The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1896-11-07
Let There BE Light.
To the Editor Of the Press:

Noting the reports of the last two
meetings Of the city government in re-
gard to electric lighting and the state
ments that haveSbeen made which no
one else has seen fit to take up, the
writer being tax payer considers 1t his
privilege to call attention to some of the
statements and PROFOUND few questions
which he hopes the city government will
consider before making contract of any
kind with the local company.
First-How many of the stores Of this
city are at present lighted by electric
irY.
second-Where and on what streets are
they located?
Third-Why is 1t that no more are
lighted that way.
Fourth-How many residences are
lighted by electricity, on what streets.
&c.f
Fifth-How many offices are lighted by
electricity, where located, &c.P
Now as matter of fact. this city is
not one-quarter lighted by this very de-
sirable method, and it is not because the
lights are not wanted either,it is because
the cost is too great, the prices are too
high. 1t is the same with power. Hun
dreds of manufacturers wanting from
one ID to 100 h. p. would adopt cleo
tricity If 1t were not too expensive, but
it is not the fault of the local company
that they do not furnish power from a
steam plant as cheap an it can be fur
nished by water power, but it may lie
said to be their fault if they do not
furnish power from water power at
lower cost when it Is to be had at a cost
that Is less than one-half what the same
power costs produced by steam. 1t has
been rumored that power has been offered
to this company at rates that would ad-
NIT of their making very different rates
than they are now making. but they will
neither do anything themselves nor let
anyone else do anything. If there is a
company that is ready to invest thou-
sands of dollars in bringing in cheap
water power for the use of our citizens,
and it is very manifest that this is the
only possible way cheap power can ever
be had either for manufactures or light
ing, it would seem to be very unwise
and injudicious proceeding for this city
to give it cold shoulder. 1t should be
encouraged by every possible means.
Now, let us consider what the advantage
would be and, for the sake of argument,
let US make it 1000 p. that can be mar
keted at the rate of $50 per b. p. This
would be about the average, large users
getting 1t at about $40 per h. .. and
smaller users at $50 per h. p. This,
as we understand, would be Mr.. Peter
son g rates, and Ia less than 1t can be
produced By any steam power plant
where coal Is as high MS 1t Is here and all
has to be oarted at that. Six cents per b.
D. hour Is the rate of the local company.
that would be gu cents per day per b.
r., 300 days per year $50, while at Mr..
Peterson's rate $50 per year for small u.s.
ers would leave $3.50 difference for every
such user of single b. p. if all were
charged at this rate, on the 1000 b. D. the
difference would be quite enormous, OF
1920, 600 year, but such would not he
the case, but we will set figure that ia
surely inside the limit and place it at
800 average and Mr.. Petersun's price
$50 average b. p., which no one can dis,
pute, and this would make an actual
saving of $50, 0)0 a year to the manufaot
uring interests Of Portland, and If any
one can conceive of any better scheme TO
build up Portland than to encourage the
bringing In of cheap power we should Xix
to know what it is.
But the above is saying nothing of