Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1888-08-02

4 Joanf lnse11nG . VDnr1ee - -
vvh,eS MA NJ usne or
Ths Cpuncil Commitsss On Lights -
the BOARD Of Gss Trustees we 70 hase
held useting lsst evening. to eansidr
the vital topic: Shall The city embark 7.
the lighting Of her streets By sleciricitys
The meeting did not como Cd. owing 70
the on-attsndance of someof The nenbsn
of the Council Committee.
Ths members Of the Board and four
members of the committee assembled at
the City Hall at eight O'Clock. and put IN
the ensuing hour in endeavoripg to procure
the attendance Of one more member OF the
committee. necessary 10 make up aquarium.
Thia one gentleman ws mot found, and
st nine o'clock the gathering adjourned 10
reasssmsle Friday evening.
the subject for the consideration OF
which the joint meeting was called, Wa
Informally discussed at considerable
length by the gentlemen present, and
there seemed to be an universal feeling
that snoner or later the city would DO
forrsd, in self defenss, to set mp an cleo
tric plant of her own, and it was likewise
conceded that the sooner the thing was
done The better for tho community. Both
members of the Committee and Board Of
Trustees unite in admitting that the ctty
has al present no power to 60 into the
electric lighting busiuess-that the corpor-
ration is restricted to the powers and privi-
leges conferred upon the old EAs company,
nf which il is the direct successor In re-
spect to furnishing light, but they insist
that the matter ought to he discussed and
data acquired, and public sentiment IN
yorable to the change created, II II does
not now exist TO the extent II should, %
that by the time the L. gislature couveDee.
the city will be in position TO know ex-
actly what it wants, and 60 before the
Legislature prepared to state exactly what
further grants OF power are desired.
The members of the Board Of Trustees
are particularly warm in their advocacy Of
the contemplated addition to the present
illuminating plant One Of them said last
evening: -.
"a present nd vsntage to be gained would
be for the city to put mp plant Of capacity
sufficient to light the streets and public
buildings. This, rs has been fully demon
strated heretofore, can be done for about
twenty I've thousand dollars. The Board
has been calculating that one hundred p
OOO-candle power lights will light the main
portion of the city, leaving say city lights
to be sold to firms, corporations and pri.
vate individuals IL now costs the city
about ST., 600 per year to light the streets,
and if this drain could be taken of tho gas
works, the electric plant would pay for
itself in t~o years, while the ffty
lights 10 he sold would pay all the
cost of running the new system. The city
would virtually get the electric plant for
nothing. Bnt. rs have said, this would
only be preliminary matter. There IL NO
doubt in the world but that gas, as gen
eral illuminating agency, is doomed. Five
years more will eeelectriciiy in ten times
the use il IL ut present, and ten years will
see the practical extinction of the gas lights
forever. Wheeling, along with the rest OF
the world. will haye-sto recognize the
change, and we must soon begin to pre-
pare for il. " we fsil 10 do this, the city
will he great loser. Even now. If bet
ter electric light should he offered the
Wheeling public, dozens OF people now
using gas would leave IL for electricity.
Council will have to meet the emergency
which is coInipgo