The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1888-03-24
ELECTRIC LIGHT PROJECTS
Civil Engineer Shearer's Estimate of the
Cost of a Plant for the City.
How the Proposition to Introduce the New
System Is Viewed by Councilmen and
0thers-Advaniage of Electric Light.

While there is as yet nothing tangible n
electric-liehs projects enough is being said
about them TO make some well-dsfned plan
certainty before the city engineer is ready to
ceive bids under tho instructions given him by
the Council. Before that officer proceeds with
the purpose expressed in the resolution he will
wait action thereon by the Board of Aldermen
at it's meeting Monday evening. The limita-
ton of the proposed contract &c one year is now
not thought advisable, although q majority of
the councilmeu were opposed, when the resoiu-
ticn passed, to extending the time beyond
twelve months because Of tho probability OF a
still cheaper street light being furnished in nat
ural gas Some who have heretofore favored
this form of illu minant taking decided
interest in the calculations and possibilities of
the cheapness Of electricity as compared with
artificial gas for street purposes. They hold to
natural gas as factor in cheapening
the production Of electric light. aud in
lighting the outlying districts, but. aside
from those features their support is being given
TO the brilliant illuminant 1T does not
matter to the cost above natural gas" an al
dertnan said, yesterday, IF OBTAIN
better light than that or artificial gas at less
price than pay for the latter 1t is the quality
of light, well the cost, that will be consid-
cred. If electricity gives ten times more light
than artificial gas, even at rate of 81 per
1000 cubic feet for the latter I do not believe
the people would be willing to change for an
inferior and much cheaper illumnant" tits
the prevailing opinion that neither Council nor
the Board of Aldermen will contend for the short
term now expressed In the resolution but that
the last-named body will amend it by asking for
bids on a two or threeyears contract. IF this is
done the Council will doubtless concur in the
ton TO remove the chief difficulty that
would prevent companies from submitting bids
City Engineer Shearer. while waiting for the
action of the aldermen. is at work q table of
the various phases, in order to estimate the
number of hours artificial light viii be required
during year. The present system OF lighting
is based upon 2,74O hours, but he thinks it is
not necessary to have lights that number of
hours. Upon the table as time he proposes to
calculate the probable cost for each electric
lamp, both for the and incandsscent lights
After this he proposes to issue schedule TO
each company for bids for one year if the time
is not changed. but it is possible that he will
also ask for propositions two and three-years
contracts. The division lines of the city for
lighting Meridian and Market streets In
the northeast quarter there are 96S gas ana So
vapor lamps; in the northwest. 584 gas and 80
vapor; in the southwest, $40 gas and vapor.
and in the southeast. 7j2 gas and lit
vapor For the gas lamps last year, the maxi
mum in use at any one time being 2,644, the
cost was 500, 9l852 If the 2,444 lamps in
service were burned regularly according to
schedEle, at the present rate of cost for the
year the cost would be $50, 100. For { he 236
lights 81 ,248 is expended every ear. The
discontinuance of these cannot enter into the
question until for two years yet. when the last
contract expires In August. however. fifty
be disposed Of and others can be discontinued at
different times after that date. leaving about $50
to be carried under the contract for two years.
I'VE can replace the street lamps we now have"
o0tA Srhk ,. s.~aP 1,A
In doing we can have light st every street
crossing between First and Merrill streets and
Noble and Blake. In that district alone 800
lights would answer, but it would be necessary
to put ten or twelve across the river in the
western part OF the city. Some of the alleys,
too, in the business centers would require elec
trio light, but they would not increase the nu m
Der more than fifty which would give q total of
40 arc lights. The vapor lamps natural gas
could be used in the outlying districts. The
cost by this system would not be far from
$40 900 per annum, so the city ought to
$25 900 on the present rates for artificial gas or
$1,000 on the rates proposed by Mr..
Fletcher. While there would be saving in
money, would have a much better
light as the $50 arcs at 2 900 candle-power each
would give altogether the immense illuminant
of 900, 600 candle-power. Artificial gas as it is
used to-day, is said TO be II candle-power for
each street burner, giving in the aggregate a
candle power Of only a. 943, as compared with
the 900, 900 of electricity. The westinghouse
Company in Pittsburg is competing with The
artificial company at 81 for gas"
Councilman Smith said, when asked what posi-
ton he held to electricity: Strangers visit
ing this city often remarked 70 me that We were
behind places of less Importance in the State.
IL Terre HAute electric light
they do not see why Indian apolis should dis
card its advantages. There is Columbus, too,
ahead of us IN this matter. hear of a compa-
ny syndicate that expresses willingness to
furnish Indianapolis with 500 electric lights for
S50,0 900 per year That will he 500 per year for
each light. but think it be had at cheap
er rate. have heard only one man oppose the
system. and he does il account of the wires.
However, wires need be stretched
overhead for there is already an
ordinance giving the use Of the streets TO
a conduit company. Some eouncilmen think
the contract cannot be made for longer period
than year, but the majority will probably ex-
tend the time so as to give the companies some
returns for their plants" Councilman Smith
believes that IL the estimates be brought
down to $50 per light there will be difficulty
at all in replacing gas with electricity.