The Portland daily press., 1896-11-03
OUR STREET LIGHTING.
Subject Of Consideration by City
Fathers.
ARGUMENTS BY MESSRS. BIRD,
JORDAN AND OTHERS.

The Consolidated Electric Light Company
Urges a Ten-Year Contract-Other City
Business Transacted.
The regular monthly meeting of the
city government was held last evening.
The principal business WAS the consider.
alton of the report of the committee on
lighting, which was submitted at the
previous meeting and tabled for printing.
This report was published in the PRESS
at the time. In view of the fact that q
number Of gentlemen were present who
were inter ested in the question. Alder.
man Ilsiey suggested that the two
branches go into joint convention to con-
slider the report.
When the convention had assembled,
II on. George e. Bird appeared to repre-
sent the Consolidated Electric Lighting
company. He said:
The Consolidated Electric Light and
Power company come before you with
three propositions tor pro, iding the city
with electric lighting; one to furnish the
city with electric lights for one year, for
i've years and for ten years. The more
favora BILE rats Ia that provided in th6
ten year contract the rate per arc lamp
and series lamps of 20 candle power be-
ing $40, and the rate for the series lam ps
of 81 candle power being 500 less. than
costs the acceptance of the ten year
proposition made by it not only az mani
testify for the benefit of the city but also
as more favorable to itself. 1t is, al
though at first sight it may appear
otherwise, proper that the company
should have an opportunity to give it
reasons for preferring the ten year cons
tract.
The history of the electric lighting
business in this city will, perhaps, aid in
rendering the position Of the company
mora READILY understood.
The first attempt to introduce electric
lighting in Portland was made about the
year 1S79-the Arnoux and Hochhausen
system being adopted. The engine used
WAS inferior In build and power and the
other appliances soon became Anticipated
In the race nf invention. Its rights and
property were acquired by the Arnoux
Electric Light company organized in
1889.
The same year, later, saw the organiza-
ton of Arnoux Electric Light and Power
company of Maine, which In turn &C.
quired the property and business of the
earlier corporation. 1t sold the engine
previously In use and purchased another
OF greater power and renewed other parts
of the old plant. Other compaies and
concerns had been engaged III electric
lighting but inadequate returns and the
great expense of business drove them
from the field. In 1883, the present COM
pany was organized and purchased the
rights and property OF the Arnoux
Electric Light and Power company. 1t
was found necessary to Immediately re-
v,1o all kk, e Al
old company, putting In seven high speed
engines of fifty horse power each and
twslve tIs) dynamos Of twenty-five (25)
capacity and two Edison Municipal
dynamos of $50 light capacity eaob,
wh1cha latter were put In to enable the
| company to fulfill it's contract then made
with the city for municipal lighting.
Three years later the twelve 90 light
dynamos were replaced by twelve light
dynamos. In 1892, the whole plant was
reconstructed and all the engines and
dynamos taken out and replaced by five
100 horse power engines and ten so light
aro dynamos. In all these changes the
old engines and machinery were disposed
of for little or nothing, such during this
period was the rapid Announcements made
In electrical invention. One instance
Municipal dynamos and the lights used
with them. Their cost in 1888 was the
sum of S82, 600. The amount realized
from their sale in 1892 was $500. Up to
this time these Edison machines consti
tuting that part of the plant used for
Municipal lighting and for no other pur-
pose, in no year showed profit, but on
the con trary a decided loss.
In seventeen years of electric lighting
in this CITY, the companies engaged have
earned and declared dividends only for
about seven years of the time and at a
rate never exceeding 8 per cent in any
year.
When it is considered that there is a
liability, never absent. for damages to
persons and property from the highly
dangerous nature of the force employed.
a constant risk Of injury to its owl poles
wires, dynamos and other appliances
from storms, ice, and lightning, that the
depreciation is rapid, while new inven-
tlons are constantly impairing the value
OF its machinery, these dividends seem
but meagre income for the capital In
vested,
The fixed charges of the company are
Large; For GOAL it pays annually about
$50. 600. The cost the present season at
the wharf on board the vessel was "a. 80
per ton, to which should be added 80
cents for handling at the wharf and
wharfage making So. 10, carriage to the
works and loss In handling make 46 cents
more, thus bringing the cost per ton at
the fire-room to S3.65. Labor. The per-
manent force of the company 10 thirty
men, which is freoently increased for
temporary purposes to 25 or 80 per cent.
The pay roll Is about $50, 600. Misoel-
laneous supplies about SIS, 900. All, or
substantially all, of this expenditure Is
made in the city Of Portland. Among
other expenses not already included Is
the item of taxss-$2000 per annum, COL
lected by the city. 1t should be noted
that in case contract Is awarded to
parties generating the current in a
nsighboring town and delivering it at
the city line, these disbursements would
be made elsewhere and the taxes COL
lected by another municipality.
From an examination of the schedule
of rates paid By various cities for lights
OF 1900 candle power contained in the ad-
BILE report of the committee of this
body, 1t Is found that some of the prices
for lighting every night and all night
are much lower than others, but many of
these are known, and all are supposed to
be cases where the motive power ia
water. 1t should be observed, however.
that the average price is &c., Many Of
this concerns arc known to be doing at a
loss businessl to which they are bound
by improvident contracts. NJ est of these
companies furnishing light by water
power. have no auxiliary ctaor, ro-o,