The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1894-01-19
STREET LIGHTS.
The Council Resolves to Adver-
tise for Bids for Lighting
the Streets for Ten
Years.
n the Bids are Unsatisfactory,
the City is to Immediately
Put i'm it's Own Plant.


day night, and only Aid. Peterson was
absent A large number of specta-
tors were present. The rules were
suspended and the lack Of thirty
hours notice was waived and the
meeting was called special one.
Mayor Weaver read the notice serv-
ed on the city by the Mankato Gas
and Electric Light Co. and made
some extended remarks, as follows:
Gentlemen of the Council,
You are called together this evening
to be presented officially with the eiec-
trio light question. The company
has, | presume. abandoned the con-
tract with the city, SO far as it is pos
sible to do, as II has diSmounted the
lamps because it's demands were not
met at IL O'Clock.
To review the situation: The very
last of November we caused to be
made comparative test of our lights,
both arc aud incandescent, and were
assured we were getting out little
if any more than half the candle pow
er furnished at Minneapolis by both
lively. guaranteed. The test was ap-
proximately, if not literally, correct.
Because of this result, payment of the
November bill was withheld, lending
adjustment, but no movement toward
that end by our committee was enter
tanned by the company. Then came
the Decem Der bill, which was treated
in the same manner and met with
like result finally.
Aid. Peterson, WHO attended both
meetings of the committee, says he
proposed to the company that test
be made. This he proposed several
times, but each time the same reply
was received: No test can be made;
the machine is too far away, and it
will be very expensive.
We were as anxious as the company
or any of it's members to get the mat
ter settled and out of the way, but we
certainly wanted the city to have a
show wien IL was called upon to pay
so large an amount.
An equitable adjustments could have
been reached; there was no occasion
for legal or technical contest. as with
spirit Of fairness to set them right
before the public. we, the city, would
Join them in the expense of establish
ing candle power furnished; and if we
were wrong. we would at once pay the
bills and make any necessary apology
If the company stands on the techni-
cality of no official proposition having
been made by the city to test the
lighGS, it is indeed a technicality
purely, as they do not pretend to say
they never heard we wanted such a
test made. Such propositions have
been made ia open council, and pub
lished in both the daily papers. l Of
Tered today, also before today, to sign
orders for the greater part of both |
bills leaving balance for adjustment;
but the company has been silent TO |
every advance simply demanding
full payment.
Had they finally concluded to notify |
is of proposed cancellation Of con-
,ract, and wanted to be fair, they
would have given us at least two days
line in which to call the council to-
yether; but, instead, they give us one
half day which could scarcely be tho't
eSS than an attempt to s'bull dOZe"
to use vulgar but common express
'iOn), no matter what the period of |
contest may have been.
Now, gentlemen, if the company
Vas furnishing full or approximately |
near the requisite power in the name
IF reason why were they unwilling to
prove it? Could they, and had they
lone so. they would not have been
TO abandon the contract |
nor litigate to get the money.
The situation you know. You now
nave the conditions to face-contract
abandoned, lights out. You are to
decide what to do under the circum
stances. Light can be furnished, and
hat speedily. We can get here and
nave in operation within two weeks
rs many gasoline lamps as we see tit
TO buy We now have l04 electric
lamps, and can use say 200 gasoline
lamps to great advau tage. They will
be found useful in the outskirts of |
the city where no lights have ever |
been, soon as the new plant is ready, |
which [ now recommend you take up |
and arrange preliminarios for-such |
plant to be of city ownership. 1t has |
been my idea to undertake only city |
lighting, out now think we should go |
further in our undertaking and be
prepared for any emergency looking |
TO a profitable investment.
The gentleman who came here and |
made the test was Mr.. Vernon Bell, |
of Minneapolis, He came here in the |
night and left on the morning train,
requesting me to withhold his name |
for business reasons at that time |
True, he came here secretly, as we
wanted to know what power we were
getting, not what we might get if the
company was posted. He came in the
interest of the city, receiving for his
services SIG, which / consider was
good investment for the city.
All of which is respectfully submit
ted.
The mayor laid the lighting bills
before the council again for any action
it might take.
Aid. Pitcher thought that the
company ought to have begun
proceedings against
the mayor to compel him to sign
the bills. He did not see Oon
what grounds the contract was
abrogated. If mandamus proceed
ings had been begun, the matter
would have gone into the courts, and