The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1895-05-16
LET THERE BE LIGHT
But Missoula Is Not Anxious for Tol
Much of 1t. .ar :
THAT DAM QUESTION is UF
The Action of the City Council ar
Reducing the Illumination
Being Vigorously
Discussed. ~

MisSoula, May 15.-The question OF
eliminating the deficit item in the re-
port of the city councils committee on
ways and means is the absorbing topic
at present, not only with members of
the city administration, but also with
those citizens who are interested In the
restoration of the city's credit. The ac-
ton of the city council last evening
seems to meet with general approval
although there is some difference of
opinion as to the wisdom of reducing
the number of electric lights fns the
city. The committee to which was re-
ferred the selection of the IL lights
which are to be discontinued is In a
quandary, as q most careful investfga-
ton OF the municipal territory fails TO
discover any such number of lights
that can be cut off. The committee
had practically decided to reduce the
number of lights by three or four, but
to cut Off IL Is task which naturally
dismays them.
There are two sides to the problem.
Of course. That the present financial
condition OF the city demands the most
rigid economy is apparent to any one
who has given careful consideration to
the matter. The determination Of the
council to reduce the expenses OF. the
city as much as possible is commenda.
BILE. 1t is what the aldermen Were
chosen for. The estimated deficit ford
the current year is $S,443, and II will \
require economy in every department
to overcome that shortage. Such econ
omy Will naturally result in inconven-
fences to some, but there is no objec-
ton heard on that score. Everybody is
willing to bear his share Of the bur-
den and to aid to place the city treas
ury In the position it ought5fo occupy.
There is. however, some oH ection ON
other grounds to this wholesale reduce
ton in the number of electric lights.
AS is generally known. the General |
IL atxto d.. - AE0 4.
begin this summer the construction Of |
the much-discussed power dam across |
the river above town. Presidents |
byllesbyaof this company is now In the |
East perfecting arrangements for this |
work. and the local officials of the COM
pany state that Mr.. Byllesby expects |
to return in short time and order |
that the construction work be COM |
menced at once. 1t is a question: with |
many citizens whether or not It Is wise |
to reduce the lighting system attpres- |
ent, as 1t may interfere with the car |
rying out of these plans. This is the |
opinion of several business men as ex-
pressed to Standard reporter to-day. |
On the other hand 1t is urged with |
good reasons that while the ., dam |
means much to the city, the necessity |
OF economy is so pressing and so i'm |
perative that no delays are possible, |
and that IL $1,000 can be saved on the |
one item of lighting the streets, 1T is /
the first duty of the council to do this. |
In the meantime the electric light COM
mittee is in most embarrassing posi-, |
ton. They are between two fires. If |
they cut off any light there wiilnbe a |
kick from the neighborhood affected, I
and IL they cut off no light they will |
be in trouble with the mayor and the |
majority of the council. |
AS 1t stands now the council has |
made a good record in retrenchment. |
The expense of the police department |
has been reduced $1,000 a year. The |
water bill has been cut 1904, and the |
reduction in lights that isr .e0ptem-
plated will make a further Reduction |
of nearly $4,000. Then It has been prac-
tically decided to combine the Offices |
of clerk and attorney. which will effect |
a further saving of $1,000. A total OF |
$500 is not bad for two, weeks. 1six 4
The most perplexing problem, sllow- |
ever, is the fire department, ana this |
partment costs the city something Is,
of course, true, and that that some 4
thing is tolerably large is equally. true |
But nothing that is good can be OBJ |
tanned without paying for Ii, ana 1T is /
true that there is no better fire depart |
ment in the state than Missopia's The
department has been attacked for its !
on several occasions The |
local daily paper has, at, least once, |
criticized II severely. But IL sfthfid be !
that the local Insurance. \
rates have been reduced Is and IS 4 3 \
per cent, and that the excellence of 1.
the fire department had much to do !
with this reduction. Should its efficien-
cy be curtailed there is no doubt that
insurance rates would be restored. to /
what they We're before the cut, If This
there would be no saving to 1
the city. The amount curtailed wonld /
be more than balanced by the increas-
ed rates of insurance 1870 |.
Mayor Keitfi's recommendatfouji in /
this respect seems to offer the best p6s-
sible solution of the difficulty. He pro-
poses. as already stated In The stand
ard, to create a street department,
which shall be under the direction of
the chief of the fire department. One
Of the teams of the department. and
Its driver shall at all times be kent at
work upon the streets, and all city
prisoners shall be required to work in
this department. The streets and
bridges cost the city last year about
s., 500. This item would be saved to
the city if Mayor Keith's suggestions |
are carried out, and the streets would
be in better condition than they. have
ever been yet. More than this. the
efficiency of the IRE department would
not be impaired. ~ .i