The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1896-09-10
LET THERE
BE LIGHT.
One Hundred Arc Lights On
Kansas Avenue
From Fourth to Tenth Would
Light It Brightly
FOR FALL FESTIVAL
Some Figures ON What It
Would Cost.
Some Kind of Lighting Must Be
Provided For.
FOR FALL FESTIVAL.

One of the most important matters
Of the Fall Festival and one that very
little has been done with is that Of il
Elimination.
On ordinary nights Kansas avenue is
only fairly well Illuminated. On the
nights of the Fall Festival the ordina-
~ illuminations will appear very tame
indeed. We should have brilliant light.
Some time ago it was proposed by the
Topeka club to illuminate one block as
distinctly Topeka club feature on
Kansas avenue. The idea was to use
100 arc lights and 500 incandescent
lights
After the electric light companies had
given their prices on it for five days
the club dropped the matter. The price
seemed too large, and the club thought
the effect would be undesirable unless
the whole street could be lit.
1t is positive, however, that something
in that line will have to be done or
people who expect to get views Of the
night parades will be disappointed.
G. R. Maunsell of the Edison company
has made an estimate of the cost oe il
illuminating Kansas avenue or at least
of lighting it a great deal better than
it is now lighted, from Fourth to Tenth
streets during the Festival and Reun-
ion.
When I was in Chicago some little
time ago. he said, 4 called on the Ed
isOn company there and made arrange
mentS to rent 100 arc lamps. All ours
are out and it would be out of the Ques-
Il cannot get more than 100 lights be-
cause our plant will not stand it. We
can't get the current.
I'VE will put these up and run them
four hours for five nights, from seven
o'clock to eleven o'clock on Monday,
Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and
Friday evenings of the Fall Festival
for $575. This of course includes the
entire thing, putting in extra poles
that will be necessary, putting up the
lights, wiring, lighting and keeping.
r1I
Il viii even do better than that. for
If we can secure the 100 lights in this
way and get the cash in advance for
them we viii mako it an even $500 and
call 1t square at that.
IF you put the 100 lights in six blocks
you will have eight lights to the block
on each side of the street.
However, If you put them in five
blocks say from Fourth to Ninth, you
will have ten to the block on each side
of the street.
IF you use only four blocks, say from
Fifth to Ninth, you will have y lights
to the block on each side of the street.
'AI this is at the same price.
Il have made several attempts to get
the business men to take hold of this
but they have already spent. so much
on the Fall Festival that while they
admit illumination is needed they say
they cannot afford it.
In the two or three blocks where the
big firms are it viii be no trouble to
get lights taken but further than that
that any set of men or a club or society
could be induced to do it. Perhaps the
Topeka club might be induced to put
5000 into it and reduce the cost to Tner-
chants.
There is another possible considera-
ton and that is that the city might be
induced to furnish the circuit for these
lights. In that event we would be will
ling to take off 1.50 per lamp we to do
all but furnish the circuit. To do this
however, the city would be compelled
to cut out all of the outlying lights and
turn it's current into the extras on Kan
sas avenue"
According to Mr.. MaunselTs estima-
ted possibilities, if the Topeka club
would give 5000 and the city would give
the current the cost would be but S1.50
per light to the merchants.
The lights, Mr.. MaunseIl says, will be
on poles and the poles can be draped
and wires hung like festOOns from pole
to pole and draped. Draping with coll
ored incandescent lights the length of
the circuit would be out of the question
because of the cost.
It will be necessary, Mr. Maunseu
says, to settle the question within a
week. It might be added too that If the
contract is made to have the arc lights
put up, the Edison company ought to
donate an arc of red, white and blue
incandescent lights as its contribution
to the show.
How about that. Messrs. Edison COM
pany?