Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1881-12-31

The Proposed Change I'm LIGHTING
the City.

| At the last meeting Of Council, It win be
remembered, the report Of the Joint Com
mittee on Finance and Gas, authorizing the
Mayor TO sign contract with n. T. Thomp-
SOP, representing Philadelphia company,
to light the city, was adopted, after discus
sion, there being three dissenting votes.
These parties propose to use naphtha as the
Illuminating fluid, the OIL being placed in
small reservoirs, which are fixed in glass
lamps specially designed for them, and from
which the gas is generated. The price at
which these parties contract to furnish the
lights TO the city Is some SO 900 to a, 900
less than that charged for the past year by
the Savannah Gas Light Company. On IT'S
face this would seem to be saving to the
CITY, but the question arises, will 1t prove
so 10 the endt
We 6ni there is among our citi-
Ems, business men and merchants,
aud esaeeislly among the insurance
sgents, general disspprobs ion OF this
scheme. and for vsriCu reasons, principally
that the fluid to be used is regarded as the
most dangerous of all petroleums- The
US of nsphtha Is strictly prohibited In all
fire insurance policies, and any loss occa-
stoned thereby would not be paid unless
there was a special permission to that effect.
It Is also contendsd that in several cities,
notably Boston, where the experiment has
been tried of substituting gasoline for the
regular gas, the experience has been un-
satisfactory and unsuccessful and has
had to be discontinued. The impression is
very general that such will be the result
here, and that instead of q saving to the
city, the experiment will prove expensive,
and a change Is greatly deprecated. These
views are entertained by no champions OF
the Savannah Gas Light Company, but by
that class of the community who think it
wiser for the reasons given that there
should be no change. So intense Is the
feelir g on the subject that it is current
" stated as not at all fmDrobable the
cry will be enj 1ined from intro
6ueing so II q lmmable a MD into use here
Ia the event fire should be occasionPd ny
the Ignition or explosion of one OF these
lamps, whilst the los: would be paid the
insured by the COMPANY granting the policy,
we are au' hOritativelY informed that the
company would get the policy holder to
surrogate his claims, al woul enter suit
against the city for the full amount. II
can readily be seen that as such an acct
dent is iab'e 20 occur, that one
disastrous fire from the use of these nsphths
lamps would involve the city In an expendi-
ture far IN excess Of several years. savings
on such a contract, should il be continued
| that lOng. which is doubtful.
The dsilv supplying Of 59l gas lamps with
| this Dsphrhs would Of necessity Re quire that
a considerable quantity of the luid should
he stored in the city at one time, and this OF
i'selt entails danger, unless the depot be
| located outside the limits and ia an isolated
locality. The matter is an important one,
and before change so radical
and involving so much is made
the Council should have a full, free and
open discussion on the subject, and the
views of the community should be taken
into consideration, and all the information
possible in regard to the use of gasoline for
| lighting cities should be obta ned.
The Savannah Gas Company, an instiiu-
ton Of the city, aud which In times Of the
eity's embarrassment extended every aid,
and made liberal discount on their
contract, pays annually into the city
| treasury some six or seven thou
gives emplr yment TO a number Of persons
who contribute their proportion to the gen
eral support. We understand that this
company have consented to renew the
contract for the coming year with the city
| for the same sum as that offered by the
| Naptha Oil Company, although it is stated
that the amount will not yield them dol
lar profit.
l. were better for the authorities In this
| instance to make haste slowly, and not in
their desire 10 save a few thousand dollars
| for one year inaugurste system which will
| prove more expensive In the end.