The Portland daily press., 1891-10-06
LIGHT ON A MATTER OF LIGHTING.
City VIII Pay s33, 900 for Electric
Illumination Next Year.
Labor Delegates Speak for a Nine
Hour Day-The Order Tabled.
Other Proceedings of the City Faith
ers at Last Nights Meeting.

The October meeting Of the city govern
ment was held last evening. The matter of
lighting the streets came up on the report Of
the committee and 1t was voted. after an
interesting discussion, to contract With the
Consolidated Electric Light Company for one
year for S33.OOO. Another matter of import
ance was presented by delegates from various
labor bodies who urged the establishment Of
a nine hour day for street department labor
ers. An order providing for the change
passed the lower board and was tabled In the
upper owing to the absence Of the chairman
Of the committee on the street department.
Among other matters considered were the
opening of Roberts street on which the
boards could not agree, and the appropria-
tion of $500 for the dedication Of the Soldiers
monument which was made.
Lighting tho Streets.
The committee on street lights reported
that In the absence OF any bids or competing
parties, they had considered their duty simply
to obtain the best possible terms from the
present contractors. The bid submitted by
the Consolidated Electric Light Company
Is for $4,000 for the term OF one year. The
company agrees to furnish:
$50 arc lights of 1900 candle power.
40 series lights OF 65 candle power.
l5 series lights OF 32 candle power.
100 Edison lights OF 80 candle power.
The company also offered to furnish same
for three years for S3l. 800 yearly. The com
mittee recommended contract for one year,
as 1t seemed probable that by that time there
would be other bids for lighting the city.
The report recommending a contract for
one year was adopted by the aldermen. When
the matter came up in the council Mr..
COusens said that as the city Is now situated
he thought 1t was in no condition to make
long contracts. He thought that the city
could put in plant of Its own and pay for
1t in eight years, perhaps In five with
economical management He said that he
and other members of the committee had
looked the matter over and had visited sew
eral other cities and thought that when it
came to putting In boilers in the city building
the electric light boilers and machinery could
be put In at small expense.
Mr.. Rounds said that while the machinery
would run for certain length Of time and
would cost nothing for repairs, yet fifteen
minutes after that time the machinery might
go all to smash and require entire renewal
He thought the city ought TO think a long
time before entering into such business.
Mr.. MCGOWAN asked whether the amount
OF the contract, S33, 900, was the same as last
year and whether the service had increased.
Mr.. Little replied for the committee that
there was an increase Of twenty-five arc, ten
65 candle power lights, fifteen 80 candle lights
and decrease OF fifty Of the small Edison
incandescents. The contract price was in
creased $4,000 so as to cover the expected
increase during the coming year.
Mr.. McGowan thought that while perhaps
the committee had done the best they could,
1t was fact to be regretted that there was
only one electric lighting company that
could bid for the city business.
Mr. Prince made calculation OF the
the company instead of making a discount
for the Increase of business have increased
the cost.
Mr.. Rounds made motion that the report
Of the committee be laid on the table and
bids for lighting called for.
Mr.. Little explained that the company at
Cumberland Mills. the only one that could
possibly compete with the Consolidated
tee that they would not make any bids on
the business.
Mr.. McAleny spoke OF the dImness of the
lights, saying that on his street three made
ber
Mr.. McGowan called attention to a pas
sage In the inaugural address Of Mayor
True: "As to the incandescent system. per-
init me to say that viewing it by its own fee
BILE light am unable to see its superiority to
the light Of other days and said that he
thought Mr.. McAleny's experience and the
Mayors showed the need of having the
SEQ If the power called for in the contract is
actually so furnished. After further discus
sion the order was unanimously passed in
concurrence.
The Nine Hours Qusstion.
The Board of Aldermen Joined with the
Common Council In the council chamber at
$40. to hear representatives of the labor
unions.
Mr.. E. A. Verrill. of the Central Labor
Union, was the first speaker. He said that
the Central Labor Union presented the first
petition In favor of nine hours for the city
laborers in the full belief that 1t was meas
ure of justice to the working man.
Mr.. Leonard. Of the Longshoremen's Be-
nevolent Association, spoke as one of two
delegates from that body for the petitioners
He said that from the nature Of their en-
ployment at present. they had to take their
dinners on the streets with them, and to be
away from home for from II to 13 hours dur
ing the day. This petition was a measure
of Justice and equality to the laboring men.
and should be attended to. He said that 1t
was the case that the street laborers were
frequently called up TO work in the night or
very early in the morning. The general
Idea among workmen was that II they
worked in the night they should be paid
either In money or time for their work in the
day time. Mr.. LEONARD said that where the
nine-hour system Is in effect there Is little or
no difference In the amount Of work that
can be done In a nine-hour day, IL 1t Is under
stood to be such. as in ten-hour day. Mr..
Leonard's remarks were very favorahly en-
tertained.
Mr.. John G. McKeown, OF the Carpenters
Union, spoke, In behalf of that organization,
In favor Of the petition.
Mr.. Mark Courant spoke for the Central
Labor Union. He said that in presenting
the petitions the Union had considered both
the moral and ths financial conditions in
v0lved. The term city employees as used In
the petitions Is understood to refer to the
laborers Of the street department. He
claimed that the reduction pray ed for would
be promotion morally, physically AMI In
tellectually to the laborers and their fami-
lies. He said 1t was we'll known that many
OF the city laborers are men beyond the
three score and ten limit of life and who are
almost untitled to do their best work for
day of 10 hours
No other person appearing before the con.
venti0n 1t was adjourned.
Mr.. Rounds presented an order in the
Council to the effect that on and after
October 6 nine hours should constitute q
days work with 10 hours pay, for all en-
ployes of the city.
Mr. Cousens thought the wording of the
order was very broad and that 1t would be
impossible to carry the order out.
MIR. Rounds In rejoinder said that the
street. lahnrprQ ara hirad frnn. Hay 20 dou