Telegram-herald., 1891-07-27
ELECTRICITY FOR Light
The Only Kind Of uluminatiol
That Is Feasible.
SENSIBLE DISCUSSION OF TEE TOPIC
ksphtAa Aaa Ga Lightiss Tee Print
tive and Uasatisf&esory-6ras RAV-
ias 80 The Tau ksa sf the Frssss-
siss In strsst Lixhtisg.
II is to be presumed that at the coun-

~ - W pc presumed t1kt &t the couu-
cll meeting tonight tie question Of
lighting the city with lamps on towers
will be discussed, If not ae0ded.
have read with considerable interest AL
articles IA the press OF the city dlscass-
ing the matter, aud have been surprised
that our papers, usually progressive in
all matters pertaining to the welfare
and good name Of our city, have not
been more pronounced IN favor of q
radical change in our city lighting. The
average citizen Of Grand kspids
giories IN the enterprise and meiropol-
tan Ways OF he town. A visitor NAV
speak of manufacturing enterprises, Of
large and handsome retail stores; he
may talk ef nis Own clty ball or railway
service; or a thousand and one publie
or semi-public enterprises, and the
Grand Rapidsn will 20 him one better
every time. But when almost any per
son talks Of city lighting the resident
here is silent. To lie sure he can 60
hack ten or fifteen years and claim that
Grand Rapids was one of the flrst c.iles
IN the country 10 adopt and use elec.
tricity for It's street lighting. but th.s i
as far as be dare 10. lie must not
dwell long on tile subject, for his op-
ponent Ia argument would be Liable 10
charge that We have the same system
now that was adopted then. White
other cities have adopted new and mn
proved methods and better hghts Grand
Rapids still clings to the old and, 20 tar
at least, has refused To accept anything
better when offered.
Nzptha and gss lighting are too
primitive and unsatisfactory 20 warrant
a patient discussion of their merits.
when we have a chance to adopt
electricity for the whole city. The
idea Of continuing our old system,
much lees extending lt into new tern
tory, 10 prepos,erous TO every one who
ever visits ether towns. Grand Rapids
rs at the tail end of the procession m
this matter, az every one must admit
Neither do | believe that Napths and
gas lamps are cheaper than electricity.
1t Is possible that gas lamps can tie run
oHe-half of each night. eighteen nights
IN each month. really only one-fourth
or at most one-ihird of the time. for
less than electric lights can be furnished
every night and al night. but that We
get as much light for our money do
not believe.
The city had some So 900 in its lamp
fund May /, this ycsr. and IN tn,
budget recently adopted, raised $40, ,000
more, providing for q total OF g. 2 900 TO
light the city fer period Of seventeen
months, May J.. 1891 to October !, 1892
Ii the mayor and Common Councii
thought this amount was necessary 30
continue and extend the old system
of lighting, surely the proposition now
before the Council would seem very
outrageous. Seventy-two thousand
dollars for seventeen months - an ay-
erage OF $500 per month or Sc. 600 per
year. IL the Star Iron Tower company
or any other cornpsny wants 20 guaran-
tee 10 light the CITY for s36. 900 per year
why not iet them try II. The prospec;
of saving sl2 900 or $1,000 per wear
over the estimated cost ought TO be
very attractive 20 aldermen and citlzens
alike ard for one sincerely hope that
tins new company viii be gwen con
tract. Their proposition, as ] under
stand IL, was ~ fdrnish and MAINTAIN
$50 lamps. lss of them on towers for
Sc, ,000 per year. They claimed 10 bc
experienced IN the matter of city light
ing and after looking our city over.
concluded tnst $50 lamps properly die.
tributed would light our city. They
stood ready 10 hack that judgment by
an offer to put in additional lamps
without cost 20 the CITY provided more
were necessary 70 do the work satisfac-
iorily. This Was claimed hy other bid-
ders 10 bc an unbusiness like proposi-
ton but the committee on lamps ia
their report saw 1T 10 overcome any
such objection to a contract. They DID
IL by providing additional lamps, over
year. Scycnty-fiyo dollars per lamp
per year 10 an unheard
of price for al night
lamps and IL any company is willing 10
contract at that price the conclusion
must certainly be drawn that they do
not e,rect 10 he Obliged 10 pat IN rnsnr
additional lamps. Detroit pays for fes
tower lights aud 42S individual lights
on contract, an average price 81
sl40 psr l.@p per year and si2s.15 Tor
additional Tampa Grand flsplds Is
offered iGf tower lights and l36 low
lights Tor an average price 81 sl20 and
additional lamps. II any are needed. a.
SIS. Let IA nave electric lights All
nights and every night when We can
have them st 40 small cost.
rpoeRsss