St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1896-01-26
A PLAN FOR STREET LIGHTING.

on the subject of street lighting. They
ent methods of lighting-by gas, by
electric lamps and by gasoline-and
the different systems-by private COM
petition or by a municipal plant-and
any one or any combination of those
that seemed to offer the best results.
Their voluminous report, which we
publish in full this morning, shows that
duty with painstaking thoroughness.
And the conclusions which they have
reached, while we do not agree with
them in toto, make it evident that it is
within the power of the council to
save to the taxpayers of st. Paul at
least 100000 a year. at the same time
that our streets are better lighted than
they ever were before. If results Of
such moment can be reached, and the
tax estimate which reduces the light
ing estimate by over 100000 shows that
they must be, the methods should be
studied with scrupulous care.
The board reports in favor of COM
bined system of lighting by gasoline,
gas and electricity; and against the
establishment Of a municipal lighting
plant In both of these conclusions we
think that they are justified fully by
the facts. 1t is not practicable, nor
would it be economy, to attempt to
light all the streets of st. Paul, in
the business section, the residence dis
trict and the outlying suburbs, by the
same system, unless we were to renew
a contract for the sole use of gas. This
is not to be thought of except at a re-
duced price which the gas company
vantage of electricity as street illumi-
nant is SO great as to make it's adop-
ton desirable. In the territory where
gasoline is now used there is, for the
most part, no other lighting method
as cheap. Therefore the best results
will be given by combination of the
different systems AS to a municipal
plant. the board estimates the cost of
such as would be necessary to do only
the work now proposed to be done by
arc lights, that is the covering of a
limited portion of the city's area, at
a total including buildings, of $135 200
and upward st. Paul has no funds to
be used for this purpose, and it would
be the height of folly to so employ.
them if it had, unless the effort to OBJ
tain competition and fair prices should
prove total failure. 'hase questions
may, therefore, be set aside as no
longer profitable for discussion.
We come now to the main PROPOSE
ton. 1t has been found, by inquiry as
to cost of service elsewhere, after fair
ly equalizing conditions, that the cost
to the city of each arc light should
not be over SIS per annum. This is
certainly fair figure, since the cost
in some places has been reduced con-
siderably lower. TIC maintain $40 of
these lights at SIS each would cost the
city $42,750 a year. These $40 lights
would, as shown by a map accom-
displace 3,031 gas lamps, for which we
now pay $31.75 each, a total Of SOC, 234;
% arc lamps already in place, costing
$3.50 each, total of $4,200 and 200 gaso-
line lamps, costing $11.75 each, a total
of 1882. The grand total of the cost
of these lights under existing condi-
tons is $1027S6. If electric lights can
be substituted at $75 each, the saving
would be $780, coo annually. This is the
encouraging result of the investigation,
bearing out the estimates which we
have previously made AS matter of
economy, the change is both desirable
ment, securing better light for our
streets, it ought to be welcome for it's
own sake
How, now, can these advantages be
lights furnished to the city at a cost
of $75 per year, it will be necessary to
get competition. No man and no cor
poration is likely to bid that figure,
even though it leaves a good margin OF
profit, except under the stress of COM
petition. A comparison of it with the
$3.50 per light which is now charged
shows what will happen if the people
der. The restriction of the charter
which forbids the city to make a con-
tract for longer term than one year
stands in the way. Capital is 10th to
chinery and other appliances, and take
the chance of being thrown out at the
end of twelve months. The ST Paul
Gas Light company is able to cover
the entire territory. No other concern
at present doing business here can do
so. Therefore, in order that there may
be more than enc bidder, the plan of
the board of public works proposes that
the city shall be divided into four dis
tricts, and that bids be invited for
each of these separately as well as
for all of them together.
These districts are shown upon the
map appearing on another page of the
G b e. The first comprises the
northeastern and northern portion of
the city, beyond Seventh street The
second includes the main business sec
ton, up to Wabasha street, running
over into West st. Paul. The third