Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1893-12-11
PICKED UP BY THE WAY.
THINGS. .;SEEN AND HEARD IN THE
TOWN AND VICINITY.

Matters of Local Nature Written Up
and Placed Before the Readers of the
"Tribune" by the saunterer-Something
Here May Interest You.
| did not have an opportuni-
ty of interviewing many peo-
pie on the electric light com
pany's bid to light the streets,
but the few to whom l did
speak expressed themselves as
favorable to its acceptance.
One gentleman in particular
told me that he heard others
discussing it, and all consider
ed it a reasonable price, $75
per year for a 1900 candle
power light until IL p. m.
every night for the first twenty
and $40 for each additional
light. He said he had heard
of only one person who appear
ed to oppose it, and that party
took his objections from the
proposition made five years ago
by the Freeland Gas Company.
That company offered to fur
nish electric light, ], 200 candle
power, at $50 per year. The
unreliability of the company
and its failure to specify for
how long and how many nights
each month the light would be
furnished would make compar-
isons between it and the offer
now before the council unjust.
l have secured a few figures
about electric lighting from a
copy of the "Review of Re
views" which is considered a
very good authority. In an
article on the subject it gives
returns from % cities and
towns that operate their owl
plants. The average price PEI
arc light is $S6.64, as agains
$106.01 in 20 cities and town,
that are lighted by private cor
porations. This shows tha
where the light is owned anc
properly managed by the towl
it can be done cheaper than b,
the other method, but even thei
it is considerably above tn,
figures asked by the FreelanC
company. For unknown rea
sons municipal control of ligh
is not so successful as it should
and it is out of the question
entirely to think of yet fol
Freeland, but | will mention
two instances for information
to any who may be interested
in the matter.
Lansford owned and ran it's
own plant for some time, found
it Improbable, sold out to the
Lehigh Coal and Navigation
Company and now pays S1OC
per year for each light. On
the other side, Weatherly, also
owning its plant, has about
30 lights burning and the es.
timated cost is $50 per year, the
lowest rate, it is said, in the
state. Now for a few places
known to us all which are
lighted by private parties.
The figures apply to the cost
per year. Allentown has ITO
lights and pays 500 per light;
South Bethlehem, 55 Ii ights
burning until midnight, s81.S2
per light; Mauch Chunk, 80
lights burning all night and
every dark night, $l20 per
year, and Hazleton, about 90
lights all night, 500 per light.
Should the council decide to
accept the offer presented to
them last Monday evening,
Freeland it seems from the
above figures, would get a
light of more candle-power at
a cheaper rate than the aver
age paid by other towns. 1t
may require about thirty lamps
to light the borough, and tax
ing that number as a rough
estimate, the cost would be as
follows: Twenty lights at s75,
81 900, and ten at so, 800;
total, $4,000; average price per
light, S73.33. When the Points
and Birvanton are annexed, if
they ever are, from fifteen to
eighteen additional lights will
have to be furnished, thereby
lowering the average price
still further. However, wheth-
ar 4 h avr ba oppava6 on not io n