The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1895-01-23


$4,000
No allowance is made for an additional
engineer, as it is thought that the present
one at the waterworks could also attend to
the running of the dynamo. The new boiler
would be located in the regular boiler room
of the water plant, at the side of the two in
present use.
AS has been repeatedly stated, the town
uses and pays for 43 lights at SO per lamp
| per year, to be run on what is known as a
Philadelphia schedule, which provides for a
service of II hours when needed-practical-
| ly an all night service.
Seven lights are used and paid for by the
railroads of the place, making so arc lights
of 1000 candle power, in all.
The original contract was made with the
| Thomson-Houston Company, which put in
the plant during the Winter of 1888 and 1889.
1t extended over period of three years, and
called for midnight service on moon
schedule, at $500 per lamp, the town to
have the option at any time within that of
the contract to purchase the plant at cost
Thirty lights were thus provided for. After
awhile it was deemed advisable to have more
lights, and accordingly contract providing
for the present service, was entered into, the
Thomson-Houston Company in the mean
while having sold their plant and franchise
to the Ravenna Gas and Electric Light Com
pany, with which the contract has been re-
newed from year to year, running from jan
uary to January 1.
The Mayor had sent out fifty letters to as
many towns, since the last session of Coun-
Gil, inquiring the prices paid for their sew
eral services, to large number of which he
received responses, which he read to Coun-
Gil. Mr.. Hyde, manager of the Gas and
Electric Light Company, also read numer-
GUS replies to similar inquiries sent out by
himself, in behalf of his Company. 1t was
found that the towns thus heard from pay
all the way from S35 to 800 per light, $75
perhaps being about the average rate.
The Ravenna Company say there is nc
money in operating this part of the service
at the present rate. They say that while
they have figured on an original cost basis
of $4,000 in their statements heretofore sui
mitted to Council, the actual amount invest
ed was over $11, 600. They say that thei
wires are in a very bad condition, and vii
practically all have to be replaced with new
ones the coming season. They gave Coun
Gil to understand that if they once closed thI
part of their plant it would be a permanen
cessation. They said, however, that the.
would continue to furnish lights under tn
, old contract for reasonable length of time
long enough for Council to make furthe
Investigations and decide the matter.
There are several towns in this part of tn
State owning and operating their plants, tha
have not been heard from, and Council vii
communicate with them, and derive all tn
information from every practicable source
J as to what is fair, just rate to pay. and vii
also, Wilh the Waterworks Trustees, ascertai
| as near as possible what the actual cost c
2 a new plant would be.
The Co., in the course of the discussion
| suggested that the matter be referred to thre
arbitrators, one to be selected by itself, on
S by the town, and the third by the two thu
chosen, but this was deemed impracticablt
3 The Co. is also of the opinion that the tow
l cannot put in public plant under the vol
e taken in 1889, but this seems to be mOote
question, for the present. at least until th
/ provisions of the proposition voted upon al
l made known and considered. It was at tn
time that the question of public ownershi
j of a plant was submitted to the people, th
j proposition providing for the issuing {
t 81 800 worth of bonds for that purpose. A
!, will be remembered, the measure was carrie
S almost unanimously.
One thing is certain, the tax levy for 1S
is inadequate to meet the increase deman
: ed; but the Company said it would wait c
the town. No doubt
J, The Co. also urged that the increase |
granted and new contract be entered int
: because of the fact of there being famili
owning stock in the concern that are depen
= ent largely upon the certainty of a.divider
families where there are widows and O
phans. Apropos of this, we feel that Cou
Gilman Thompson should be commendt
and complimented for the sound, sensib
: remarks made by him at this session,
= which he very clearly and emphatcal
demonstrated that the duties of public officia
are with the public and never with priva
. individuals.