The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-12-31
THE cITYS ELECTRIC LIGHTS.
THEY WILL COsF $4,000 A YEAR
HEREAFTER.


The Deal with the Brush Electric
lighting Company Considered n
Good Thing-A Reduction From
500 to $72 Per Light Per Year Sc
curcd-Thc City TO Have 500 EIec-
tric Lights by March 1.-THE Com
tract for Five Years With the OPP
ton of Another Term of Five
Years.
The contract of the city with the Brush
Electric Light and Power Company for
lighting the city for The next five years
at the rate of $72 per annum per light will
be signed to-day by the mayor and the
representatives, of the Brush company.
The reduced price for lights is to go into
effect Jan. l. and the company is to be
in readiness to furnish the 500 lights re-
CURED by the contract by March l. The
work of rearranging the system for the in
creased number of lights viii begin at
once. The plan prepared by the commits
eioner of public works and used in secur-
ing the estimates for the construction of
city lighting plant will be followed.
The city now has Sls lights. The new
system will give an increase of 1874 lights.
The pan to be followed provides additional
lights in the business section, as well as
giving more lights to the residence district
and extending the service to the southern
section.
The contract is generally looked
upon by those who have con
sidered the matter as good
thing, both for the city and the company,
The city secures the lights which it needs
al a much reduced figure, probably lower
than is enjoyed by any city of the same
size in the country while the Brush COM
pany is saved the competition Of a munic-
ipal light plant and the loss of the city
Lighting.
The contract is for five years with the
option on the part of the city to renew for
another five years, should it see fit to do
so. Practically it means a ten-year con-
tract for both parties, as the Brush COM
pany, being assured of the city's business,
is certain to keep abreast of the time and
If new improvements in electric lighting
machinery make it possible to furnish
lights at less cost than at present the COM
pany will be in position to give the city
the benefit of the new improvements and
continue its contract with profit to itself.
Mayor Meldrim, when seen yesterday, ex-
pressed himself as very much pleased with
the outcome of the discussion of municipal
lighting versus lighting by private corpor-
alton.
I'VE have secured a very satisfactory
contract" he said. "a reduction of SIS
per light is a matter of no small impor-
lance. Personally was disposed from the
first towards a municipal lighting plant.
1 believe now that if a plant could be
secured, established and operated under
the best conditions that it would prove a
good investment for the city. On the
other hand there was the evil of political
control with the practical certainty that
such a department could not escape such
control and political control means. ex-
travagance, mismanagement and some
times worse. The first cost of the plant
was not the main consideration. The cost
of operation and the care and maintenance
of the plant were the main points to be
considered and it was on these points
that there might be woful failure. All
things considered 1 think we have done
we'll"
The budget for 1898 contains an appro-
priation of $4,000 for electric lights This
amount will have to be increased If the
city gets the benefit of the full 500 lights.
AT the reduced price of $72
each 500 lights will amount
to $4,000 per annum. AT the present
price of 800 per lamp per annum, The cost
of 500 lights would be $4,000. Besides the
arc lights the city uses tncandescent lights
to the amount of $1,000 to $1,000 per year.
The city lighting is no small item in the
domestic housekeeping, but the people de-
mand that the city shall be well lighted
and it is doubtless as wise an expenditure
of public money as any in the category Of
public expenditures