The Indianapolis journal., 1891-01-12
a DIFFERENCE In LIGHTS
Brilliant Electric Not Only Better but
More Economical than Vapor.
Comparison of Figures the Light Committee
of Council May Find Very Useful in the
Problem 1t Has to Solve.

There is a probability that the electric
light bids will be rejected. 1t is foreshad-
owed IN the statements Councilman Gauss.
of the light committee, is making to report
ers If the bids are placed under ban the
position of the Indianapolis Brush CON-
pany will be of peculiar interest. taken In
connection with its past experience In
lighting the city. A Journal reporter,
therefore, thought it proper to see Mr..
Caven, president of that company, yester-
day. and ask him what he thought OF the
situation.
1T seems to be understood the committee
will reject the bids for gas and electric
light" he said, 'and for them will readyer-
tise. but not for yapOr light, as that BID IS
considered very low and entirely satisiac-
tory. An article is not always cheap or
dear based merely on less or higher price
paid but quantity and quality received
as well. The electric bid Is $50 per year ior
1900 candles. or 4st cents per candie per
year. The vapor bid is $3.50 per year for
fifteen candles. or $3.50 per year per candle
This, however does not fully state the
matter. The electric-light company must
pay gig per cent. of it's gross receipts TO the
city, and that would be rebate of $237 per
year Oh each lamp, reducing it to S92.63
plant sufficient for eight hundred lights
will cost at least sSo0,0O0, and
tax of $1,000 on that would
be an income to the city equivalent to s.. %
per lamp. making the cost to the city SS0.S
or 4l2 cents per candle per v ear, against
Sl.30 per vapor, and the yap0r company ls
not required to erect an expensive plant or
pay special taxes. One electric light OF
square. and it would require four vapor
lights to- q square, and that would not
light the alleys, at $3.50 each, making S7S
to the square for sixty candles, SO that the
electric light would receive S10.SS per square
more than the vapor light; and the question
is, is it worth the ditferenceW
what is the relative character of the
electric and vapor light bids?"
IF the vapor company proposes to fur
nlsh sixty candles for S7s per square, and
the electric-lIght company would propose
the same number of candles for the same
price the bids would be exactly alike; that
is, if the electric lights were as brilliant
as the vapor; Other things being equal
the electric-llght company would receive
Sl0SS per year more than the vapor; but
are all other things equalf Are 1900 can
dies of electric light, heavily and specially
taxed. worth no more than sixty candles of
give 1910 more candles to the square. or
thirty-two times the light for which
4 the city. pays. S7S. 80 that these
additional candles cost but slight
against 81 80 per year for .vapor. These ad-
ditional 1.940 candles at $10SS per year are
the difference between the vapor compa-
ny's bid ana ours and hence must be the
point of objection. and vet for the excess of
lights We would furnish for the excess of
price the city would be receiving eco can
dies of electric light against one candle OF
vaDor light at the same price. The city
would pay cents night more per square
for 1000 candles of electric light than for
so candles of vapor. 1t ought to he worth
it unless the vapor is the most brilliant
light. This might be easily put 20 o COM
| petitive test by erecting some vapor lamps,
four to the square, In territory now lighted
| by electricity. and turn the two lights al
| ternately OFT and on. and thus determine
| the question of relative merit of the two
/ lights. 1t seems to me the electric light Is
worth cents square q night more ana
| is specially taxed gig per cent and our
books all open to inspection, which is not
| required of any other business in the city.
| The gas, water, street-car and other cor
pOrations pay no such tax"
What position will you take in the
| event the bids are rejectedi"
e. Had my proposition eight years ago been
accepted it would have saved the city $685.
| 900: Our competition two years ago saved
| 1T 0.000, and yet this greatest invention
tof the age. this great public benefactor. Is
| the one thing singled out to be dealt with
with etudiOus harshness. Eight years ago
| IL thought to give this city ten times the
light it was receiving for $4,000 q year less
II
the city, and it looks SO to me yet. as it
was giving the city a large amount of light
for q small amount of money. Others,
though. thought it better to reverse this
large amount of money, and so it was done;
and think now that electric light at 4sa
cents candle is better than S1.30 for other
flight, and that two thousand candles of
electric light are well worth 3 cents per
night per square more than sixty candles.
l71f the city or public institutions opened
sbids for supplies and bid No. being opened
lwas declared cheap and satisfactory. and
then bid No. was opened and proposed to
give thirty times as many pounds of
lsugar or barrels of -four for the
same money and of better quality than
No. I, would No. ! probably be accepted
and No. 2 rejectedf Why, then, does guam
thing IN every thing but ligbtlngf If the
city will be satisfied with sixty candles
| to the square and relieve us of the special
burden this special tariff imposes upon
us and from which our competitors are all
| exempt, we can make a lesser bid than even
the vapor. which is so low and satisfactory. u
But would you agree to any such propo-
sitionf"
"Of course cannot speak decislvely fol-
sion now that we will not make another
bid. The competing companies have seen
the schedule of prices which we offered and
it is unfair to re-advertise for bids"
| w Oulu you l6d6o OI BOIL your COuuulCS
to new company if they should get the
contractp
mo- we would not. We shall use on,
own conduits, and have no intention what
ever of disposing of them.o
Alderman Blackwell, it is said. suggested
the plan of rejecting the bids in order to
crowd the Brush company out When Mr.
Caven turned the electric lights out on
the night of Jan. / Mr.. Blackwell was
especially severe in his criticism of that
gentleman's course and gave his views very
| freely to Journal reporter at the time
"Mr. Caven has hurt himself more than the
city," he said. "for by putting out the
| lights he made enemies for his company
among the citizens. He will find out thai
it will do him more harm than good"
In what wayp asked the reporter.
Let him wait and see," Mr.. Blackwell
replied. He will not get the next contract
with the city if my vote will decide it."
| But if his company makes the lowest
and best bid how can it be refused the con
| tractf"
.'Of course. if it makes the lowest anc
best bid we cannot do otherwise than give
it the contract, but there is n great deal OF
meaning in those words lowest and best.
Mr.. Caven will have to make an exception
ally good bid before l will vote t.
accept it."
BY many it is believed that persona
spite has had much to do with the actor
of Mr.. Gauss in recommending the read
vertisement for bids. He apologized {,
the Council last Monday night for hi
carelessness. as chairman of the light com
nittee in not having made an arranu ua