, 1884-12-10
BOYS PLAY.
The City Council Spends Nearly
Four Hours in WrangIes.
A General Fight Over the Location
Of Street Lights.
The Sites Of New Lamps, and Sew
eral Changes Made.

rington were present.
The committee appointed to consider
the bids Of the Electric Light and Gai
Companies for lighting the streets sub.
mitted the following report:
To the Mayor and The Members Of he CGh
Council.
Your special committee, TO whom was
referred the bids of the Electric Light and
Gas Companies, beg leave to report that
they have carefully considered the merits
of both, and herewith report in favor Of
the Elecric Light Company's bid of So
900 per year, which we consider the most
economical for the city, as it gives the
greatest number of lights, and
the price per light being less
than in the other bids. We leave the
Council to determine the time Of contract,
either for one, or three years.
(Signed) A. G. McGREGoR,
Chairman:
On motion of Councilman Reid, the
report was received aud the Council went
into recess for fifteen minutes.
After an intermission of nearly an hour,
Mayor Carey called the meeting again to
order.
Mr.. McGregor moved that a contract
be made with the Electric Light Com
pany to light the city with twenty-five
lamps for three years at $1,000 per an
mum. The motion was seconded and was
put. One or two feeble alternatives were
heard, and no negatives, and so the
motion was carried.
The Councilmen dallied, and did not
seem disposed to take any decided action,
w~hereupon Mayor Carey stated that he
was disposed to expend even 81 900 more
than perhaps should be paid for the pur-
pose, in order to have the matter Of street
lights settled for several years. The con-
slant agitation OF the street light question
resulted in street corner charges, which
were generally untrue, caused oft-occur-
ring trouble in the settlement of con-
tracts, and became a very important mat
ter during the city elections.
Mr.. Warren spoke at length regarding
the cost of the electric lights when there
was no competition, and the greater cost
when such competition existed, thus
demonstrating that the light was fur
nished as cheaply as possible. He then
moved that four additional lights be added
to those now in position, the extra lights
to be located respectively at the corner of
Ferguson and Twenty-third streets, at the
corner of Ransom and Twentieth streets,
Evans and Sixteenth streets, and Evans
and ~Twenty-irst streets.
Mr.. Harrington moved to amend by
changing the light from Ransom and
Twentieth streets to Snyder and Nine
teenth streets. The amendment was lost,
Mr.. Harrington being the only one who
voted to sustain it. The original motion
locating the four extra lights was then
put Only one affirmative vote was
heard, and no nays. Mr.. Harrington
called for the ayes and nays in order to
put the Councilmen on record. Mr.,
McGregor at first declined to vote, but
finally voted in the affirmative. The vote
caused some amusement and some latent
excitement.
Mr.. Riner moved that the light now
located at the electric light house be sta
toned at the intersection of Bent and
Twenty-second streets. Carried.
Mr.. Harrington moved that the lamp
on Seventeenth street. opposite the
Opera House, be moved to the intersec-
ton of Snyder and Nineteenth streets.
The motion called out a wandering talk
that eventually became personal in its
tone, and Mr.. Warren finally offered as
an amendment that the lamp be moved
half a block eastward, to the intersection
of Hill and Seventeenth streets. Another
half hour was spent in reviewing the his
tory Of the electric lights Of the United
States, an incidental review of roads and
bridges was introduced as pertinent to the
question, the taxes of various cities in the
United States were compared, and the
claims of wards was urged to give the
question still further scope. When the
Mayor detected an opportunity he put the
motion on the amendment, which pre-
vailed.
1t was her moved by Mr.. Warren that
an extra light be added to the contract at
a cost Of $ls per month, said light to be
placed at the corner of Eddy and Twelfth
streets. Mayor Carey entered a vigorous
protest to the precedent of any additions
and extras to the contract with the Light
Company and when put to a vote the mo-
ton was lost.
Mr.. Warren moved that the light on
Seventeenth street, opposite the Opera
House and the one at the intersection Of
Eddy and Seventeenth streets be moved
respectively to Snyder and Nineteenth
streets and Eddy and Twelfth streets.
Carried.
Messrs. Harrington and Warren at once
sprang into the arena of a personal com.
bat over the bills of the Light Company
and the faithful burning of the lights
Mr.. Warren accused Mr.. Harrington O.
stating falsehoods, and Mayor Carey tool
a hand in the fray and got ina left-handel
on Mr.. Warren.
After wrangling ndtalking wildly of the
questions before the house, some n sug
gcsted hat the light moved to Warner
avenue and Seventeenth street had bet
ter be retained at the intersection of Ran
som and Seventeenth streets. A motor