The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1896-12-11

Common Councilman Noone, of the
Eighteenth ward, believes the city
should own and conduct an electric
light plant. He took the first step last
night in common council meeting by
introducing an ordinance which was
referred without debate to the light
and water committee.
Mr.. NoOne's ordinance provides for
increasing the city debt to the amount
OF $2OO,OOO for the purpose of purchas-
Ing land, erecting the necessary build
ings and equipping them with the ne
ccssary apparatus and machinery. The
funds are to he raised by an issue OF
city bonds, the question to be submit
ted to the city's electors at the next
elo ction on the third Tuesday Of Febru-
any.
Mr.. Noone is sanguine of the even
tuai success of his idea. To Tribune
reporter he said:
TT now costs the city about $4,000
per year for electric light and this
large sum has been for years gradual
ly increasing and will continue to in
crease. | have Investigated the mat
ter carefully and have the opinions
of competent electrical engineers that
the city can maintain a fully equipped
plant for from $4,000 to $4,000 per
year, which includes labor. fuel, cur
rent materials and repairs.
1 ht S-Vo'oVV tStliildttu tDSt IncluueS
poles. wire, arc and incandescent
lamps and in fact every detail neces-
sary to complete plant. Hardly a
meeting Of either branch of councils
takes place without an objection from
one or more councilmen to the rapidly
increasing expenditure for lights. The
corporations now furnishing light are
certainly making profit, and there's
no reason why the city shouldn't econ
tI hnt hnt
is. l figure that the saving will be at
least $4,000 and more likely 100000 the
first year and that the sum will in
crease rapidly thereafter.
NOONE IS SANGUINE.
mo, the project is not new to me. I
have delayed presenting an ordinance
until now in order to engage the inter-
est of councilmen and others who will
support the measure. When it is con-
sidered by Chairman Gilroy and
Messrs. McGrail. Gordon and Keller
of the light and water committee. of
which | also am member, | believe
that none of them will oppose favor
able report"
When Mr.. Noone presented the or
dinance and moved 1t be referred to
committee, he included in the motion
that If the committee decided tO'report
faVOrably the measure be printed and
presented for action next Thursday
night. The motion was so made i'm or
der to lose no time, as but little over
two months intervenes between now
and election day, and the ordinance
provides that the question to be sub
mtted to popular vote must be adver-
tised at least thirty days before cleo
tion.
No specifications are attached to the
measure. 1t contains no reference to
poles, wires or machinery, those requi
sites being included In the words me-
cessary appliances and apparatus
In connection with Mr.. Noone's or
dinanco there was a pertinent signin-
canoe in the debate preceding the de-
feat on third reading of an ordinance
fathered by Mr.. Zeidler and providing
for an electric light on the south side of
Mulberry street at the junction of Oak
ford court. Captain Moir, of the Ninth;
Mr.. Keller. of the Seventeenth, and Mr..
flanaghan. of the Eighth wards, were
warm in their opposition to supporting
this or any future ordinances provid-
ing for new electric lights except at the
now unlighted corners and then only
when such lights We're absolutely neccs-
sary and generally demanded. Any
future light ordinances would be closely
examined and not favored unless they
related to outlying wards where the
need of lights was not questioned.
They argued that Scranton on account
of its great spread of territory i'm pro-
portion to its population was paying
more for lights, comparatively, than q
large majority of cities.
ASPHALT REPAIR PLANT