The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-03-21
LIGHTING AMERICAN CITIES.
II Costs n Good Deal Moro 10 Keep the Streets
Lighted Thnn Might he supposed.

~ - W V H@ohO ~ Z INV
Lighted Than Might He Supposed.
Tho cost of street lighting in New York city
for the year 1897 will be in excess of 81. $50. 900.
Tho specific appropriation for this item is
81, 900, s21, to which are to be added sundries,
which will probably bring It up TO the total
named. Philadelphia spends even moro than
docs tho city of New York in a year for lighting
its streets and alleyways, the total expense
being $420. 900 for gas and $647, 900 this year for
electricity. These items collectively do not foot
up TO so much as New York pays. but whilo New
York gets Its supply OF gas from seven different
companies. and its electricity for lighting from
ten. different companies, Philadelphia owns Its
own gas plant, and since 1858 has had entire
control of 1t. To the money actually disbursed
for gas, therefore, must be added in the case Of
Philadelphia a reasonable interest upon the
original Investment and some account must DO
made of the public property used for the works.
l, Ghisa gb,s sSr i / M @ "a Xsfir nd STaGin;9DS isr sU Eas
OF her streets, the major portions OF which are
uppaved roads separated from the buildings
In the mud. Boston Is an American city, which,
In proportion to its population and area, makes
generous pr1yislon for P snan oo in,l,I nr IN.
$4,000, for electric y nt IIEhtingg E. Z 2 Ro total %nG 81 ss@o;;
population, practically; and Of about tho same
area. DhlllHloT6 bponnb III u year P-Ao'Uuo VI
gas and $l4o,0 900 for electric current Cincin,
natl spends In a year. R2O0. 900 for gas and
R75. o o for electric lighting. The area Of Gin
clnnHti is about tho Same as that OF Boston.
ami about one-half of tho present area Of New
York, Wakefield and the Bronx Valley villages
included. II Is IA fact, not known to some OF the
most Jealous and ardent Of tho Good GOVERN
ment Club reformers, that the annexed villages
on tho Bronx are lighted with neither gas nor
electricity, hut with naphtha lamps. These
lamps are not, expensive: neither Is the naphtha
used IN them, but the distance between lamps L.
such that tho travelling expenses or mileage OF
those intrusted with the task OF communicative
fiame to tho wicks Is II considerable item OF exc
pensc. San Francisco eXpends In u year $500
900 for public III Elimination, both gas and electric
Ivy, and ST. Louis a like amount, In Pittsburgh
the advantages OF natural gas have been utilized
OF lato years. and the expense for public illnnl-
inRtiOn IL 1880. 900. In brooklyn 1t is $500, 900
q 90, 900 tor gas and $3.50, 900 for electric cur
rent. Washington, the local affairs Of which
Nre under control Of the Federal Government
! ana sablcct 10 nets of Congress, spends IN n year
for electric lighting $l75,O 600. 81. Paul, Mimi,
cxpends as much and New Orleans $295,O 900.
Two American cities which show a distinct
partially for electricity as a means OF public
illumination are Denver and Detroit, and there
are, practically, no cities which have not utilized,
20 some extent, the benefits of electricity.
Buffalo expends in q year $500, 600 for purposes
of illumination, and as tho area OF tho city IL
small 1t should DO one Of the best lighted Of
| American cities.