The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1895-07-19
CITY LIGHTING.
Alderman Andrews Introduces a
Resolution Which is Turned
Down.
The Council Refuses to Get Light
ing Bids From Private
Companies.
Attorney Pau Says the City
Can do Commercial Light
ing.

Alderman Andrews introduced the
following resolution in the council
Saturday night:
WHEREAS, In the judgment of many
of the citizens of Mankato it would be
to the interest of our growing city to
have an electric railway, and,
WHEREAS, If the city of Mankato
erects and operates it's own lighting
plant it can only do so to the extent
OF street lighting, being prohibited by
law from doing commercial lighting,
and
WHEREAS, The item of commercial
lighting is of vital interest to the
citizens and taxpayers of our city, and
WHEREAS, If the street lighting is
taken from the Gas and Electric Light
Company now doing business in the
city of MankatO, leaving said COMPANY
commercial lighting only, we cannot
even hope for reduction from present
prices, and
WHEREAS, We have been informed
by those in position to know, that
one company could greatly cheapen
both street and commercial lighting
by combining in.One plant street and
commercial lighting and the Operat-
ing OF an electric railway,
THEREFORE, Be it resolved by the
common council of the city of Man
katO, that the committee on street
lighting be requested to advertise for
bids for doing city and commercial
lighting, providing such company or
companies bidding shall agree to CONS
bine with said city and commercial
lighting, the construction and operat-
ing of an electric street railway upon
such conditions as the council of the
| city OF MankatO shall hereafter stipu-
late, and be it further
Res0lUed, That the said committee
on lighting shall at the same time ad-
vertise for bids for the erection of a
lighting plant of 100 arc light power,
in the city of Mankato,
Aid. Andrews moved that the reso-
buttons be adopted, and Aid. Bradley
seconded it. There is nothing, said
Aid. Andrews, that the city needs
more today than good street electric
railway, properly conducted. The
business men all want cheaper COM
mercial lighting. An offer of in
candescents has already been made at
IS cents instead of $3.50 as now. We
can get the bids, but we don't need
to accept them. Many people favor a
combined power plant, and it would
be great thing for the city, benefit
ting the suburbs, etc. The council
should not appear to be checking off
such an enterprise.
Aid. Peterson said that he believed
that the city can do commercial
lighting, and if the people had not
thought that the city would eventu-
ally do commercially lighting, the bonds
would not have carried. The trouble
with the street cars is that they are
not patronized by our people. The
city can do commercial lighting
whenever it's wants to.
City Attorney Pau said that he saw
no reason why a city could not do
commercial lighting, unless an ordi-
nance prohibited it. He did not think
that the supreme court elevator de-
cision applied to this case.
Aid. Lille saw no harm or delay in
advertising for these bids.
Aid. Peterson said that the council
would get so muddled up after while
that it would not know what it is do
ing, if such resolutions passed.
Aid. Zimmerman thought that it
was funny resolution, and that it
was the first step back toward cor
poration lighting. He did not think
that electric street cars would pay.
The motion received three votes,
Aids. Andrews, Bradley and Lille
voting faye" and was lost, requiring
four votes.