Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1889-05-11

| light the city with electricity. he presented
at length the proceedings of the joint com.
mittee and said that the Schuyler company
offered to contract at rate apparently
somewhat higher than the offer of the Brush
company but that the Brush company left
out several items which the Schuyler offer
included, so that the Schuyler offer was in
fact the lowest. II was determined that
contract should be made with the Schuyler
company, the vote being 6 to 2 and the Cor
poration Attorney was requested to prepare
the contract. On the morning of the Sth of
MAY he saw MIR. Brent who desired that the
specifications of the contract might be type.
written in order to be incorporated in the
contract. The committee was called togeth-
err to have this dope, and the committee at
that meeting on the 9th of May instructed
Mr.. Marbury to sign the contract with the
Schuyler company He had done so and
the paper had been placed in the hands of
the gas clerk TO be transmitted to the man
ayers of the Schuyler light system. That
was the present state of the case. He dep
recated the putting of street lighting
in the hands of q private corporation.
He did not believe that the PEG
Pile of Alexandria would be willing to
vote this franchise to private corporation
for they had had too much experience with
another private corporation. He gave the
three gentlemen who opposed the contract
the same credit for good motives which he
claimed for himself, but believed they were
being duped He said it had been al
legged that the gas works had been burden
10 the city, but the ges works had paid the
city $4,000 in cash, besides lighting the
streets at cost of 100000. This was
good return for an investment in fifty years
of $780, 900. The private electric corpora
ton would charge the city $50 per Highland
with III lights, any one could calculate
what that would come to.
Mr. Snowden said that the discussion had
been out OF order but in order TO get some.
thing before Council he would offer q res
olution which would give something to act
on. He then read resolution instructing
, the committees not to sign contract until it
had been submitted to the City Council.
Mr.. S. then detailed the action of the
committee in substance the same as that of
MIR. Fisher until the meeting of May Sih
was reached. 1t was agreed at that meet
ing, he said, that the contract should be re
ferred to the Corporation Attorney who
! was to see that the cty's inter-
eats were protected and then to
submit the contract to the committees
He had then introduced resolution
that the contract be submitted to the Coun.
Gil On this the committees went to pieces,
and adjourned without further action of
majority of either of the two committees.
When the matter came before the Corpora
ton Attorney, Mr.. Brent said he did not
recognize the right of Mr.. Co.; to act for the
Schuyler Company without the power Of
attorney.
Mr.. Fisher-He had q power of attorney
in the safe deposit vault.
Mr.. S. continued, saying he was other
wise engaged on the evening OF the 9th of
May and could not attend the meeting.
Mr.. Fisher said that on the morning
on the 9th he had called on Mr.. Marbury
chairman of the Committee on Light and
told him that aa delays would be required
to typewrite the specifications it would be
better to call the meeting at once and con-
clude the matter.
In that case Mr.. Snowden said the chair
man of the Finance Committee had been
treated with scant courtesy. Three members
out of four Of the committee were opposed
} to making contract without its submission
to Council.
Mr.. Moore-Were there two committees?
Mr.. Snowden-Yes, the Finance Com
; mittee and the Committee on Light.
Mr.. Fisher called the chairs attention to
the fact that there was one committee, COM
posed of the two joint omnittees.
Mr.. Hinkin moved that the Council do
approve of the action of the special commit
tee in making the contract.
The chairman Mr.. Snowden) again read
: his resolution requiring reference of the
contract to the Council, and said Judge
Keith had decided that the City Council
could not delegate its powers. He only
wanted to protect the city by having the contract
properly made and proper bond filed. The
bond fled in the Southern Telegraph contract had
been found worthless and 81 900 of the cty's
money had been spent, so Superintendent Hantz-
, mon had informed him, in the oil gas experiment,
all because of hasty action in public matters of
Importance.
Mr. Bayne So you say that the oilgas expert
ments cost the city 81, 900?
The Chair reported that supt. Hantgmon had
told him so.
) Mr.. Fsher said Mr. Hantzmon bad counted the
loss from consumers who gave up gas. Many had
given up before the ol-gas was used.
Mr.. Snowden said that Mr.. Hantzmon bad told
him that the 81 600 loss was exclusive Of the
, withdrawal of consumers. He declared he WAS
heartily in favor OF electric lights He concluded
by saying that the charge that an attempt WAS be-
ing made to delay the lighting of the city by
electricity WAS not so; he simply wsnted the
city 3 interests protected in the matter and WAS
opposed to the signing of n pig-in-a-bsg contract.
The following letter was read ut the request of
Mr.. Snowlen.
ALExANpRt,, May 10th, 1889.
To II Snowdtn, Chairman
Dear Strive assure you that we arc heartily
in favor of electric lights, and that so far rs
have information not opposed to the Schuy-
Ter system, but electricity is thing about which
we must confess ignorance. and having seen aud
been party to this oil. gas failure, we arc I'M
willing to assume the responsibility OF adopting
any systcm or entering into any contract until it
has been passed upon and approved by the City
Council. Respectfully,
NPT. BURKE
EDw. s. LEADBEATER.
The question was then called on Mr. Hinkins
motion.
Mr. Atcheson thought delay was dangerous,
and he thought the electric light matter should
be considered ended as it had been we'll examined
! into lafora Admitting