St. Paul daily globe., 1894-01-09


fore He Is Possibly
the Pricking Of u Guilty Com
science.
The special meeting Of the joint court
house and city hall committee yesterday
afternoon was brief but to the point.
There was sharp debate over propo-
.sition 10 put in an electric plant for the
purpose Of lighting the court house and
city hall. The discussion brought out
some sharp retorts between the mayor
| and Crawford LivinkSt0n, PRESIDENT of
the st. Paul Gas Light company. The
mayor brought political turn to the
matter, and showed considerable feeling
on the subject, and Mr. Livingston maue
sonic retortS in rather sparkling vein.
The conflict has been brewing for
some time and the mayor was evidently
| loaded for the occasion, aS the special
| meeting mad been called for the special
purpose of considering the lighting
| question. 1t was intmated Il at the
mayor had a plan on hand TO get even
with Mr. Livington for some political
reason, ana has been sounding members
of the joint committee for some time to
make sure OF being able to push his
| plan Though.
Immediately after the meeting was
called to order yesterday afternoon, the
conflict was started by Aid. Gunner
III ms Introduction and moving the
I'd option OF the following resolution:
| Whereas, There is now being. and
| FOR long time past there has been, all
| eXtraYagant and unreasonable amount
| paid for lighting the court house in the
city of ST. Paul; and
Whereas. 1t is the opinion of this
| committee tnat said lighting should be
! done for p per cent of the amount now
paid therefor. and that tie amount
| which the city of st. Paul should pay
| for lighting said court house should not
exceed the sum of $i00 per month.
| now, therefore, be it
| Resolved, That the committee on
| lighting or this body be ami 1t is hereby
| authorized and instructed to investigate
| methods and means for constructing
such plant and purchasing the neces
Sary machinery for lighting said court
| house under the direction and control
! of this committee, and lay before the
| committee such proposals as they may
! receive, and make report of the methods
| WHICH, llIGJ uCCll ItlOSO d0
Tor such purpose. and the amount for
which plant can be purchased. 7~~
| Assemblyman DAILY asked if the reso-
| luton meant that the committee should
merely Investigate the matter, and re-
ceiyed an affirmative answer from the
! mayor.
! Commissioner Lauer expressed the
view that the committee should also as
certain if there is place 10 put such a
plant as is contemplated.
Commissioner McCarrun seconded the
adoption of the resolution.
| Crawford Livingston, of the st. Paul
Gas Light company, stated that he
would like the committee to investigate
as to his company having a contract for
! lighting the building. He then stated
| that his company has contract that it
believes to be good, aid proposes to
stand by it, and, if necessary, take the
matter to court of last resort. As to
the cost stated in the resolution, he re-
garded the figures as absurd. He was
| willing to take the same area of cubic
feet and compare it with any other
building that is lighted with electric
light i'll the city.
Mayor Wright appeared restless and
nervous while Mr.. Livingston was
| speaking. and when he had stepped for
moment arose TO his feet and said: Il
want to say few words on this subject
| if you will allow me to do SO. The
| county and city are paying all eXhorbitant
| price for their lighting, as will appear to
any one that looks into the matter. We
will test the validity of the present con-
| tract. and, if it Is proven to De valid, we
| will have shown our desire to reduce
the cost, and If not we will do good
to the taxpayers by giving them cheaper
| light. The building was wired at cost
| of 50, 900 when built. The Ryan hotel,
the Aberdeen, the Albion, the Pioneer
Press building, the metropolitan
| opera house and the Schuneman 81
Evans building run their own heating
| plants, and secure light much cheaper.
| There is not building in the city to
which we went to investigate the mat
ter, but lights its building cheaper than
we do. 1t only costs the buildings
have nameed So mills per light per
| hour to light their buildings, while it
| SOoLO 10 CtUOuG IL HILLS pei llS III D6G
hour to light our building. L don't want
to make this political fight. A MEM
Der of this body has been asked. so it is
said. if he wants to go back on his
party by making change. This is
neither a Republican nor a Democratic
scheme. | heiieye we have right to
make the change. 1t is costing us
three times too much 20 light The build.
ing"
Aid. Copeland asked why the David
son proposition was not considered when
made year ago.
Mayor Wright-That was for heating
and lighting both.
Aid. Copeland-I am in favor of say
ing expenses. would like to ask MIR.
Livingston how long his contract runs.
MIR. Livingston-It runs until March,
1896.
Mayor Wright-There are men who
have promised TO give bonds that they
will furnish light cheaper. This CON-
tract was made seven days bafore this
administration came into power, with
out rhyme or reason. The old admin
istration annulled the Old contract, and
renewed 1t for five years.
MIR. LivirgStOn-You are mi Staken.
MayorWright-It was for three years,
then. 1t carries the old contract. 1
think the moral obligation of this ad.
ministration no longer exists. That
contract should be broken.
During his talk the mayor impatiently
told Mr. Livingston not to interrupt
him.
Commissioner Lauer asked whe re tt
plant could be located
The mayor said, 1--WE can put it in the
cellar of the Jail" Mr.. Lauer statedt
that he believed that building is not
suitable for such plant, and alluded
to the prospect of tearing down the Jail