The Ottawa free trader., 1889-07-27
The Electric Light Muddle.

e" Aa'ofuoiy on tHo ProPoseu new peulArs q
license ordinance, but as the council could
not comprehend its provisions, even with
the elucids,ion Of the city attorney, it was
postponed until the next regular meeting
and ordered published.
Alderman Diuneen again filed the chair
with his usual dignity, and, when the city
clerk read the city surveyors report, smiled
blandly.
The surveyor recommended the removal
Of the fences on Marquett and Michigan SITS.
which obstructs these streets and also Paul,
Guion and Post SITS. lie had made survey
under orders from the committee on law and
ordinance and found some Of the fences in
the street to the extent of twenty six feet,
and from this down to two feet. The city
marshal was ordered to instruct the proper.
ty owners to remove their fences back to the
street line.
The law and ordinance committee, though
Chairman Armstrong stated that it had in
vestigated the differences between the city
and the commissioners of highways of the
town Of Ottawa, and had not only found that
the city had not donated them the $1,000
claimed, but that they had also failed to
give the city credit for about S4O0 railroad
tax, during the past three or four years.
Under these proofs the commissioners had
given up their claim and paid over the
$62l 81 claimed by the city.
When the gas committees report was
handed in, there was rustling of chair legs
and several audible coughs. Mr.. Degen, of
the Illinois Valley Co., and Mr.. Perkins, Of
tho Gas Co. spat on their hands and grasp
ed the edges Of their chairs. The committee
reported in favor of the acceptance of the
combination bid of the Illinois Valley Co.,
furnishing twenty arc and one hundred and
twenty-five forty candle power incaLdescent
electric lights for 81, 1sO 90 per year for FIVE
years.
The clerk read all of the bids. The Sec
ond bid OF the Illinois Valley Co. called
for two hundred and FIVE incandescent lights
of thirty-two candle power at $4,000.
The Thomas Electric Light and Power Co.
placed three bids. The first was for forty
arc lamps at $4,000 per year; the second
was for fifty arc lights at 81, 200 per year,
and the third for twenty arc and one hund.
red and forty'eight candescents of thirty,
two candle power at S4,l96. All bids for
FIVE years.
The gas company offered one hundred and
si1ty'three eighteen candle power gas lights
for $2,954,-all additional lamps to be a
dollar and half per month, the twenty six
gasoline lamps at the same rate. The CON-
pany to pay all expenses of any and all
descriptions. In consideration of tie city's
giving them the contract for two, or three,
or five years, the company offered to furn-
ish gas light to the city buildings and to
private citizens at dollar and eighty cents
per thousand feet.
Mr.. Porter handed in a minority report,
recommending that the city accept only arc
lights, the bid of the Thomas Co. for fifty
lights being in his estimation the best bid,
unless the city should find it advisable to
erect plant of its own.
Mr.. Armstrong moved the adoption of the
minority report.
Mr.. Alshulsc hs 4 been in Aurora, where
the city owns it's own plant, and while there
had been assured that one hundred light
arc system could be placed in position for
about $lS, ,000to light the city and the city
buildings during the past year. The gas was
no good, and the incandescent light was but
little better, He wanted the city to own its
own plant, and if any private company
could make money by lighting the city the
city could save money by doing its own ill.,
Illuminating. He was not talking just to
hear himself talk, but for the good Of the
taxpayers.
Mr. Armstrong was highly in favor Of the
Alshuler idea and wanted the Illinois VAL
ley Co.'s combination bid accepted. The first
quarter of the fiscal year would soon close,
and it was now too late to think of borrow.
ing money to purchase plant. About five
hundred dollars per month was piling up
for gas and SO rething should be done at
once. The Illinois Valley Co.'S incandes-
cent lamps, although less in number than
tho Thomas Co.'s would give more light, as
the Valley Co.'s new forty candle power and
the Thomas thirty-two, although the Thorn
as Co. offered twenty three more lights.
Messrs. Porter and Duffy objected to the
adoption of the report and it was laid over
until next meeting. They wanted time to
investigate.
Mr.. Taylor reported adversely on the
question of sidewalk on the south side of
Main street, on either side Of the Fox river
bridge, on account of the expense, about
seven hundred dollars, believing that the
money could be better applied elsewhere.
Mr. Armstrong moved that twenty feet of
three foot sewer pipe be laid from the canal
to the Pine St. sewer to flush the west side