The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1895-02-15
THAT LIGHT CONFERENCE.
The Council as Committee of
the Whole Meets With the
Electric Light Co.
To Consider a Proposition For a
Renewal of Contract With
the City.
Another Conference to be Held
Friday Eve=
ming.

The much discussed consultation
between the Electric Light company
and the city council was held at The
Saulpaugh Saturday evening.
Alderman Higgs, chairman Of the
lighting committee of the city coun-
Gil, opened the meeting by saying
that the council was present in body
at the request of the Gas and Electric
Light company, and they were ready
to listen to propositions.
r. ID. Hubbard said that there is a
great deal of work to be done to place
the city on the best basis possible for
electric lighting. Men are out of en-
ployment, machinery is cheaper than
it will be at later date, and it was
deemed advisable to ask that the
council meet the Representatives of
the company at this time, he said,
to enable the company to purchase a
larger engine, a cross-compound, for
the increasing demands upon the
plant. Other Improvements are be-
ing contemplated, and the work,
though commenced now, would last
until the middle of next summer.
There are growing demands and con-
slant enquiry for better incandes-
cent light system. The one we now
have is not as satisfactory, for the
new one gives us purer, stronger
and better light. He concluded by
Offering the following proposition:
To the Honorable Mayor and Common
Council of the City of Mankdt0:
GENTLEMEN--We the MankatO Gas
and Electric Light company, beg to
submitthe following proposition for
the lioAting of the city for term of
ten years, commencing at the expira-
tion of the contract now in existence
between this city and said company,
to-Wit:
For the ensuing five years, COM
mencing at the date above named, we
will bind ourselves to furnish this
city 100 l, 200-candle power arc lights
for the sum Of SS5 per annum each.
For the following five years we will
submit to price to be named by a
committee, to be formed as follows:
The company to select man; the
city to select a man: the two men
selected to select the third man. The
duty of the committee shall be to fix
the price the city shall pay, the
MankatO Gas and Electric Light COM
pany for arc lights of 1.2OO candle
power where not less than 100 are
used.
We will furnish consumers mean
descent lights from an alternating
system, the rates based on the Watts
system, at a charge of not to exceed
20 cents per 1000 Watts. This is
equivalent to one cent per light per
hour for lights of sixteen candle
power to house consumers. TO stores
and large consumers an extra discount
will be allowed down to I cent per
hour at minimum rate.
We will furnish consumers who use
gas stoves for cooking purposes at
the present schedule of price, less 30
per cent, where not les than 1000
cubic feet per month are used.
We shall put in an engine OF not
loss than 250 horse power, of a cross
compound type, thereby placing our
selves. in position to rent power to
those in need of same for any purpose,
whether it be running of motors,
operating of street railways or any
other purpose where power is requlr-
ed. All of which we respectfully SUD-
nit.
JOHN f. MEAGHER, President.
Mankato, Mimi, February y, 1879.
John F. Meagher then made short
talk in favor of the lighting COM
pany's plan, he spoke of the increase
of the use of gas for cooking purposes,
and said all these things were in the
line with the improvements contem-
plated.
Mr.. Hubbard reviewed the lighting
facilities, and stated that the COM
pany, as well as many others, are
waiting for Mankato to grow up, that
they have been waiting, but that
they are willing to go ahead in hopes
that the future may prove different
than the past and that the lhVesI-
ments of the company would prove
more remuneratiye.
There was pointless discussion OF
electric lighting plants in other towns
in which all took part. linen the
conversation dritted around to the
water works and machinery. In this
connection Mr.. Hubbard stated that
in his experience in running
machinery, and he had done this
many years, was that all machinery
commences to wear out after the tlrst
year. He expected it in other ousl
ness-he expected it in the electric
light business. He stated further
in answer to question that an cleo