The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1890-05-18

The City CouuciI has derconsideration
the calling Tor bids Tor lighting 10 city BY
eisctsicity. II has bssn decided for what
term the contract shall b made. some Of
The councilmsn considering that the rapid
strides msds in electrical development var
rant The belief hist, before many years. still
further Improvements will Be made. Of
which The city would b deprived until the
expiration Of the contract.
Al the length II time viii have some
bearing upon the question Of cost, II il
matter 70 b. determined Whistler the pros
psctivs benefit Of possible Improvements
would justify The payment Of higher rate
in the meantime. The experience Of some
othsr cittss has bssn that Il was necessary
to make contracts for long periods; and. in
many cases, u has been regarded - .
franchise. like that for operating street
railroads. and made to run for 30 long ~
twenty-five years. That course seemed to
b necessary on account Of the great hazard
Of tas experiment upon the part Of capital
lists and the much greater cost Of construc-
ton and maintsnance.
Il - conceded BY electrical lighting
authorities that thsse conditions have been
reduced to - dstsFminabls limits ~ gas
lighting or cahlsraiIroading. But by the
Same process OF calcslation they say thst
The science Of lighting has been also re-
duced 70 exact laws and that any further
decrease In cost must b made in the Incl
dent Of manuiacturs, such - labor. coal.
etc.
The present lighting Of Seattle is done
by the Seattle Electric Light Company.
which has recently passed under the man.
agemsnt Of Henry Willard. ~ part Of
large scheme Of operations. There ere
three other companies doing business here.
the Pacific Electric Light Company. the
Commercial Electric and the Seattle Gas
and Electric. Il would seem. therefore.
that there II sufficient competition TO
insure reasonable cost to the city, and
The only open question IL that Of duration
Of. contract. a.. tho longer period over
which the cost Of construction Is spread.
the less the proportion 70 each light
At present the city has - arc lights at .
cost of 81 per month each. SIS incandss-
cent lights Of i5-candis power at $e-25 per
month, and f5 Of 3o-candls power Il $3.50
per month cach. The incandsscsnt lights
are becoming moro generally used in the
residence portions Of cities. and. Ut from 20
10 % candle power. are found to answer oil
requirements. They are much cheaper
than the arc light. which Is. however. a.
most necessary In more frcqusntsd streets.
The incandesoent lights range in price
from 81, so In some cities 10 s. for 25-candle
power. that most generally used. The
data are not 1t hand by which . com.
parison can BE- made with other
cities except Ia . general way, but
the arc lights having been longer
In use there Il record Of their cost Boston
has bees paying siso year for esch light.
but now pays $lts; Philadelphia pays
$iss, New York has been paying Sii6. but
had recently under consideration m ODER
Of $50 light Minneapolis pays $50, and
New Orleans $50. Ellsnsburg. in this
state. has recently made contract At $780,
ocostke tote W Saus ~ ti8us PEI 0uuuuI
IL. therefore. not tiisproportionate. and as
many OF the expenses are greater than In
the old Eastern cities. and labor higher.
the cost might be considered low. This Is
the moro likely 10 Be justified. ~ the sx-
perIence extends over many years. covers .
wide range OF cities and remained unmod-
ified by active competition.
Several cities have attempted to run
their own plant a. in the supply Of water.
and an attempt has been made 70 gather
figures relating TO the subject. Chicago
claims 10 supply 500 lights 1t $500 each /;
GAINESVILLE. Ohio. puts the cost at SIS each.
and Ypsilanti. Mich, ct only $2s.6i each.
Hat these returns are not reliable because
certain items Of expense. such as supsrin-
tcndence. repair, wear and tear. interest.
etc. are not inciuded: and some OF these
will. In the course OF year or two. assume
very considerable proportions.
II seems probable that the cost OF the In.
eandeseent lights can be reduced. and II
the promise made by electrical construct.
ors can be depended upon, supply com.
panies should be able to furnish municipal.
titles with light Ut cost OF 81 % $3.50 for
each s-candle power burner.