Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1882-02-17

SAVANNAH, GA, February 16.-To the
Citizens Of Savannah On the 5th Of De-
cember last came to your city to bid before
the City Council for the lighting Of your
street lamps. proposed to use a ''pstent
self-generating gas lamp" one OF which
was placed on exhibition in Chippewa
square, where its merits were so visible that
the Savannah Gas Light Company found it
necessary to change their burner on an ad-
jacent lamp to successfully compete with it.
The light proving satisfactory, your Honor
able Mayor communicated with cities using
these lamps, and receiving evidence Of their
efficiency and safety from these sources,
my bid was accepted and contract awarded
me for one year. 1t was when my lamps
had arrived and l was ready to erect them
that the gas company sought to defeat the
action Of the Council by offering to do the
service at my bio, and notwithstanding the
legal rights that had accrued to me, they
pressed this claim upon the city officials
and herslded it through the press as an act
OF great merit and consideration for
the city's interest. Now it may not
be generally known that after my
bid had been made public, the gas company
were given an opportunity to secure the
contract, yet they only discovered the virtue
of lowering their price when they found it
duly awarded to me- Difficulties and oh
stacles met me at every step, the most
serious of which was the loss of
two hundred barrels of material at
sea from schooner Benjamin Gartsides,
that It was not until during the present
month was able TO use material specially
adapted to these lamps Since that time no
afF ! L. -,
cessfully lighted, there being at daylight
this morning only three lamps out IN the
entire city.
But now comes the eliminating effort to
protect a competitor. and that, too, in the
name of equity and justice %. The ex-
traOrdinsry remedy of an Injunction has
been prayed for, and / hope the worthy
citizens requesting this remedy are actuated
from no selfish or interested motive. The
courts will settle the legal points involved,
but as to the charges OF jeOparding the pub
lie safety l must give to the public my de-
Tense. have placed in this city a lamp, the
merits of which were scientifically ex-
amined by the authorities of the
| United States, and by them deemed worthy
OF letters patent. 1t was then adopted by
great many cities and towns throughout this
country, notably In Pittsburg. with about
2 500, for four years past, in Philadelphia,
and yet not single explosion or serious ac-
cident has ever occurred with them. Not
only this, no insurance company has ever
| increased its rates on account Of their use,
and should any propose to do this in this
| city for this reason, I hereby pledge myself
to secure their reinsurance al minimum rates
| in as good companies as are doing business In
/ any country to day. Further still, ! do not
store this material liz any OF the city build
1 fporc lint 7 how davis cnnnlV only mt
| in In the morning and exhausted at night,
| ia the t0mbs, where 1t is isolated and free
| from dangerous proximity to any building.
| But is it not Just little strange that this
dangerous % material has been regularly
| stored in these same tombs for
years past by other parties IN this
| city, and no one has felt called upon
to rush to the citY's protection TIL nov?
| Consistency thou art indeed jewel But the
| construction of these lamps is such thai
an explosion or serious accident with them
can never occur. l submit # to any insur-
auce man, or any candid person, which is
the greater risk to life and property, these
| lamps, fixed and stationary, ten feet from any
| building, with very small quantity OF liquid
| in the reservoir, or a carburettiDg box with g
| hundred times as much of the same material,
and that, too, inside your residence; or, car
rying the comparison further, who would
undertake to prove that these lamps, thus
! located, are more dangerous to the public
| or individuals than the kerosene lamps con-
| tinually handled, no matter what fire test oil
is usedg
In comparison, citizens Of Savannah, you
| had Just as well fl from 8 corpse while har-
boring an assassin behind your bedroom
door
To an impartial and fsir-minded people l
| submit my cause. n. F. THOMPSON.