The times., 1897-05-01
LIGHTING UP The STREETS
Bids for Furnishing Electric Are
Lamps Opened.
Differences in the Offers of Two
Rival Companies Aggregate
About $4,000 Per Annum.

The bids submitted to the Commission
ers for furnishing electric arc lamps for
street lighting in this city were opened
at the District building yesterday. There
were but two bidders, and these the
rival companies whose previous compe-
tition has excited SO much interest and
whose discussions have extended over
the past year before the Commissioners,
the Congressiona committees and the
public.
The result OF yesterdays bidding was
a surprise TO all interested, and upon the
surface OF affairs seems to have placed
the Potomac Electric Power Company at
disadvantage, not only in that part of
the city east of Rock Creek, and in
which it SO recently established conneo-
tions at great expense, but in the terri
tory west Of Rock Creek, also.
The hid OF the Potomac Electric Power
Company was atthe maximum rate, S91 20
per lamp per annum, allowed by law. This
bid was all the lamps on its old lines, west
OF the creek, aud its connections, east.
The proposal of the United States Com
pany was also at the maximum rate,
$91.25 pei annum on all of the lamps
the company is now lighting, but there
was a radical reduction elsewhere On
all OF the streets where arc lights are in
use west OF Rock Greek, the bid of the
United States Company was $25 per lamp
perannun: for the lamps between jefferson
place and Madison place, ON the north
side OF Pennsylvania avenue, S25 per lamp
per annu,n: for all On the norrh side of
New York avenue, between Thirteenth and
Fourteenth streets, S25 per lamp per
annum: for two lamps on the coRer Of
II and Thirteenth streets, so each per
year; for all others now supplied by the
Potomac Electric Power Company, $50
per lamp per annum, with sLipula tion
that the Commissioners shall furnish to the
United States Electric Lighting Company
duct room free of charge in the conduits
laid by the Potomac Company, and which
are understood by the competing company
to be under the control OF the District,
by contract, for the placing therein OF any
electric cable 90 be used for public service
The effect of this bidor the United States
Company which most concerns the public,
probably, is the saving that will be made
in case of its acceptance by the Commits
sionerS.
The difference between its offer and that
made by the Potomac Company is in some
instances STi.2 per lamp; in others $40 %
per lamp. or an aggregate of over 81 900
per annum. Fer this sum, it is said, about
1890 new lamps may be established in
other sections Of the city.
The basis of the claim OF the reservation
of ducts in the Potomac conduits, to which
the United States Company referred, was
in the published declarations by the presi-
dent of the Potomac Company and others
when the controversy over the present con-
tract was carried before the committees
of Congress. One Of these, made by Presi-
dent Crosby, was, in substance that two
ducts had been reserved in his conduits
for the use of the District. When asked
for what purpose they were TO be re-
served he is said to have replied: sFor
any purpose TO which the Commissioners
choose To put tthem,' or words OF that i'm
port
He is said to have gone further and
stated that should the Commissioners de-
sire to introduce electric light wires in
the reserved ducts they had the right to
do So. even with the wires of another
company, but that the reservation was
particularly with the view that the Dis
trict might eventually own an electric
plant
President Crosby is said to have been
seconded by Commissioner Truesden and
ex-Comrnissioner Powell.
1t is understood the United States Com
pany has the printed executive documents
which contain these statements, broadly
made, and that the officers of the COM
pany, In making the offer quoted, are dis
posed to throw upon the Commissioners
the responsibility of saying whether or lot
these ducts may now be used for cheapen-
ing the cost of supplying lights along the
thoroughfares designated. They will claim
that the ducts were dedicated" to the
city. which. in the matter OF donating
grounds for street purposes, is @ strong
word. that admits of no recession after the
title is once thus acquired by the District.
In other words, the party who dedicates
has not the right to reclaim the property
without the consent of the people of the
District
The Commissioners have, of course, done
nothing in the matter. The bids are not
yet officially before them, as each OF them
said yesterday afternoon. They were
opened, but the report of the committee is
not yet ready for submission. That there
will be contest over the matter is antici-
pated, and the two rivals in the electric
field have shown staying qualities in q
fight such as seems TO be promised.
There were other bids opened yesterday
These were: For 1000 naphtha lamps,
Washington Lighting Company, $3.50
per lamp per annum; Pennsylvania Globe
Company. same. $50 per lamp; Washington
Gaslight Company, same, $50 per lamp;
Georgetown Gaslight Company, same. $50
per lamp For fncandescent lighting. 20
tomac Electric Power Company, $50 per
lamp per annum. These latter lamps are
confined to the territory west OF Rock
Greek aud are few In number.