Springfield globe-republic. (Springfield, Ohio) 1884-1887, 1885-08-12


J cited by them. Mr. Mast then made a speech
o some length stating that they ought to
either accept or r, jrct tue propositions before
them; that they must look 10 the interests of
their constituents, the private consumers OF
gas, and not merely to the lighting OF pos's
and public buildings, u comparatively small
matter that they should look fairly at the
wbole SUBJECT, losing sight OF no one interest
ana giving each its proper rank in i'm
| portance. lie wound up by again exhorting
them to either accept or r, ject the bids Mr.
Thomas again spoke to the effect that the
propositions should be accepted or rejected as
they are; that he should not accept a bropG-
sition for lighting one part OF the city with.
ont knowing how they cen fix the rest that
ne hadn't talked with the bidders to find ou,
what they would do in the matter, because he
didn't think II proper; and that, II one COM
| pany should he given n second chance to bid
-ior Conklins resolution was II second bid
OF the electric light company-all Of them
Should have another chance. Mr.. Nels IN
echoed these sentiments and sat down. Mr..
Neus expressed himself IN favor OF rejecting
all bios and asking Tor new ones He re erred
to the petition Of citizens desiring electric
hght, and further stated that he had heard
great deal o kicking on these long iv, years
i
Conklin, the solicitor read the law on the
point, substantially Ms Mr.. Lessner
bad stated 1t. Permission was then
| asked 10 hear Mr.. +. NJ. Hagan in behalf OF
the petitioners Tor electric light and it was
| granted.
| In beginning bis long address Mr.. Hagan
emphasized the Importance OF the matter they
| were considering, computing that the five
| years contract embraced an expenditure for
| public use and private consumption approx
| mating $500 900. On the uursGon OF no
money he showed that the council was in
dilemma and might as well take one horn ss
| the other. The tax commission had given
them tl9 500 for light It the Burns law,
providing that contracts can only be made
when there is money in the Treasury to pay
for them. they could make no five years con.
| tract. On The other hand the law permits
council to make contract for any length of
| time desired. Therefore he believed that
| council would be sustained by the court IN
| going outside its levy. The tax commission
| had no right to dictate to council what sort of
| light 1t should contract Tor, but il
had practically done this by gviIg such a
| small levy. He then talked about the cost
| Of producing gas, aud the price paid ter it iu
Circleville, Dayton and other low water
| mark towns He also mentioned some prom
inent cities where gasoline WAS used. This
| part Of his talk was evidently II te.ler f,r n
| combination bid from the gasoline and elec-
| trio light men. Ia order to clear the wny for
| new proportions Mr.. Johnson moved to re-
Ject all bids. lie desired an all night light
All me year round aud didn't want to be
oouhd py hVe years contract. Mr.. Mast
made aho'her speech IN iaSor OF discussing
the propositions before them. lie sad that
COUNCIL was not compete nj 10 say what they
cou'd max" gas 'or. IN sohe o'her cit'ts the
gas com pahies gave 10" contracts 10 the ci'y
ana maze IL up on tue cl'izens. Ihe Circle-
'hie gas company aoh 'nrhish gas for pri-
va'e consumption AZ Sl'oo per thousand, IL
'neJ d'd 'hey wouid ouS'. IL the Circle
WIG company chooses 70 oust up mat
Is no reason "hy lhe oprinGneiu company
suou'a 10 'he same 'h'hs. council hxrs
ane price on one commodity, why not on alil
lhey might NIX price Tor the city gas which
wouia cothpei "ns tune Gas Coz 10 charge
'he cit'zens p'g prices to make u up he SAID
'nat new extensions were recorded ana there
were no means IN 'he treasury 10 make then.
u was not iH'r 10 keep 'he snoHr"s IN dark
ness 'ha' the hehr' o' Tue ci'y m'ght DE more
expenaVeiy lighted. As Tor gasoline, they
might a. well come down to hrst principles at
once ana use tnlio~ dips.
mr.. h,dher replied ht me length enlarg-
ipg on the TACT that The Gas company had n
monopoly anu ended by saS'g that his con-
sutuents wanted the electric light and he was
'sVor OF relecung all ihe bids.
Captain Asa Bushnell, president # the
Springfield Gas Light and Coke Co. thea ad-
vsnced to the arena in behalf o. his company.
After the usual compliment to the audience
about pleasure, privilege. etc., he regretted
that he had not been educated rs n LAWYER TO
lay his case properly before them. Hagan
had said that business men were all in favor
OF the electric light, but to him it was dis
tressing light. 10 his list OF prices in other
cities Mr.. Hagan had forgotten to mention a
few like Wilmington where the price was $50
per post and 81 80 per thousand, and Piqua
where 1t is $24 per post and $3.50 per thou
sand. 10 submi ting its proposition
the gas company had complied with the de-
sires OF the city. as it had always done, never
having violated its contract but oLce, and
| that WAS when it reduced the price from 81
| to $l.75 per thousand. or course, the COIN
pany had never demonstrated the cost OF gas
II had never been asked to do il; no more
does any other company advertise the cost OF
| its goods. Mr.. Hsgan had said nothing about
the cost OF electric light. As matter of
| public economy gas is the cheaper article.
Our electric light displaces tour posts, but
| costs great deal more. The Gas Company
WAS an organization having charter older
than that OF the city. All 1t asked was fair
| compensation tor the labor and caplal
invested. W. H. Scott, secretary OF the
champion Electric Light Company, then