New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-04-13
PRETTY FIGHT COMING.
,,or1rs OF ELEcrRIC-L1GHTING PLANTS
IN DANGER.
DING COMPANIES FACED BY NEW RIVAL
WHICH HAS SWEEPING CHARTER AND 10
NOT IN THE BUSINESS FOR FUN


n.,,cg HAS A SWEEPING CHARTER AND IS
NOT IN THE BUSINESS FOR FUN
.r,a nowers that WERE" in Willoughoy-st..
,,kelv 10 DE fustered financially at an early
80. The old ring is largely interested IN the
.,.,.c,nal and Citizens electric light companies,
~.,rh have had a monopoly Of the lighting OF the
.,,v streets up to the present time. The iran
lies az the Municipal covers the Eastern DIS
,,lct only. that Of the Citizens covers the west
.rr District only and neither OF the franchises
.overs the new wards. Just here the long-fought-
- State Electric Light and Power Company
80 IN and appears 10 have neatly euchred
ore old ring companies. A. the last meeting OF
,,s BOARD Of Aldermen Of 1895 the company Sc
.rrea an exceedingly broad franchise whlch not
~. .overs the new wards but the entire city,
,-resnsc,ive Of the franchises already held by
.be Municipal and Citizens companies THESE
nou getting so cents a lamp for lighting the
,.,,. .,reets with what are called 1900 candle
or LIGHTS Electricians however say that
.,ov are really Of between 900 and 400 candle
nover and cost the city IN reality 81 80 for 1.2Oo
,a,enower The franchise OF the state Com
nanv only allows II to charge at the rate of so
ort. q lamp Of 1900 candle-power. OF course
,,s.s lamps will not be any better than those OF
,,s other companies. but figuring on the same
tss. the same amount Of light that now costs
81 80 a lamp will be furnished by the State Com
ronv for a. smaller figure. This Is the principal
reason why the ring companies made such bit
for fight against the new concern and crippled
II for such length OIL time.
The Edison Company is said to have been
Obliged to pay $4,000 for the privilege of being
taken into the combination. The Edison Com
ali,- abs he (,ifizenS'
and was recognized ring company. All
three fought off the granting Of franchise to
The State Company for years Just how the lat
ter succeeded in getting its franchise through
will probably never be known, but well-informed
people say that some members Of the old Board
OF Aldermen had vivid pictures Of prison life
painted to them before the franchise was granted.
Finally one was badly frightened and brought
others over to granting the franchise. This is
50 wide and loose, that It is said to ask for the
laying OF only one mile Of underground conduits
year, which badly handicaps the other COM
panies. The State Company has already made
a contract to light the elevated roads and will
probably get permission to string Its wires along
them
II s said that the State Electric Light and
Power Company will begin active operations In
the coming week. Not only does 1t propose to
light the new warns where the old companies
cannot 90, because of the restrictions in their
franchises, but 1t will compete with them all over
the city, so that they will have to come down to
the same price 30 cents lamp.
The profits electric lighting are enormous.
Some years ago attempt was made. in the
interests Of the ring conpa niles, to get resolu
Ton passed by the Common Council authorizing
the lighting Of Prospect Park The Anchor
Steamship Company then leased Prentices stores.
Let nd
piers and the ferry company with lights from
Its own plant. Captain Hawley was superin-
tendent at the time and he said to the writer:
We have Inquired down the cost Of our lights
very closely and have no doubt. judging from
our own experience. that lights can be furnished
similar to the arc lights now in use, for 10 cents
lamp. AS a matter Of fact we are supplying to
the Union Ferry Company arc lamps similar TO
those furnished TO the city for 20 cents a lamp
and need not tell you that we are not in the
business for love but to make money. II were
given the plant would not ask any salary II
had the contract to light Prospect Park at 1871
cents a lamp. So you see how much money
there Is in the scheme for the electric light
pany that will secure the franchise If 1t is
granted"
The franchise was not granted for some reason
or other. probably because the scheme was a
little too transparent. Captain Hawley at that
time had a salary Of 5000 a year from the
Anchor Line. and yet he would be willing to
throw II up and undertake TO light the park for
l2h cents a lamp, the plant being put up. At
that time the price paid by the city was so cents
Z lamp OF course the State people are not in
the business for fun any more than the Anchor
Line was but the reduction Of SO 1-3 per cent on
the cost Of lighting the city is good thing IN
itself There Is no philanthropy about the mat
ter and the company does not propose to give
loo candle power lamp for 80 cents any more
man the old ring companies give one FOR 90 cents
but It promises to give Tor the former sum
lamp equal TO that now In USE which costs the
taxpayers just 80 cents night.
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