Little Falls weekly transcript. (Little Falls, Morrison Co., Minn.) 1894-19??, 1896-07-10
THE LIGHT QUESTION.
History Of the Controversy
Over the Street Lighting
z.z. 49,. Business. =, ...
A General, Demand for Some
Settlement of the Problem
Soon. &

For over a month the city has been
without street lights, but fortunately
it has been during the time of the
naturally lightest evenings OF the
year. VIVA tever the merits of tue
case are on either side. there is no
question bur the overwhelming
majority OF the people desire an ad-
.iustment OT the matter that will
result in again lighting the streets of
the city. m.
A brief statement Of the prO''eed-
ings If the council and Co up to this
: time is not now out OF place. On
February 3, 1896, the council passed
Il resolution annulling the arc light
contracts under which the Electric q
Water company was supplying
twen ty-yix arc lights at $20S per
month. The resolution did not go
into effrc! until some time in March,
SO the first bill for arc lighting that
was rejected was April-1hc bill
being rejected at the May meeting.
Meanwhile Il citizens committee had
recommended that the amount paid
the Electric & Water company he
reduced to $4,000, and that some
temporary arrangement he made
bet wern the city and company TO
continue the services pending any
litigation over the contracts. lhe
contract for hvdrant rental had also
been annulled by the city council.
At the above May meeting Mr.. Rer-
key, OF the Electric & Water com
pany, proposed that 4 temporary
agreement he made pending the trial
of any suits Alderman Martin
stated that the citX's special at
1 torlry. MIR: Calhoun, advised that
B MS sstemlioriary ii &reeintllt Ut stle;
made without pr'jndicing the cIty's
ease in conrt. The council then re-
uuested Mr. Calhoun t., be present at
the next meeting, and the discussion
was dropped until Il meeting OF the
council May Sat which Mr. Calhoun
was present He there stated plain
ly that Il Temporary arrangement
could be made for the cOmpuny'S
services without pltjudicing the case
either way in cOart 1t was at that
time plainly understood that ut the
next regular meeting, or earlier. the
city and company would agree ON Il
temporary arr angement. 1T the
June 6 meeting Mr.. Berkey appeared
and asked what kend of a tenn mpOrary
arrangement could be made. and
was informed by the council that no
temporary agreement would he
made. AS part of the temporary
agreement Mr. sBerkey offered to
furnish the twenty-six arc lights for
$3.50 month: alderman Martin
stated that ON the advice ot the
special counsel he was opposed to
any temporary agreement.
That was directly opposite to the
previous" understanding, and the
matter was then dropped, and the
street lights were put out.
The council had continued to pay
the hydrant rental, but 1t was
understood that it was for the
reason that proper notices had not
been served ON the company. The
suit over the breaking Of the light
contract was not begun, as 1t was
expected that the hydrant rental
would also be rejected, and then
both suits could be conducted at the
same time. 1t now appears that
the council will not reject the hy-
drant rem tai bills, as the one for June
was paid at the July meeting. I'D
At the July meeting a petition
was presented signed by most
of the business men asking
the council to make some
arrangement for street lighting, and
q representative OF a number of tax
payers urged the council and COM
pany to agree ON some business
basis, and have the streets lighted.
Therefore the beginning of the suit
will be delayed for short time.
One of the grounds taken by Alder
man Martin is that nOagreement for
street lighting will be made until
the company abandons it's old,
contract and admits it's illegality.
TO any business man that position
is certainly unreasonable and unfair.
The company has issued it's bonds.
secured on it's property and it's con-
TRACTS, and it is in honor and duty
bound to protect it's title to property
and the validity of contracts. If a
decision shows any contract to he
invalid, then the company is not to
blame. But the company cannot
and will not voluntarily admit that