, 1884-11-25
on LARK.
The City Council Hold a Decidedly
Fantastic Meeting.
The Fight Over Street Illumination
Turned into Nonsense.
Hostllities Temporarily Suspended
by an Advertisement for Bids.

ner I'M harrington were present
In the absence of Mayor Carey and
President Dyer, City Clerk Jeffrey called
the meeting to order.
Councilman McGreeor moved that Mr..
Warren preside, and Mr.. Warren in turn
moved that Mr.. McGregor occupy the
chair.
The motion as made by Mr.. Warren
was put, and Mr.. McGregor Was declared
the Chairman.
The Chairman stated that the object of
the meeting was to hear the report of the
Committee on Street Lights.
Nh. Harrington, of the Committee on
Street Lights, reported hat the commit
tee had taken no action, and moved that
it be discharged. The motion was sec
onded and carried, and some said: The
committee voted itself out" Mr.. War
ren laughingly suggested that the mem
bers of the committee be given a leather
medal.
Mr.. Warren then referred to the dam
and sewer near the railroad, and stated
that the existence of the dam was not the
primary cause of the difficulties com
planned of by the people living near the
railroad. In his opinion constant trouble
would be had so long as the sewer empties
where it now does, for very high water
alone could carry away the ~accumulations
Co. a., ro~-n- Wko ckrr,l1 h.
emptied lower on the creek, and pipes
should be laid eastward Of the dam, and
the sewer wastes taken down through the
ditch and further from the city.
Mr.. Harrington stated that some time
ago it was understood that a ditch would
be dug under the Camp Carlin track near
Snyder street, SO as to carry off water from
the uplands, which. in the past, had fol
lowed the track into the city. The object
of the ditch is to give a passage under the
track for the water, and Mr.. Harrington
wanted the chairman of the street and
alley committee instructed to attend to the
matter at once. The motion, after some
explanation, was carried.
The real purpose of the meeting then
came out, when Mr.. Harrington stated,
with some yehemence, that enough mem
bers of the Council had pledged them
selves to the electric light to vote its
adoption regardless o cost.
Mr.. Warren promptly antagonized the
statement in language decidedly blunt.
Mr.. Harrington failed to see how any
thing could be done Just at present. Bad
weather had prevented the committee
from making a tour OF the city and a per
sonal inspection of the places whereon
lights should be located and both of the
light companies would be Obliged to know
where the lights were wanted ere making
bids.
Mr.. Warren believed that the Council
as a body should select the places. He
thought the committee should go over
maps of the city and mark the greatest
number of electric lamps needed; the
smallest number which would answer and
an intermediate number. Then after
making a similar computation for gas
lamps they could refer their computations
to the Council for its decision. He did
not believe that either company would
or could make any bids without full par
ticulars. He proposed that the bids be
called for, first: for lighting the entire
area; second. for lamps at certain speci-
fed corneas; third, the least number of
lights-so many gas and 80 many electric
as would suffice.
Mr.. Harrington said he had spoiled sew
eral maps trying to figure out the problem
and he was satisfied that a personal in
spection of the city would alone result sat
isfactorily.
Mr.. Warren expressed n belief that,
from the attitude Mr.. Harrington had
taken. he did not want any action taken.
For his Warren's) part he preferred to
either drop the matter entirely or do
something at once. The gas ompan
surely conld not put in gas in the middle
of Winter and prompt action was neces-
sary.
The chair thought the proper way
would be to district the city on a map and
then personally inspect the several lamp
sites selected.
Nj. Riner objected that such a measure
would cause still further delay. He was
in favor of setting aside $4,0O0, 81, 500 or
5000 for yearly street illumination and
let each company say how much light it
could give for the sum thus appropri-
.4ol