Telegram-herald., 1891-07-22
ABOUT TOWER LIGHTING
Opinions Of Men Who Are Conver-
SAINT With the System.
THEY ALL FAVOR TUE ACCEPTANCE
az the star Iron Tower Company fss
lightiag ths CITY Threughoas-csas-
Has'ssa sf Cost aud Efheisney Of
The DAD and New syptsnas-

The question OF lighting the city mas
been subjected 70 considerable discus
sion during the past few days. The
Common Council has been negotiating
for some time with the ostenslble pur-
pase IN view of furnishing Grand
Rapids with electric lights sufficient IA
number To thoroughly illuminate the
second city" Bids were sent IN from
several firms. but the one that COM
manded the most attention Was that OF
tine star Iron Tower Company. OF ~
Wayne, lad. TINS company proposed
10 give the city al! the requisite lights
for 1900 per year. After szing up
the lay of the land it was thought that
2j0 would nil the bill, but the city
fathers succeeded IN inducing them to
make il $50. l6i of which are TO be
placed on forty-one towers, four on
zach tower. The balance are to be
placed slngly when needed. II IL is
found that more lights are necessary,
they can be secured for S75 per year
each. t;;i le-s than the price now paid.
The city does not invest = cent IN the
towers or single hangers, and Is only
called upon to pay for the hight when
the bills are due In regard to- this
subject several Of the aldermen and
ltszens were interviewed last night.
Alderman ODonneli was called on AT
nis nome ON Ottawa-st. lie
said: '~yheu this proposition WAS
hrst presented l was strongly
opposed TO the tower sysiom,
Alderman O'Donneii Convinced.
Much prefering single hangers at
stTeet crossings. but the more | think
nbout Il, the more | am IN favor of 1t.
Ny vote fully explains my position. IL
eOst about s4l 900 last year TO light the
city, and no one was satisfied. liz il Is
possible to light the suburbs for $50 900.
and there Ia no doubt but what this
company Will do It. the city will make
"a saving OF about 5000 and have
twice as many lights. l can see now
that the towers can he used advan-
tageoGsly on the outskirts. where there
are not 40 many high buildings and
trees. Ii has been notorious fact
that Grand Rapids has been very
poorly hgnted. and when you con-
sIder that about the only thing the
people living in the suburbs receive in
return for the taxes they pay is lights,
they ought TO have them. They have
no police protection and not the best
fire protection. think this city will
lie one of the best lighted IN the state
for less money than any of the others
are paying. Itis the best thing the
council has dore In some time"
Alderman Mills Opinion.
81 think IT will be the greatest mis-
take the city ever made If they reject
the proposlt,on for tower lighting. Just
look II 4: we don't have TO pay for
any posts or towers or lamps. The city
amply buys light. We get the light of
800 lamps all night for $50 900; then J.
we ind that we need more light. we
can get all the lamps we want st SIS
year. We Will have 5000 left. and this
will gives us eighty lamps IN addition TO
the 800 if we find we need them. We
are paying 53 cents Q month for pSc:ha
lamps ard they are Almighty poor apol-
ogy for light. At III O'Clock out they
80, and you are left in the dark If You
are away from home. Here Is this new
territory that we've got TO light with
naptha If We don't adopt the tower sys-
tenn. 10 will take at least 800 posts,
and these Will cost US Sl.00 apiece, Is
cents for setting and $2.25 for the lamps
and then the cost OF running them.
When we have gone TO all this expense,
what have we got to show for IT. The
tower system Is the thing, and don't
you forget IL. Now Is the clty's oppor-
tuulty TO get cheap hight, and We ought
not to let u pass"
re Away Favored IT.
Alderman Saunders: ~ have always
been an electric light man and IN favor
of the tower system. I believe IL tbe
al. -, 81.
peoples money will be expended 10
better advantage than by the employ
ment of any other system of lighting"
X. g.. Mathews: II am decidedly in
favor OF electric lights and
An All Might schedule.
This idea Of having lights put out at
II O'Clock. and no light at all when
there "a an over-clcuded moon, js pre-
postereus. II man ever wants light
itisvhen ne is detained away from
home until after .dnight when he has
TO take hIs chances with torn up streets
and footpsds.r
What do you think of the tower sys-
tenn
I'm IN favor Of il. II is the proper
way Of lighting ;ne 81 burbs and with
few mast lights interspersed il a the
nisst ECONOMICAL aud effective plan of
lighting the lily. I think the council
viii make . great mistake If It does not
accept the proposition laid before it.
The cost Of lighting last year was
1900, aud We have = wretebedly
lighted city. The territory where there
are no gas mans Is dependent upon
nsptna llghss and they are useless be-
yond Q radius of twenty or thirty feet
from the post We wanta well lighted