St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1888-11-14
ELECTRIC LIGHT NEEDED.
Citizens Do Not Coincide With the Coun.
ellis Proposition.
AN ATTRACTIVE DISPLAY.
Opinions Freely Expressed That II
Would Not Be Economy to Pull |
Down the Towers. nj

the parks and other portions of the ethyl
With view to obtaining the sen tineht
OF taxpayers on the subject, leading
citizens were interviewed, and their
opinions are submitted: III
William Pitt Murray-There are COM
paratively few electric lights in use by
the city, electric illumination being
used only on the maStS. in the public
posed to abolish those on the masts per-
manently and those in the parks. dur
ing the winter. The lights in city
buildings will be retained. My reason
for favoring the abolition Of theS electric
light masts is the unnecessary expense
Incurred in doubly lighting the sections
of the city in which they are located, it
being necessary to maintain the gas
lights in addition, as the electricity is
turned off at midnight, If the electric
illumination could be kept up all night
l might favor doing away with the gas,
but [ don't think it is good policy to
pay for BOTH.
Acting Mayor William Bickel-I do
not believe that the city can have too
much light. A brightly illuminated
city makes far better impression on
stranger than dimly lighted one, and
besides that light is a great preventive.
of crime. [ am in favor of both the
electric lights and gas as long as the
expense is not too great, and think the
city can we'll afford the extra expendi-
ture of few hundred dollars yearly
for this purpose. Another reason for
favOring electricity is that the gas is SO
poor at some seasons of the year that it
is almost worthless, and without the
01n of,.sa icre,f &c tln nItx tNls I'm
darkness.
Aid. Cullen-That part of the public
lin the immediate vicinity of the arc
lights ale strongly against their re-
moval. but the majority will see by the
following statement that, for the good
of the whole, it will be necessary to sac
rifce the part. As the city is now.
lighted with both oil and electric lamps,
it becomes an important feature in
economy. There are now about 1900
gas and 1900 oil lamps, besides all the
nlasts and arc lights. This double
lighting is what has agitated the CUES
ton in the council, Because there are
electric lights oh DaytOn's bluff. alder
men from the West side and
st. Anthony hill urge their rights
to the same. There have been
but few meetings in the history of the
council where there were not several,
an in many instances dozens Of,snew
lamps ordered for districts where there
was really no need for such superfuous
lighting. The council are opposed to-
the maintenance of electric lights and
masts while oil and gas lamps are also
in use. Simply on the ground OF. econ
omy has the question been brought up.
and the city will be lighted eithersbY
oil nfYiD 1irhfc oil oifnUntbnr Tho
cost of the oil lamp per year is about
1913, while that OF the electric lightsis
about $165. When we consider the
number of lamps. and then the arc
lights and mastS. it at once suggests
the necessity of a check to this unneces-ii
sary expense of double lighting. 3rf !
P. Dougher-Electrieity makesoa
splendid light. and the fine illumination
of the city is always noted by strangers.
| do not believe the city can afford to-
abolish the electric maSts. .
Col. BObeleter-I favor the electiic
lights. * g.-s.. .sss
J. d. Jones-Electric lights in prefer
ence to gas any time. 49,; !;
u; Helm-Electrieity before gas, any
day. =. q 't, -. -; -. - -. /
p George G. CowieAGas IS too aneieInitt:;+i
give us more electricity. 20 !
Commissioner Shandrew-I am fni
favor of publiclighting by electricity.
Our streets are not too well equipped
with lights, and [ am of the opini0n
that liberality in the lighting expenses.
of city isproper economy.
Prof. Kirk-Iet the electric lights re-
main; give us no more of them. = !:
Capt. w. ". Braden-I favor the
most economical method of public
lighting. electricity or gas.
e. W. Wheeler say certainly retain
the electric lights. They are much bet
ter than gas for lightning the streets.
Hon.;TheCdore SanderS-The electric.
lights should be retained, and more
than that, in my opinion they should be
extended in the way of lighting up our
city.
Matt Jensen-I believe in lighting:
our streets by electricity. 1t is a.long
way ahead of gas.
C. Brandt-The elsctric lights should
be continued.
w. ID. Angel-Electricity is much
preferable to gas for street lighting. (
j. S. Hughes do not care what the
council do in the matter. - !.
Harry Griswold-Retain electricity
by all means. 1
John II. Adamson-I favor the reten-,
ton of electricity. The light is better
and far in advance of gas or gasoline.
Harry A. Lehrs-Electric tights give
the city more metrOpolital appearance.
than ordinary gas lights, and in my:
opinion the proposition to do away with.
electricity is. absurd. There are cities
in this country with but one-half the.
population of st. Paul well lighted by.
electricity, and all declare it to be bet
fer than gas, -
jerome Platt-It would be very fool
ish, indeed. The city would present a.
sorry sight if the electric lights were.
shut Off. / can't see what the councili
is thinking of.
A. Dufresne = The electric lights
ought not to be shut off. We have not.
too. much light now. 1t would be very
great mistake.
j. w. Cooper-It would be very bad
thing for the city in every way. We;
ought by all means to keep the electric.
lights we havenOw.
George K. Finch-It would be a bad
move to shut off the electric lights as.
proposed. 1t ought not to be done.
thing to do. / can't SEE what reason.
can be given for disseminating the elec-i
trio light. So far as | know there lis
nothing that our people are more will;
ing to pay for than for the electric light.
The gas IS very poor indeed.
D. r. Noyes-It would be very great
mistake. 1t would be better to increase
them.
c. W. Hackett-I am in favor Of
economy in city affairs just as much as:
l am in private matters. Shutting of.
the electric light does not seem to me
to be true economy. If they want to
do anything let the council discontinue.
the Oil lamps out on the prairie where.
they are of no use whatever to any one.
tract to furnish the lights. There are a.
great many places where the city CAN
practice economy to much better adj