The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1890-11-14
The City Has to Pay a Big
Price for Electricity.
NEED or 4 GAS CONTRACT.
The Board Of Public Works Finds An
other Needed Reform.
Major Rinshart Points Oat . Leak
Through which the City Coin Slips
Out Of the Trea.ury-How Electric
Contracts Are Made to Pay.

At the usual session OF the board OF public
works yesterday Major Rinehsrt presented his
report % committee Of one appointed 10 in.
cure into the relative cost to the city Of gas and
electrtty
Msjor Rinehart says:
Your special committee appointed to ex.
amine ana report upon the lights employed by
the cisy, and the relative cost of gas and cleo
TIC iient Tor uss Of the city, would respectfully
report That the Home Electric Light Company
ATM TO have contract with the city for Jar
lisn'as iight at the rate of $3.50 per light for
h4seehcandie incandescent lights, with dis
count for larger numbers Of lights. The hin
referred 10 orr board was found to be in
correct In that this discount amounting
20 s5.oo. had not been allowed thereon.
Inc gas company's bill for the city jail in the
month OF October, amounting to $i0s75 Is
cnarged AZ the rate o. 81 per thousand which 10
.he ls'e Al which 1t was furn shed under con-
'race up to September Commercial rates fur.
n'snea oy the gas company to your committee
sno" minimum rate OF $3.50 per thousand,
"nsfe the consumption throueh one meter ex.
ceeos $6O IN month. The overcharee to the
Guy on this bill above commercial rates is $40
.ne otner dis OF the gas company appear to DO
FAIR and amount in the aggregate to sl3s q for
the month OF October
me bili OF the Seattle General Electric Com
Pany LOT october amounts to S22S665 II in.
c.uaes $50 l5-candle-power municipal lights at
szzo eacn; l4s 30-eandle power lights at So so: -
oomesuc lights in city stables at 81 so: is l6
c e lights at 20 cents; Ga arc lights At
20 81 - arc lights at $40 s.; l arc light ct
ss"o These last being So lights jor fractional
h .,r ior repairs and lighting, SIG.
The demand for expensive arc lights Gonna.
lloH .ne IRE department., and seems to be such
as 20 Indicate that the entire city il to be cov.
ele' py THIS expensive system. lam fully aware
na. since the great fire any attempt to limit the
49, s.aens IN lis claims or demands upon the
city Is unpopular and calls forth Appeals in be-
Dali OF those VINO have the management ~ this
very important branch of the public service.
nave Del an advocate of every measure
.ooAins 70 an increased efficiency of our fire de.
partment and dc not now charge auv unneces.
safy Outlay OF public funds for that nnrnose.
ous ~ does seem extravaganza to place 20 many
expensive lights IN the immediate vic1nitv ~
engine-houses and leave the other rar,s ostha
Guy IN darkness The run must be made
mnetever the nre occurs, whether arc lights are
there or not eA'' @A0
would recommend that the police depart
ment De asked TO keep watch OF the street lights
N order to have check on the companies
1sslnst overcharge for lights not furnished.
ssaap are made that lights are often
broken and not replaced for MANY dav. ana no
cn.ree should be made for such service.
would recommend that bids be solicited
Ior new contracts for ali kinds Of lights for 4
Term not exceeding one year am forced ~
sne conclusion that the city should own and
eou.rol lIs own system of lights It Is now nav
.us - oia % per month with an increasing de-
mand, aud this shows that a plant will soon nav
ior Itself. The whole matter il a proper an h;ec,
LOT consideration By the advisory board of the
Guy IN connection with other problems nov
mentn wy eosein-
hos~
"a 1or kinehart supplemented his report bv =
lew lev. instances OF minor character, where the
consumers pAsase
ne report was adopted and the recommends
IONS VIII Dc submitted to the city council
Aae Rrane at Depot and Banner streets was
'ne suplect OF some discussion, Mr. Heilbron
statins that 1t was undoubtedly hardshin-
some OF the owners along there had spent sI5..
~. oa'ioIne wnaryes. and the grade was then
laaseu seven feet at the quest of the electric
company scurry & Owens had submitted :
statement that perfectly practicable street
csuid oe mad with seven foot raise.
"r. hoHman appealed to the board to change
sne grace. His firm had been willing to donate
II 600 toward the change.
MI Rinehart 50 he would onnosa tha c,tv,.
taklng psy r such a franchise
Mr. H ffman explained that the ofYsr b.a
oeen made because his application had been re-.
Iuseo on account OF want OF funds in the c,tv
treasury. It was not franchise he wanted
The franchise had been granted to the electric
railroad to destroy the property of people who
nad paid 'axes for protection
Major Rine ART said the board had orlv th.
power TO recommend. sA'
MT Hoffman continued that he had souvbt 70
EN- In the city from making the grade. bat
Judge Lichtenberg had decided that the civ
had the power. The cour. expressed the
opinion that he was entitled 10 damages.
MT Hebron asked IL change OF five fact
would DO so as to accommodate both the mon
erty-owners and the electric road.
MT Hoffman promised to make inouiries ana
renew his application
MT Hebron was appointed to appear befora
the aldermen and represent the condition NJ
the sewers at Stewart and Pine
DIR. Eisenbach asked relief from an orda, hv
the oosrd OF health that he should vacate his
boneyard At foot OF Commercial street within
forty-eight hours. He said the offensive odo-
was not on his premises, but arose from parhape
and dead horse. He was referred to the hosrd
of health. 'oe'u
Repairs were ordered for the Main street an
gine-house under contract with the Rain,a,
mill for s2l0 A'"'"'e'
Water can now be laid In the Kinnsar hu;,a.
ing; the planking of Roliin street is finished
the board will consult as to constructing nile.
on which to carry water pipes across Weller
street and along parts of Railroad avenue