St. Paul daily globe., 1896-03-05


any significant point, Aid. Brady offered
resolution that the proposal of the
st. Paul Gas Light company to light
District No, 2 with electricity be accept
ed, and that Districts one, three and
four be lighted with gas. The resolu-
tion was at once laid over at the re-
quest of Aid. Brady, who thereupon in
troduced another one, which provided
for the acceptance of the proposal of
the st. Paul Gas Light company to light
the entire city and it's public buildings
with gas. the contract to go into effect
on April l. Assistant Corporation At
torney Phillips explained that the spe-
cifications did not call for electric light
ing to begin until May 15, and that in
consequence gas must be used until
then. Upon May Is, however, the board
of public works had the right to discon-
tinue as many gas lamps as might be
desired and to substitute electric lights
therefor.
The resolution in no wise suited Aid.
Murphy, who at once handed up reso-
tuition to accept the total bid of the gas
company for lighting the entire city
with electricity at the rate OF $l2o per
arc, which would mean $71 800, as 5O
ares are required by the specifications.
In support Of his resolution Aid. Murphy
said:
L
switching on this electric light ques-
ton. A few months ago they all want
ed electricity. Under this resolution OF
Aid. Brady he gets his district lighted
by electricity, and Aid. Ehrmanntraut
gets a few arcs. We get none out our
way. What will our constituents say
to us? They will say, You fellows
must have gone to sleep. The gas COM
pany must have owned YOU Oaugh-
Ixyb, Int m
will not prevail. I can safely say that
in my district three to one of the resi-
dents are in favor of electricity"
Aid Murphy then moved that the
whole matter be referred to the COM
mittee on streets, city attorney and
city engineer, to prepare proper reso-
lutions awarding the contract to the
lowest bidder.
Aid Markham spoke in favor Of Aid.
Brady's last resolution. He said that
it was the first duty of the council to
award the contract for gas lighting,
and thereafter substitute electricity in
the territory where it could obtained
the cheapest. By securing competi-
ton between gas and electricity the
council had forced down the price per
gas lamp nearly $10, and was to be
congratulated for accomplishing as
good a result as the most sanguine
coud expect. Aid. Markham thought
that nothing was to be gained by re-
ferring the Brady resolution.
The roll call on Aid. Murphy's mo-
tion to refer the resolution resulted in
three votes for and eight against a ref
erence. The resolution was then
adopted by vote Of 8 to 3, Aldermen
Murphy, Kartak and Wolf voting in
the negative.
Aid. Murphy then moved the adop-
ton of his resolution to accept the
gross bid of the gas company to light
the entire city with electricity, the con-
tract to go into effect on May Is.
Aid. Brady offered as a substitute
a resolution accepting the proposal Of
the gas company to light District No.
with electricity.
This nettled Aid. Murphy, who was
working hard for electric lighting in
his district, and he insisted on moving
the adoption Of his resolution before
the substitute was considered. But
President Ehrmanntraut ruled against
him, and the vote was taken on the
substitute resolution. 1t resulted in six
votes for and five against the measure,
which was declared lost, two-thirds
vote being required.
Aid Markham then moved an amend
ment to Aid. Murphys resolution,
whereby the Fourth district should be
stricken out, as the residents of the
Seventh ward were opposed to electric
lighting Aid. Murphy called atten-
ton to the fact that if any district
were stricken out the gas company
bid on lighting the entire city would
not obtain, and the cost would be
greater. Aid Markham withdrew the
amendment.
E. B. Smith, the owner of the Albion
franchise, whose bid of $125 per arc per
year was the lowest, was then allowed
the privilege of the floor. Mr.. Smith,
in a calm and dignifed manner, argued
that as he was the lowest bidder in
the Fourth district, he was entitled to
the contract The fact that he could
furnish only so arc lights out Of the
157 required in the Fourth district un-
der the specifications, was understood
in the beginning, and should not be
considered now.
Attorney Cutcheon was next granted the
floor In an extended speech, Mr.. Cutcheon
reviewed the whole situation and stated the
position of the gas company. The substance
of his remarks was as follows:
The gas company was willing to stand by
it's bid to light the entire city with electric
ity at the rate of $125.44 per arc. light per
year, but it did not want to get such con-
tract Mr.. Cutcheon proceeded to advance ar
guments against the all-electrlcity PROPOSE
ton. In the Fourth district he demonstrated
that gas lighting would be $156 cheaper than
any combination Of gas and electricity, even
though the electric lighting contract for that
district should be awarded to E. b. Smith,
and the rest of the district should be lighted
by gas for the reason that Mr.. Smiths arcs
would displace only 42S gas lamps, and 4S2
lamps would have to be lighted by gas: AS
for lighting the four districts with electricity,
Mr. Cutcheon assured the board that $40 arc
lights would not do 1t adequately. The next
statement caused the aldermen to prick up
their ears. 1t was this:
y1Ytti in oil ifU in
of gas all over the city you will decrease the
gas company's output of gas at least one
third. Now / will inform you that the gas
company has been contemplating reduction
in the price Of gas to private consumers from
81 so to 81 80 per 900 feet. Ir you decrease
cur output of gas in the manner mentioned,
then we will be unable to say when we can
reduce the price to private consumers. On
the other hand, If the gas company's all-gas
bid is accepted and all others rejected, or If
it's bid for all gas lighting and It's bid for
electric lighting in District NO are accepted,
then unless something unforeseen happens, l
am confident that the company will on June l
reduce the price of gas to private consumers
from 81. so to S1.30 per 1000 feet. This would
sumers. I am not authorized to promise this
absolutely but I sincerely believe the company
will do as have said.
Aid Markham spoke against Aid. Muir
phys resolution for all electricity. He said
that the general feeling in the Seventh ward
was in favor of gas and on Summit avenue
the opposition to electricity was unanimous.
Aid. Ulmer moved that the resolution be re-
ferred to the committee on streets.
At this juncture Mr.. Cutcheon came forward
and said:
After consulting with Mr. Ellison, give the
positive assurance that, if the gas company's
all-gas bid is accepted, and all other bids re-
jected, or If the gas company's bid Tor all
gas lighting and it's bid for electric lighting
in District No. 2 are accepted, all other bids
being rejected, the city then cutting off gas
in District No. 2, the gas company will re-
duce the net price of gas from $1.50 per 1000
feet to 81 80 per 1000 feet, meaning upon bills
paid prior to the 10th of the month, or, in
other words. will reduce the gross price from
$1.75 to $1.50.'
The motion of Aid. Ulmer to refer the Muir