Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1886-03-18
Gl)e Ea,,faster Jntflligti,fer.
LAxOAsrrR. MARCH Is. 1855,
The Iight Question.

mC XuCothV"e
The councils reached conclusion upon
the city light question and decided by the
narrowest possible majority that the pres
mt liRht should be continued for one year
from June next at 36A cents per light per
night, upon condition that the price should
b reduced to this figure from March first.
+ whether this conclusion was wise or
otherwise is the subject Of much debate
among the people to-day. The select council
stood against the Edison light by one ma
jcrity, and the common council stood for
il by one vote, until Mr.. Mclaughlin voted
TO concur with select council. In each
branch was member who is q stock
holder in the gas company, and
both Of these members voted against
the Edison light. Without their votes
select council would have been a
tie and common council would have had
one more majority for the Edison light.
It was said in councils, that these MEM
bers should not have voted, as they were
interested against the Edison light be-
cause it superseded the use of any gas for
the city streets to which Mr.. Baumgard-
ner replied that the gas company did not
desire to light the streets and that the gas
question was not in issue. AS 1t is certain,
however, that the introduction of the in
candescent light will take away the most
profitable portion of the gas company's
patronage, it is not natural that those
interested in the gas company
should feel very friendly towards
it and it is possible that its representatives
In councils had their judgment somewhat
warped by their interests. But it does not
necessarily follow that they should have re-
fused to vote on the question. That is q
4 question of ethics which has two sides to it.
1t may well be argued that representatives
Of the people are bound to vote upon all
questions coming oup before them, but
are bound to subordinate their individual!
interests to their honest judgment Of public
policy.
This light question has been difficult to
decide. We do not doubt that the council
men voted honestly upon it. As we regard
the matter their decision was neither al
together right nor wrong. There was
middle course which it would have been
wise to take that was otstaken. AS we
have heretofore said, the city is pay
ing far too much for its lighting. We
believe that it can be satisfactorily done
for much less. Mr.. Riddle, who
seems to have given far more time and at
tention than anyone else to the investiga-
tinn of the different lights and their cost,
reported to councils that the Edison light
was being furnished to West Chester at a
less price than it was offered to Lancaster,
and that he understood that New Eng
land town, needing about the:same illumi-
nation, was lighted for seven thousand dol
lars. And yet Mr.. Riddle voted for light
that will cost Lancaster over twenty-five
thousand dollars.
We would not have done this, we think.
We would have said to the Edison people
that their light at 100000, though the
cheapest offered, was much too dear, and
that we would not have it at the price.
We would have said to the Maxim people
that their light, though the dearest Of
fered, we would keep, but only until
t&30 CAPu6tlOh VI tucH COQLTdCu,
unless they should be willing to renew it
from month to month and in the mean
while we would have sought how the city
might obtain a light as cheap as other
cities had it and we would have inquired
particularly into the cost, that we might
know what Lancaster ought to pay, and
what we could provide it for ourselves, il
We could not contract for it with company
II the city wants An incandescent light,
as we incline to believe it does, we must
remember that the Edison is not the only
incandescent light. The United States
company have an incandescent light,
which is quite equal to the Edison, and
which seems to be superior to it in the
cleArness that is maintained in the glass
bulbs.
There was no special need to hurry to
discrimination Of the light matter. Ger
tainly there is no occasion to renew tn,
contract with the present company for
year and . quarter in advance of this date
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