St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1895-11-16
ST. PAUL is ALREADY ASSURED
OF LIGHTING AT LOWER
PRICES.
COMPETITION TO HELP 1T.
POSSIBLY WHEN PRESENT CON-
TRACT EXPIRES OTHER
COMPANIES
Some History About the Struggle
for Existence of n Private
Corporation.

contract at present existing between,
the city of st. Paul and the st. Paul
Gas Light company will expire by
limitation. The contract covers cleo
trio lighting in streets and city build
ings, as we'll as the gas lamps, which
cost the city $33 per lamp per year,
counting in the interest on cost of
posts, which are owned by the COM
pany. When the date of expiration
of this contract has arrived there is
every likelihood that ST. Paul will
have what it has never had before,
competition in public lighting. This
competition may not extend to the
Inauguration of a. new gas plant;
but there will, it seems, scarcely be
need for that. Officers of the pres
ent company admit, in effect, that
they do not hope to ever again Sc
cure contract at the figures now
being paid. In fact, they have made
up their minds minds that they will
be compelled to take much less, if
they secure contract at all. So
| that cheaper gas is assured, at least
to the city.
For several years past.it has been
| said of ST. Paul that it is far be-
| hind all other American cities of
metropolitan proportions in the mat
ter of street lighting. Not only have
| the lamps been widely scattered, but
| the circle of light from any given
lamp has scarcely served to dispel
the gloom in its own immediate To-
cality. Some of the streets have
been so dark and forbidding after
nightfan as to draw forth harsh
| criticisms from citizens and visitors
alike. 1t seems to be tacitly agreed
now that the time has come for de-
| cided Improvement in the system of
| lighting public streets and buildings.
The step taken by the council when
Seventh street was Illuminated by
substituting arc lights for gas has
| had the effect of opening the eyes
| of st. Paul people. Of a sudden they
have realized that it is not only an
easy, but an economical step from
| semi-darkness to brilliant light
1 w
| fathers shall have been realized,
with an open field for all bona f1de
competitors who care to enter, all
| of the business streets-north to Uni
versity avenue, east to Broadway,
west to Seven Corners, and south to
the river-will be lighted by the arc
| system.
| Speaking yesterday with an expert in
| the science of electric lighting a
| Clio b e reporter was Informed that
it will probably require 200 arc lights
| to illuminate the district within the
bounds named. These could be run all
night the year round, this gentleman
said, for not to exceed $40 per light per
month, or $120 per year for each arc
| light.
The question was asked, "Supposing
| the council should advertise for bids
to be opened the latter end of January
| or first of February, and the contract
should be awarded to some company
not now in the field, could a plant be
| put in shape to light the city immedi-
| ately on the expiration of the present
| contract?'
"Yes, sir, think it could. While 1t
! would be very difficult matter to
build or establish a new gas-producing
| plant, 1t would be comparative easy
| for responsible parties to build, equip
and run an electric light plant. There
| are numerous buildings in st. Paul
| available as the home of such a plant
| and while the building. was being put
in shape the poles could be erected
and wires strung, ready to connect with
| the dynamoS in short ORDER
ITO what amount in your opinion,
| could the present cost of lighting the
city be reduced?"
ITO the amount Of $4,000 a year, at
least, possibly more. And, outside the
matter of cost, the arc lights could be
kept going all night, from dark to day
| light. The lights should not cost the
city to exceed $40 each per month, in
an open competition among bidders."
HAS there been any competition in
the matter of furnishing lights In St.
| Paul heretofore?'
| Practically none. Some time ago,
| when Smith & Taylor began selling
| lights to parties who had been patron
| izing the old company a row enslued,
which did not get into the papers. It
| Was HOl WIlle II however,
and despite the most strenuous effort
to block their work the firm named
| succeeded in their efforts to get a foot
hold in the field. I understand the
| Pioneer Press has completely turned
tail on the stand it's owners and man
| ayers took at that time, but this change
of front is easily accounted for, now
that certain stockholders in the St
T -I,&
| of their holdings"
| would an advertisement for bids
| for electric lighting meet with response
| from men able to make good any prop
osition they might submit?''
"It undoubtedly would. The situa-
tion in st. Paul up to the present time
has been such that no one cared to en-
| ter into what would probably have been
a losing fight, even if that fat contract
| had not stood in the way. But with
the contract about to expire. and a dis
| position on the part Of the council to
| discard poor and costly gas for good
| and cheap electric lights, there is en-
couragement for responsible bidders to
enter the field. Competition will not in
| jure anyone not concerned in sustaining
| the presest monopoly, but will benefit
the public most signally, and it will
benefit the city by raising from it-.tfle
odium of being the worst lighted city
in America. No firm will care to enter
into losing contract, but at the figures
| named, or thereabouts, some money
can be made on a fairly drawn con
| tract"
| 1t will be gathered from the forego-
| ing expression of man who is thor
| oughly posted in his business that II
| is but a matter of few months until
| the streets of st. Paul will be lighted