Omaha daily bee., 1889-11-03

CITY IL is almost impossible for n pedestrian
TO get around Tho street crossings are
ankle deep with mud, and woe betide tne
luckless wight who steps 10 one side OF the
narrow walk, as he is in Imminent danger
of being completely engulted.
In some parts of the city the numerous
trees tend 10 intensity the stygian darkness.
SO that there Is not the slightest possibility
OF making any progress except on reel
your way an -go.slow basis. This 10 mani
testify unsatisfactory, and it is not surprising
that citizens kick about it. As the city
enters upon another five years contract on
the 14tb of next month, 1t IS matter oil
some concern whether or not the same un-
satisfactory method Is to continue after that
time The new contract Is let upon the
same lighting schedule as the present one,
which provides that during certain hours OIL
the night. when tho moon is near the "full,
tho towers need be lighted. This would not
occasion any complaint provided any assur-
ance could be given that the moon would at
tend strictly to business on such occasions,
but that Is just where the trouble lies, and II
frequently happens that when Luna IS pro
perly fired up aud In good condition 10 IL
iuminate, the clerk of the weather slips IN
an intervening canopy of heavy clouds, and
the expected light Is not forthcoming. lt Is
with reference to just such occasions that ar
rangements should be made to have the
towers on extra time
Inquiry reveals the fact that a provision
was made for this, but it has not been car
ried out as was intended. Chairman Water
man. of the committee on fire department.
gaslight and city property, was authorized
to order the towers lighted wnonever he
deemed IL necessary, on nights when cloudy
weather obscured the moon. Shortly after
that arrangement was made, the aldermen
called up the electric light station one even
| inc nv teleDhone, and ordered the towers
lighted The electrician had not been IN
formed of the new arrangement, and replied
that the schedule did not call for their being
lighted until after the moon went down.
The aldermen did not stop to explain the sit
untlon, aud have never called for extra lights
since that time Ever since then the tower
| light machine has been kent in readiness,
but never been run over time, except wnen
| the electrician in charge has done so without
| orders from the council. 1t frequently hap
pens that the towers are lighted an hour or
| two before tho schedule time on d dark night
| when the moon is expected to lght the city
| but fails to do so. and this is counterbalanced
| by shutting them down that much earlier on
| other occasions when there ia fair light
without them This, however. is due solely
| to the desire of the electrician to remedy the
| defect as much as possible,
| 1t is not TO be expected that the company
| will run their machinery and light the towers
| for several hours each month for the good ot
| humanity and the convenience OF their lei
| low citizens without any other compensation,
| and az there is an obvious necessity for run
| ming the extra time satisfactory arrange
| mGntS SnOulQ DC nluut III rtSGtu W IL. Ns
| the machines are now arrnged at the electric
| light station, the dynamos that run the tower
and II o'clock lights are belted to the same
| engine, and there is nothing to prevent
| having the tower light dynamo running until
midnight whether the schedule calls for
light or not.
The light need not be turned on unless it is
| demanded, and the charge may be made in
| an instant. The only cost to the company
| would be the wear and tear on the dynamo
! which would be merely nominal, and the
| power required to run a dynamo ''empty'' is
| very slight. The company would get in sutd
| cient extra time during the month to more
| than pay for the charge, which, by the way,
| is no more than the city has right to de-
| mand, and the company Is willing to grant.
| AS nearly as can be ascertalned, the source
| of the inconvenience and annoyance of the
| past few months in this respect have beer
| due to misunderstanding and it Is hoped
| that the parties in charge will see that thu
| city is not left In darkness in the future.
| Money loaned at l.. b. Crafts & Co.. 4
loan office on furniture, pianos, horses
wagons, personal property of all kinds
and all other articles of value, without
removal. All business strictly conf
Dental.