The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1886-10-19
Street Lighting.

10 tHe EuuOr OF the FfeSS:
For pressing reasons which brooked no
delay, last Saturday evening was suddenly
selected for special meeting of the city
government, notices being hastily issued the
same forenoon, after Alderman Beale, the
gas agent for the city had left the town for
the day,-Alderman Marks being on the 9th
er side of the Mississippi river This was
the auspicious juncture selected for final ac-
tion on the city lighting for the winter.
1t seems that bids had been invited from
the Portland Gas Company, corporation of
which the city is itself the largest stockhold-
er, and annually chooses its agent to repre-
sent its interests therein, and from the Elec-
tric Light Company which has undertaken
to light our city during the past year. The
bids were distinctly restricted to the winter
half OF the year, being expressly limited tc
March 81. This was manifestly proper, be-
case new municipal government fresh
from the people will be chosen by the citi-
zens on the first Monday in March, who
would then have an opportunity of making
future arrangements according to the will of
their constituents. But when at the sudden
ly summoned meeting last Saturday night
the bids were opened, and an ordec was Of
fered in accordance Herewith, authorizing
the committee on street lights {, contract
with the Electric Light Company Tor the pc
riOd named ending March 81, the order 'Tas,
on motion of Alderman Sawyer amended so
as to extend the time to November l, 1887.
BY this extraordinary amendment, it will be
noticed that the aldermen of 1886 have not
only unsurped the prerOgatives of their sue
cessors and robbed their constituents of their
chartered right to control the lighting of the
city for two-Lhirds of the municipal year to
which they will elect their next municipal
servants, but they have thus given to the fav-
ored contractors, the Electric Light Compa-
ny, the benefit of seven of the most favora-
BILE mo- this in the year, when the sun per-
forms so much of the required Illumination,
without aid from electricity, or gas. But
this proposition did not not pass without
sturdy opposition. Aldermen Wilson and
McMahon voted against it, and it is under
stood that Aldermen Marks and Beale would
have voted with them and defeated it, had
not the meeting been called and the matter
pressed to vote in their absence. AS it was
the scheme was carried through by minori-
ty of the board, only three votes being OBJ
tanned in its favor. 1t will also be noticed
that no opportunity has been afforded for
hoped that the committee, who still luckily
have the consummation of this matter in
their own power, will see that there is fair
play and no monkery in this business.
There is no particular occasion for special
sympathy with the Gas Company except as
a corporation in which the city is pecuniari-
ly interested to large amount, and the style
in which the city has been lighted ~ dur
ing the past year entities the Electric Com
pany to none. But the citizens have some
rights in the matter and they do not propose
willingly tossee them unsurped in so palpable
a manner. The committee, it is believed,
will not avail themselves of the authority
thus thrust upon them to extend the period
of their contract beyon the period of the
bids OWL