Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-02-06
Chenpcr Hluminants.

10 Inc Editor OF Inc Evening Star:
A prominent attorney of Washington, in
commenting on the article in The Star On
the very successful result of the municipal
ownership of the gas supply in Hamilton,
Ohio, where a large sinking fund has been
created before it is needed, with gas at only
eighty cents, remarked that twin evil of
the illumination situation in Washington is
the electric light supply. He said his gas
bills had become so large that he formed
the habit OF visiting the meter every 1norn-
ing and recording, on large piece Of blank
cardboard which hung alongside the con-
sumption for the day before. He then
turned the supply off Cor the day. The re-
suit was, he said, that his bills shrank I'M
til they hardly ever exceed IS, less than
half what they were. Then he put in four
electric light incandescent lamps, and his
bill for last month was within a few cents
of 49, or 81 per light per month. AS the
electric light company has a meter no one
not an expert can read, ne says he has no
check on the size of the bills.
The solution of this electric light problem
lies along the line Of the solution of the
gas problem-municipal ownership As
showing how the question has been very
successfully attacked elsewhere, ask you
to allow me to call attention to an extract
from a very interesting article in Electro
cal Engineering for September last:
Improved engineering skill makes it pos
sible to so construct an electric lighting
plant that cost of operation and mainten-
Hence it is only reasonable TO look for a re-
duction in the rates many cities are paying
for the illumination of the streets. This
was shown in marked degree some
months ago at Springfield, H., where for
ten years past a local lighting company
held the contract for street illumination at
S137 year for arc lighting on the NOON
light schedule. 1900 hours yearly, or more
than cents an hour per 40 Watt arc lamp
of nominal 1000 candle power. When the
contract expired, the city offered a new
contract at a lower rate. This being re-
fused, the advisability OF the city owning
lighting plant was agitaIed, but investi-
cation showed that the city had incurred
about the full amount of deot permitted by
law. Negotiations were again opened with
the old company and an APPROPRIATION Of
S113 per light authorized by the city. But
before a contract was entered into, a num-
Der of public-spirited citizens banded to-
gether and advanced the funds necessary
to erect a complete electric lighting plant,
including station, machinery, pole line etc.,
and on it's completion this band of citizens
leased this plant to two of their number,
who will operate it for five years, receiving
payment on a basis of $50 per lamp per
year. But the citizens company will re-
ceive from the city the full amount appro-
priated, namely, S113 per lamp per year on
five-year contract. Now the difference
between s113 and $50 is $53, and this amount
per lamp will constitute sinkin, fund that
in about five years will equal the cost of
the plant, including interest on the invest
ment- From the sinking fund the citizens
company will reimburse themselves for
principal and interest, and then present to
the city, free of debt and without price. a
completely equipped lighting plant with
which the city may not only light its
streets at cost, but also supply current to
private consumers"
Washington, with her cheap water DOW
er, is in a peculiarly favorable position to
repeat this successful experiment and give
the whole country an object lesson in cheap
and good illumination.
c. NJ. CAMPBELL.