Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1883-11-23
CITY GOVERNMENT.
Official Proceedings of Council.

Official Proceedings of Council.
SAVANNAH, GA, Friday. Nov. ., 1888.
Council met pursuant to adjournment this
evening at O'Clock.
Present-Hon. Rufus E. Lester, Mayor;
AldermanJ. j. Wilder. Chairman of Council;
Alderman David Wells Vice Chairman of
Council; Aldermen, Hamilton, Thomas
Minis, Nichols, Nell. O'COnnor, Hanley, Green,
Hamlet and Derst.
The Committee on Gas submitted the fol-
lowing report:
SAVANNAH. Nov. 9, 1888.
To the Honorable tie Mayor and AldeTsNeH of
Tie city Of Sdgdnndh:
GENTLEMEN: The Committee on Gas hav-
ing been instructed BY a resolution passed in
board whether or not the system of lighting
the city by the Brush Electric Light and
rover Company had been accepted, beg leave,
In obedience thereto, to submit the following
report:
pany commenced TO light the city on May TO-
1888, when they had placed in position fifty
hve 90 lights for the purposes of illumina-
ton. Owing to numerous causes, chief among
those assigned were the dense foliage OF the
trees, the humidity of the atmosphere and the
unskillfulness of labor the lighting of the city
did not commence as successfully as the COM
pany had reason to anticipate. After the
system had been put into operation your COM
mlttee made a thorough inspection of the city
at night. and became thoroughly convinced,
from personal observation, that many por
lions of the city were splendidly lighted, and
It's envlrOns particularly In some places there
was not sufficient light, and upon the sugges-
ton of your committee additional masts were
placed In position so as to furnish an increased
supply of light. In the middle of the summer
the company had fifteen (l5) towers, two
~ swinging lamps and twenty-five (22) masts
IN the city, from which a sutficiency of light
was radlated through the city, and your COM
mittee were then of the opinion that the light
was a success. They noticed particularly that
the lanes were well lighted, something not
accomplished heretofore owing to the absence
OF lamps at most of the corners thereof. Since
that time the lights did not burn with the
same steadness and certainty as before, and
fickering and going out of the lights at
intervals caused some localities to be in dark
ness at various times during the night
At times some of the lamps on the towers
would be lit, while other lamps on the same
towers would furnishn no light. The cause of
this could not be ascertained, as the lamps
were all charged with the same current Of
electricity and were in the same circuit. In
the cities where this system is in operation
the lights burn steadily and do not flicker
! our committee could not understand the
cause of these defects, and, therefore, on
October 80. 1883, had a lengthy interview
with the Vice President of SAID company
upon the subject, They learned that the
company were equally aStonlShed, and were
assured that many improvements would be
made Immediately, and if the company were
given further indulgence the system would
soon be made an unquestiOned success, re-
gardlcss Of the cost thereof. Unfortunately
the next day the works of the company were
completely destroyed by fire, IN consequence
of which they were compelled, through no
fault of theirs, to abandon, temporarily, the
lighting of the city by electricity. The SAID
company, although having sustained great
loss in the destruction of their buildings dam
age TO their machinery and Il suspension OF
payment of their monthly allowance by the
city, being DESTROYS of continuing said system,
are willing to incur large expense in the cree
ton OF new buildings, purchasing OF new ana
improved machinery, and positively guaran-
that the standard stipulated in the original
contract will be fully reached, and that every
defect viii be thoroughly remedied; provided
however, that the Mayor and Aldermen will
consent to accept their system of lighting the
city Us a compensation for the enormous eN-
penditure they>will necessarily incur.
Your committee have carefully considered
the proposition made, as aforesaid, aud be-
licve it. will be to the interest of the city to
accept said system. They also realize the
fact that the Brush Electric Light and
Power Company is composed almost, if
not entirely, OF our own citizens,
men of indomitable will and indefatigable
energy, who have spent a large amount of
money in the introduction of this light, and
desiring TO encourage enterprise and to assist
in the promotion of everything that VIII en-
nance our material welfare, they consider 1t
retrOgradmg to refuse to accept SAID system,
| especially when they feel satisfied that, al
though The light was imperfect in some re
spects, it certainly illuminated the streets
and lanes of the city as well, il not better,
than any system that has yet been tried.
Your committee therefore recommend that
the system of lighting the city by the Brush
Electric Light and Power Company be
ccptcd, with the understanding that if a dis
putc shall arise between the Gas Committee
and said company rs to the failure of the
latter to fully comply with their contract, the
matter will he determined in the manner
prescribed in the original contract.
We further recommend that ninety (90) days
from the date hereof be given said company
to erect their works. etc, at which time said
system must be in successful operation.
Respectfully submitted.
john DERST,
p. J. O'CoNNoR,