Omaha daily bee., 1891-10-18
ILLUMINATING CITY STREETS.
Comparison Made Between American and
European Systems,
QUESTION OF MUNICIPAL OWNERSHIP
Victor Rose water Presents Some IN
teresting Facts Drawn From FER
sonaI Observations Abroad
Water " orks Monopoly, Etc.

Wv ''ANNf OSf 800
spondence Of The BEE.l-If the dirty condi-
ton OF the streets Of New York attract par
ticular notice of a traveller accustomed to the
much cleaner pavements Of European cities,
the fact that poor street lighting prevents
him frem seeing the filth at night will not
have a tendency to change his Impressions
for the better. While the city government
pays out vast sums annually to the gas and
electric lighting corporations, enabling them
to pay hugh dividends upon stock watered TO
several times the original investment, these
companies manage to furnish the stipulated
number of lights, but to furnish them in
such quality as to leave the city IN a condi-
tion of dusky darkness. The lamps are SO
dirty that rays from a light of much better
quality would still have great difficulty in
penetrating the glass. On those streets
which are illumiaed by electricity, the state
of affairs is little better. Instead of having
q diffused dimness from numerous gas lamps,
the infrequency and the distance between
the electric lights gives alternating intervals
of dense darkness separated by short spaces
Of passable Illumination.
1t must be said that London is not illumin-
ated at nights as well as 1t
might be, although beside it New
York would be but a shadow.
London is supplied with gas by private cor
porations. Many companies formerly com
peted for the trade, but they have in recent
years peen consolidated into three companies
which divide territory. In this London is an
exception to the usual rule among British
cities which have for the most part retained
the gas monopoly under direct control OF the
municipal authorities. Everywhere the
change to the system OF public ownership is
considered a great improvement and in Birm-
ingham a monument has been erected to
Hon. Joseph Chamberlain, pledging him the
everlasting gratefulneSss of the people
for his efforts in the acquisition of the city
gas works. Electric lights are scarce In
London. Some ascribe the delay In their in
PRODUCTION TO unfavorable legislation COM
polling the companies to sell their plant at an
appraised valuation after the expiration of a
limited number of years, to comply with
strict regulations and TO lay all wires under
ground and well insulated. Whatever be the
cause, electricity as q means of illumination
is just beginning to enter tho field. Con-
tracts have been made for public street light
ing and the construction of the plant is
well under way. When completed, quite a
change is expected in the nocturnal
aspects of London streets. Here as in
the other large cities of Europe, the employ
ment Of lncandescent lamps in private build
ing and houses is rapidly gaining Roadway.
The st. Pancras vestry, a thickly settled
residence district of London, is now complet-
ing its electric lighting installation. 1t has
taken advantage of the electric lighting act
allowing municipalities to conduct their own
plants and promises TO furnish its residents
with the best existing light at prices cover
ing only the cost of production.
Paris is very well lighted. On the boule-
wards, the business thoroughfares and in the
most frcQuented districts. little more could
be desired. The streets are lined on both
sides with thickly planted lamp posts. And
these lamp posts are tipped with transparent
globes, constantly kept clean. Some have
three arms and few are supplied with less
than two Jets each, In most cases with three
and four lights apiece. But there are many
out-of-the-way places in Paris which are
dimly lighted by a few scattering lamps.
There is little illumination by electricity. 70
be sure, the first practical experiment in
street lighting by arc lamps was made in
Paris at the time of the exposition in 1889,
but the increase in the number of cleo
trio lights since then has been ex-
tremely slow. The few are lamps employed
are found mainly in the "hotel district" In
street lluminatlons, as In many other things,
the Parisians content themselves with max
ing a great display in a limited extent of ter
ritory. The companies furnishing gas and
electricity are kept under strict regulation by
the municipal authorities.
The streets of Vienna are fairly lighted.
Some use of electric arc lamps is made, but
the chief illumination is by means of gas
lamps.
Berlin is probably the best lighted metropo-
lis in the world. The authorities do not con-
fine their efforts to the districts occupied by
the higher classes, but devote particular at
tentlon to the less favored portions of the
city. The municipality owns and conducts
its own gas works ana is not at all sparing in
tina use OF the product for public purposes.
The frequency of the lamps with multiple
Jets shows that thorough illumination is the
main point Kept in view. This does not mean
that the works are not economically man
aged. Quite the opposite is true; for while
the private consumers are supplied at a very
low price, 1t is chiefly from the profits on the
sale OF gas and water that the large annual
surplus accrues to the city. Electricity is
more extensively employed for street lighting
in Berlin than in other European capitals.
Yet, being supplied by private companies, tine
electric lamps are comparati more ex-
pensive than gas, and consequently, con-
fined in use to the points OF great
est traffic. In Berlin the ncandescent
lamp Is rapidly gaining ground
and its introduction into private residences
is greatly promoted by the artistic forms in
which 1t Is being adapted for chandeliers and
various decorations.
OF other branches of municipal administra-
tion the supply of water is generally through
out Europe III the hands of the city authori-
ties. Here again London forms an exception
and its inhabitants suffer the inconv enience of
high charges by eight accommodating pri-
vate companies. The quality is exceedingly
POOR and the supply always short. The num-
erous companies refuse TO sell out to the CITY
except AZ an eNorDltant price, much higher
than would be the cost of duplicating the
present plant. Paris, on the other hand,
owns Its water works, but leases tho opera
ton TO a private corporation under conditions
favorable to the city. The purity and abund-
aLce of the public water supply of Vienna
has spread the fame of that city as one of the
few places where such liquid is fit to drink.
In Berlin, too, under its effective municipal
government, the water works leave nothing
of which to complain.
In the United States tho water supply alone
OF the various monopolistic services
has been directly assumed to any con-
siderable extent by the municipalities
That field in New York was for n long time
given over to private parties put the city
was forced by necessity to itself undertake.
the work. And OF the various branches of
this corrupt city government, the water de-
partment is least subject to public condemna-
ton. New York is not alone in the munich
pal ownership of waterwork; the same pro-
cess OF acquisition has taken place with per-
haps two exceptions, in every other Ameri-
can city OF any Importance and the move
ment is continually spreading to the smaller
population centers.
In one thing, IL must be fairly ac-
knowledged, New York leads the cities on
the other side. This is in the appearance of
the members of its police force. For size and
general athletic build, the metropolitan
"hnest' are unsurpassed As TO efficiency,
| am unable to Judge except from an exhibit
non of the ambulance service viewed in
organization in that city. The police in
Europe are differently equipped from those
here, In London the only sign of authority
H.. =. .,,tnaA hand on tha coat SlAayp. on the