Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-06-01
HE WANTS TO KNOW
Why the Electric Street Light Con-
tract Should be Extended
FROM THREE TO TEN YEARS LONG.
c. I. Robinson Says Electricity VIII be 20
Per Cent Cheaper.
HOW TIE TAXPAYERS CAN SAVE MONEY

RiEprettv generally known to people in
terssted that the East End Electric Light
Company was given the contract In the
early mart of the winter for the lighting of
part Of the city for three years.
I,atelv an ordinance has been introduced
;nto Councils to modify" that contract, so
as To make the term ten instead Of three
wears. The change might possibly have
been made without attracting general atten-
tion had il not been that the Globe Light
ing Company, of Philadelphia, which has
kept an eye out on all movements in this
direction.
Yesterday Mr. c. K. Robinson, of the
company, called on Controller Morrow and
announced that his company proposed to
know whether or not "modifcstions" such
as proposed were in order.
Mr.. Robinson talked quite freely and
plainly, and said it was his business to
make himself understood. Said he:
'If this isn't plan to get around offering
bfds for the renewal of contracts, and the
giving thereof to the lowest responsible
bidder, then don't understand what it is.
81 WHAT HE PROPOSES DOING.
"Now we propose, on all occasions where
cities and towns want to let contracts for
lighting, to be on hand and compete, and
also propose to know if our bids are lowest
and do not prevail, TO know why we do not.
We ask but for free field and no favorit-
ism. There are abundant reasons why the
people of Pittsburg should back us.
rh To
tion, but we want to get all the business we
can, and Pittsburg suits us as well as any
other locality in which to operate. Discov-
cries in the way of cheapening electric light
ing are constantly going forward, and no
one can tell what progress may be made In
this direction during the next ten years. It
is entirely safe to predict that before that
time elapses, electric lighting will be fully
Is per cent cheaper, or may be 90 per cent,
or even more, and the taxpayers will doubt
less be willing to get the advantage of this
assured cheapness.
SAVED LUMP FOR THE CITY.
Fourteen years ago we broke through the
gas lighting monopoly in this city, and
saved the city $40, 600 a year, and with profit
to ourselves"
The irruption Mr.. Robinson speaks ofwas
the letting of the contract for lighting the
streets of the Southside, which was let to
Mr. Maloney at SIS so per lamp per year,
instead of $50 to $50 lamp, the prices
previously prevailing on that side of the
river. The company was then Mr.. Maloney,
and it has grown since to mammoth proper
tions, with stomach sufficient to attempt the
lighting of the Ozark Continent" whenever
1t asks for it. 1t keeps Its optics on all
places where lighting of any kind is pro-
posed, and always SHES its beaver into the
ing where there is any chance to bid.
- While there has been no complaint on the
part of the public regarding the service of
the East End Electric Light Company, it
seems that people generally will not object
TO cheaper illumination, and the tendency
-+ TOWARD CHEAPENING
in electric lighting is going on necessarily.
Itis said the price of incandescent lamps
will ere long be reduced from 81 to so cents.
The safety Of large cities from the depreda-
kohs. of thieves and thugs depends, largely
gSd lighting. Vice hates the light.
ISisnot known to many people that the
gasoline lamp is still Illuminating many
square miles in this city, over 5000 of them
still burning in various parts where there
are no gas mains or electric appliances.
They are planted on crags which even a
Rohery goat would exercise care in climb
inc