The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1889-10-04
PLENTY OF BIDS TO COME
ELECTRO LIGHT COMPANIES ON
THE MOVE.

timent in Favor of the City Owning
Its own Plant-The Plan to Operate
It IN Connection With the New Water
Works.
Now that the city council has delegated to
the street and lane committee the power Il
ascertain the best figures upon which the
city can obtain an electric plant Of its own
sufficient to furnish all lights necessary for
lighting the streets and such public buildings
as may be desired, there will be plenty OF
electric light companies to respond. In
fact. some companies have anticipated the
action Of council and have asked to be per-
mitted to name figures, as was the case in
the Russell & Co. petition, presented t. the
council night before last, asking a separa-
ton of the specifications so that the COM
pany might bid on an automatic cutoff
engine and fixtures and not include the
dynamos and electrical appliances proper
L. n Cox of Washington writes: IF
you have not arranged for your plant
Twill be glad if you will advise me as to your
wants, so l can submit bid. | will give
you the best in tue country and as low as
possible consistent with the best materials
and workmanship. | will sell the plant
outright. or, if granted franchise, will
operate it."
WILL PUT IN BID.
C. D. Haskins of the Western Electric
Light Company has been in the city several
days, and while it is understood that neither
he for the company nor the company itself
will put III bid, the Mutual Gas Light
Company will do so, which will
be one and the same thing, as Mr..
Haskins has had frequent confer
x..sA H.
and superintendent of the gas light com
pany, so that the latter, which announced
some time ago its intention to put up an
electric-lght plant in Savannah, and upon
whose petition the council invited bids for
lighting the streets, will be prepared either
to submit proposition to furnish the cleo
trio lighting for the city or to furnish the
city plant TO be operated by the city.
The Western Electric Light Company's
system is in operation in Chicago, it being
a 292-light plant, the lights costing the city
$65 per light per annum.
THE CITY PAYS TOO MUCH.
Mr. Haskins, in abiding to the sum being
paid by Savannah for electric Lighting, $3.50
per light per year, said that IL is altogether
too much, and he further asserted that there
is no electric lamp III the city of 2,0OO-candle
power, which, 1T is said, is the power re-
quired to be furnished under the existing
contract. Mr. Hasl1ins thinks that the
candle power of the lamps will not reach one
third of 1000 and he says it is rather diff
cult TO distinguish between a light Of 425-
candle power and one 600-candle power, no
arc-light having the capacity for an illumi-
nation of 2,00O-candie power. aud that, in
contracts in the north, electric lighting
companies are particular to desi {nate 1000
candle power as nominal 2,000-candle
power
The CANDLE POWER OF LAMPS
He says that there is such difference as
TO what given candle power is that con-
tracts are DOW based upon tue num-
Der Of volts to be supplied and not on the
basis of candle power, and that each circuit
is supplied with an IN meter" which accu-
rately measures the current passing through
all the lights on the circuit. so that tests by
practical electricians are not required to de-
termine if the voltaic supply Is up to
the provisions of contract. He
admitted that the lights should be kept in
the best condition in order that the current
registered by the meter should determine
the illuminating quality of the light, it
appearing that the maximum current may
be retained on the circuit if tue lamp, are
not kept in proper condition, as we'll as if
the lamps are kept in good order.
THE DE soTo's LIGHTING.
1t is understood that the Mutual Gas
Light Company will bid on a plant for the
De Soto hotel, or Tor furnishing it with the
electric light, and q number of electric
light men nave been to Savannah to look
over the hotel in anticipation of making a
bid. Some of them have gone on to
Port Tampa to figure on plant for the
new hotel at that place. While in Savan-
nah they were not long in learning
that the city is deeply interested in get-
ting its electric light for less than it is pay
ing now, the figures being largely in excess
of other cities of similar area and popula-
ton.
The street and lane committee, to which
has been referred the electric lighting Ques-
tlon, as to the cost OF plant, will have no
reason to complain OF any lack of offers, as
there are so many systems and so
many companies furnishing plants,
that the competition will pour in
Oh the committee no end of
propositions, and each company will claim
that it has the best system in use. The
competition is close, and the electric
light is rapidly displacing gas for street
illumination. The eyes of those who furnish
plants will be directed this way until the
matter is settled, whether the city will
light its streets, lanes and public buildings
by the contract system or purchase and
operate its own plant
THE POWER FOR A PLANT.
The city having in contemplation the
erection Of new water works plant on the
Springfield plantation, it is argued that the
same motive power for operating the pumps
may be utilized for operating the dynamos
and at minimum cost, as it will require
only the same engineers and flremen for
running the machinery, the additional cost
at the works being for fuel. By this plan
1t is believed that the city can do its owl
street lighting economically, and much
lower than cities operating their plants in
dependently.
When the Falligant resolution and the
Cam substitute were before council night
before last very little discussion followed
their introduction. Alderman Falligant,
In advocating the plan of the city owning
its own electric light plant, took occasion tc
say that he opposes the city doing any com
mercial lighting, believing that the latter
should be left to the enterprise of the PEG.
pie. to encourage and promote the industries
Of the city. Beyond the remarks of Alder.
man Falligant, no expression of any of the
other mem bers was had