The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1891-01-29
THE ELECTRIC LIGHT MEETING.
Small Attendance-Tery Little Enthusi-
as,n-Another Meeting to be Held.

On last Thursday afternoon, in &C.
cordance with the notice of Mayor
Goggans, fifty-four men and boys, resi-.
dents and non-residents, assembled
themselves together in the Opera House
to discuss the question Of lighting lhe
town of Newberry by electricity. Mayor
Goggans called the meeting to order
and nominated Capt. J. G. Wilson fo1
chairman, but he declined. Then Capt.
r. H. Wright and Mr.. S. ?. BoozeI
were both in turn nominated for the
same position and both declined.
Mayor Goggans then was elected and
took the position. E. Fl. Aull was
elected secretary.
The chairman stated the object OF
the meeting, and the secretary read
several letters on the subject of cleo
tricity and one proposition from COM
pany Offering to put in an electric
plant and furnish 81 candle power in
candescent lamps for S25 per annum
each, or the arc light for 500 per an
mum per light. The Mayors Of Ander-
son and Sumter both wrote letters say
ing their towns were we'll pleased with
electric lights. Mayor Goggans also
stated that the town now had about 50
street lamps which cost about 5000 per
annum. The meeting was then in
possession of all the facts and the ques-
ton was ready for discussion.
DR.. Pelham said our lights now cost
US about 5000. Electric lights would
cost US about $1,000 or s., 500 more,
which he considered very small mat
ter in comparison with the difference
in the lights, and he moved that the
Town Council be empowered to con-
tract for electric lights. This motion
was seconded by G. G. McWhirter.
Capt. r. H. Wright said he was not
opposed to electric lights, but be
thought there were other things more
important and that were needed great
deal more. He thought system of
water works more important. If we
could. afford both it would be we'll,
but water works would be worth
great deal more. Electric lights were
something Of a luxury, while a good
system of water works was necessity.
Mayor Goggans explained that for
one year at least there would be no
necessity for an extra tax for electric
lights. Beyond that he could not
speak.
DR.. Mcintosh said that incandescent
lights would not do for our streets. If
you go to Columbia you will find that
incsndescent lights are unsatisfactory.
It is time for US to consider expenses
he thought. We are now in house
for which we owe every dollar. We
now have graded school tax and a
railroad tax and with the other tax on
the town, he though we had about as
much tax as we needed. He said he
went out at night about as much as
any one, and he could get along very
we'll with the lights we had. He was
in favor of a system Of water works. 1t
was pet scheme of his.
DR.. Pelham said he would accept an
amendment to his motion to include
water works The little town of An
derson has water works and electric
lights. He was not welded to the in
candescent light, but be thought the
town should be better lighted. He had
no money to throw away, but he
wanted to see bis town move forward.
We need many things. We needed
better streets and other things that be
could mention, but We must wake up
somewhere if we would keep pace
with other towns.
NJ. 4. Carlisle rose to second the re-
mar 4 of DR.. Mcintosh. He thought
if the town had any surplus funds on
hand that it had better be applied to
retiring some of the Opera house
bonds.
Geo. B. Cromer moved, as a substi-
tute for DR.. Pelham's motion, that the
Town Council be requested to report to
an adjourned meeting the feasibility of
establishing a system Of water works
and electric lights. Ala also that
when We adjourn, we adjourn subject
to the call of the president. Adopted,
and the meeting adjourned.