Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-01-28

AND len tEAkS-IhE CO4PAHATIyk COST OF
LIGHTING HERE AND ErsEwHERH.
In the current appropriation bill there Ia
| clause under the bead Of electric lighting
which reads:
Provided. that the Commissioners Of the
District Of Columbia shall investigate and re-
port to the second session of the Fifty
nrst Congress what deduction NAV be
made for gas and electric lighting
both for annual and for dve-year and for ten
year contracts, and that they be authorized to
invite proposals for supplying said light at re-
duced rates. and in this they are not limited to
any one system,
Ever since the passage Of this bin Can't
James L. Lusk OF the engineer lepartment.
who has the immediate charge of street light
ing, has been engaged on the investigation pro-
vided for. Innumerable letters have been sent
TO many cities and much valuable data has
been obtained. As stated in the clause quoted
above, the report must be made to the second
session OF the present Congress, and on that
account the report has been hurried up, and
was today completed and transmitted.
The report, which is addressed by Capt. Lusk
to Col. Robert, Engineer Commissioner. quotes
the provision Of law given above and SAYS:
Under this provision the Commissioners sd-
vertised for proposals. Letters were also writ
ten to the Washington and Georgetown gas
lighting, and to the United States Electric
Lighting Company, which now maintains the
public arc lamps.
Figures arc given showing the various offers
proposed to do the lighting under an annual
contract (2,600 hours per year, for s2o per
lamp, hve-year contract, $3.50 per lamp, and
ten.year contract, Sl9 per lamp.
The figures given for burning lamps 5000
hours per year we're S22 for one year, $21.5O
Tor 1--WE and Tho
Georgetown Gas Light Company made the same
proposition, except that the charge of s22 year
was made for lamps burning 1900 hours, with
out any reduction for length of contract The
American Gas Controller and Fixture Company
larc gas Light proposed to furnish lights for
Sf2.Jo per lamp for first year. Tor al. 50
for second year and all succeeding years not
less than three. The United States Electric
Lighting Companys figures were 20 cents per
lamp per night (from sunset to sunrise every
night, for one year; 81 cents per lamp per
night for five years and 81 cents for ten years.
The Electric Heat and Power Company offered
lights for 40 cents per night or el50 per year
Tor hve or ten years.
GAS LIGHTING.
"A comparison Of the above propositions for
gas lighting" says Capt Lusk, with those sub
mitted in 1889 shows little difference between
the two, 80 far as regards prices for annual and
for five-year contracts. Both companies, how
ever, submit this year the figures at which
they are willing to undertake the MAIN
tenance Of street lamps for 5000 hours
per annum, instead of 1900 hours
as at present. These figures de-
serve serious attention. because experience has
fully demonstrated that SO long a. the number
of hours of burning is restricted to yearly
total of 2.600, the gas lighting service will fail
to give satisfaction to the public. Complaint
as to the shor.ness of the hours Of lighting is
general both on the part of residents and of
Visitors"
A table is given showing rules in other
cities. 1t will be seen, says the report, that
Washington has only about rs per cent Of the
average yearly number (3,4S0) of hours of
lighting for the other twenty-thrse cities given
in the list.
In other words. that the annual period of gas
lighting now prescribed must be increased by
one-third in order to place Washington on an
equality in this respect with the other large
cities of the country. urgently recommend
that action be taken toward securing an extern
sion OF this number Of hours of lighting TO not
less than 3 900 per annum.
The Washington and Georgetown Gaslight
Companies are willing to furnish the gas and
der an annual contract, for 900 hours per an
mum. at the price now paid. or 80 per lamp,
and for 8, 600 hours at SD per lamp.
The proposed increase in cost for the 1000
hours service under annual contract is not
proportionate to the gain to the public.
In other words both gas companies. under an
annual contract: are willing to make reduc-
ton of $1.0s from the price for 1000 hours Of
lighting per year. as computed directly from
the cost of the existing 2,600-hour service"
In bidding upon 5000 hours of lighting for
each term of contract the Washington Gas
light Company makes a reduction of 81 per
lamp per annum from the figures computed
directly from prices bid for $500 hours.
Under like conditions, however, the George
town GasliSht Company, while proposing a
re1urttOD from the tod
lamp for 5000 hours, under an annual con-
tract diminishes this reduction to SO cents per
lamp for ive-year contract, and for ten years
increases the bid to cents above the computed
price.
in the present condition of the art Of street
lighting" Capt Lusk says, 81 believe that ten
years is too long a time to enter into o contract
for any kind Of light"
MORE HOURS.
Considering, however, that by an increased
expenditure of $50 per lamp per year, or
~ per cent of what is now paid under annual
contracts, the service can be ex-
tended to 5000 hours, period be-
at present, believe it would be advantageous
to enter into a fye-year contract with the gas
companies to light the lamps 5000 hours per
annum at q cost Of salt per lamp, unless the
same favorable rates can be secured for a
shorter period.
It should be distinctly understood that the
Washington Gaslight Company bases its
proposition concerning a ten-year contract
upon the condition that the District will enter
into an agreement with that company for not
less than 5000 lamps per annum. By the end
of the current fiscal year this company will
have in service about that number of lamps.
ELECTRIC LIGHTING.
Two letters were received. the report saws
one from the present contractor, the United
States Electric Lighting Company and opa
from the Electric Heat and Power Company of
the United States. The former does not con-
template any reduction from the present con-
tract price of arc lights under an annual
contract. but suggests that under a FIVE
year contract the present rate might be low
cred 10 per cent, and under a ten-year con-
tract Is per cent The price now paid is 60
cents per lamp per night, or S219 per year. and
the prices suggested for fve-year and ten-year
contracts are respectively 81 and 81 cents per
lamp per night, or $197l0 and s1s6.l5 per an
mum.
The Electric Heat and Power Company of the
United States does not consider an annual con-
tract, but proposes to enter into o fve-year or
q ten-year contract for arc lights OF 1900
nominal candle power, at IS cents per lamp per
night, or $164.25 per annum, each lamp to burn
every night from sunset to sunrise, and for
twenty-five candle power incandescent lamps
(2,600 hours each) at sis per lamp per year
1t is difficult to arrive at any proper basis
upon which to compare prices- Both the COM
panies in question contemplate the entire use
Of underground wires, so far as concerns theip
public lighting service. Thus far Washington