The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1893-10-06
CAME TO BLOWS.
Heated Contest Over Electric Lights in
Baths City Government

Bath, Me-. October 5.-There appears
to be a vast difference of opinion be-
tween the Bath Gas and Electric Compa-
ny and Baths city, government, relative
to what the city ought to pay for street
lighting. This was shown at a meeting
of the city council. held ON Wednesday
night.
On the Sth of August, 1887, F. A. Saw
yer of Portland and Fritz H. Twitchell,
president and treasurer respectively Of
the Bath Electric Light and Power Com
pany, and James w. Wakefield, then
mayor of Bath, and Edward G. Hyde,
treasurer of the city at that time, signed
contract to have the streets lighted by
20 arc lights of 1000 cande-power at
500 for each light to be run till mid
midnight on what is termed ''moon
schedule On the 10Th of December of
that year, the lamps were turned on and
the company began on its five-year con-
tract. The number OF lights grew in
few months, and in less than year five
all-night lamps were up, for which the
city agreed to pay $3.50 per light.
In 1890, when the annual appropria-
ton came UP, a strong effort was made
to scale down the sum required by the
contract to light the city, Mayor Patten
and several members of the two branch
es took the ground that the original con-
tract was illegal, and jobbery was alleg-
ed. The fight was bitter and prolonged,
and was marked by heated discussions,
at times very personal in nature, between
the city fathers and officers of the cleo
trio light company. Several midnight
sessions were held, and one session oceu-
pied an entire night. Finally the light
company won.
On tile 10th of December, 1892, the
street lighting contract expired, but no
definite action for renewal was taken
by the city. The reason assigned was
that M. fwitchell did not desire it, he
being then mayor and an officer of the
light company, and the matter went over
to the present city government. At the
beginning of that administration the
committee on public lighting were di-
rected to confer with the light company
relative to a new contract.
They succeeded after several weeks in
getting a proposition, and submitted it
to the council Tuesday night. 1t sets
forth that the company will run 81 moon
schedule lights till midnight at sos for
each light, and 10 all-night lights at 500
a light.
The proposition did not favorably
strike the city fathers. About five hours
were spent ID discussing the matter, in
which the company was handled with
out gloves. One member charged that
bulldozing tactics of the company would
not work. He said that if those were
the best figures that could be got from
the corporation, pass an order to have
the lights shut off. This aroused mark
ed approval in the vigorous stamping of
feet.
The city legislators were intensely
warmed up, and motion upon motion
was put, and for a time there was confu-
sion. Finally they cooled off, and passed
an order offering the company $50 q light
for Al lights, to be run all and every
night for one year.
Among the spectators at the meeting
was DR.. Edward Briery, and he stayed
till the close.
On the steps OF the city building sew
eral members were casually talking about
the meeting when the Doctor told Presi-
dent Weeks Of the common council that
he was working in the interest of the
light company.
s'Take that back or I'll lick you,'' said
Weeks.
II will not retract one word,'' was the
reply of the doctor.
Weeks was in hot temper, and quick
as flash he struck with his clenched
fist heavy blow that landed on the
chest of the doctor.
A police officer, who was close at hand
stopped further pugilism by stepping be-
tween the two men.