson. chairman of the
lamp committee, submitted the report of
that committee, which comprises state
ment of the bids of the Lancaster gas
company. the Lanca aster gaslisht and fuel
company, the United States lighting COM
pany, and the Pennsylvania Globe gas
light company. The bid of the odd
gas company is sl.O5 per thousand cubic
feet for all gas used in the city buildings
1855 per post for all street lamps, and
SIG each for iron posts for lamps similar in
weight and style to those now in use. The
bid Of the new" (gasiight and fueD
company is s1.1O per thousand cubic feet
for gas for city builings, SIS per post for
lighting street lamps, and $50 for lamp
posts and lanterns. The United States
lighting company propose to light the
gasoline lamps for s22.1O per lamp per
annum this bid, however, does not in
clude the furnishing of posts. The Penn
sylvania Globe gaslisht company,
who at present have the contract,
and whose bid of s24 per lamp
included the furnishing of posts, which.
however, remained the property of the
company, was reduced to $3.50 per post.
The committees estimate made the diff
ference in favor of awarding the gas con-
tract to the - old gas company little
over 5000 per annum, and the report re-
commended the award Of the contracts
respectively to the ''old' gas company
and the Pennsylvania Globe .asIiyht com
pany.
A communication WAS also presented
from J. II. Baumsarlner, secretary OF the
Lancaster gaslight and fuel (new) COM
pany, purporting to state the number OF
gas lamps that the respective companies
can reach. His company (the new has ut
present attachment with 81 the old COM
pany can connect with Ell. Mr. Baum
gardeners estimate lett the balance in favor
of awarding the contract to his company
$4S:0. The communication also con-
tanned an offer to light all lamps that call
not be reached by the Lancaster gas (oldD
company Gin the event of the contract be
ing awarded to the latter company at the
price paid to the contractor for light
ing the oil lamps, and also expresses
willingness on the part Of the gasli@ht and
fuel (new) company to extend their mains
to large number of points that are now
lighted with oil, provided councils will
agree to enter into !; contract with the com
pany on the same terms that they must
now pay for lighting the same lamps with
oil. viz, $3.50.
Mr.. McMullen thought that the differ
ence in favor of the - old company WAS
so small that council would not be war
ranted in taking the contract away from
the present contractors (the new COM
pany), and suffer all the expense and dis
comfort of having the streets torn up to
have connections made by the . old
company in the event of the contract being
given TO them. He thought annual con-
tracts for this work of lighting the city en-
tircIy too frequent anyhow, and that un-
less the city were offered some substantial
inducement it would be folly to change
from the present contractors and have the
public highways torn up and blockaded
for an indefinite period. He therefore
moved as substitute for the committee
recommendation that the contract for
lighting the city with gas be given to the
Lancaster gas light and fuel (new) COM
pany, and the gasoline contract be given to
the Pennsylvania Globe gaslight company.
In reply to query of Mr.. Springer as
to what was the use of advertising for
proposals if the contract was not awarded
to the lowest bidder, Messrs. McMullcn.
Beard and johnson repeated the explana-
tion that while the proposal of the old gas
company was on its face the lower, the
award of the contract to them would not
pay for the trouble and expense of tear
ing up the highways in order to make the
necessary attachments in the event of Il
change.
n vote being taken ON Mr.. McMullen's
motion, awarding the contrac to the
"new" gas company, all the members
voted aye except Mr.. Downey. who voted
no. The gasoline contract was awared to
the Pennsylvania Globe company wit hout
debate.
MIR. Franklin offered resolution that
the contract for lighting with gas all
lamps now lighted with oil, to which the
Lancaster gaslight and fuel company will
extend it's mains, be awarded to said COM
pany at the rate paid for lighting the
,me lamps with oil (viz.. s23.5O being
the conditions named in Mr.. Baumgard-
ners communication above reported.
The resolution was adopted.
Adjourned.
Select Council.
Only Messrs. Evans, Eberly and Frank
lin-nO quorum m-appeared in this body,
and consequently no action could be taken
on the matters above reported. Another
special meeting will therefore lie necessary
in order to complete the award Of the con-
tract.
Monumental Association.
The Lancaster monumental association
met this morning at the office Of X. w.
Shenk, ESQ., Letters. of acceptance from