The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1897-09-10
ncandescent lights, all night sched-

|
ule, provided the rates on gas
for private consumers be re-
duced from $3.50 per 1000 feet to
$500, with discount of five per cent
for bills below 5000 cubic feet, ten
per cent for bills over 5000 cubic feet,
and fifteen per cent where gas is used
for fuel, and provided that incandes-
cent lights be furnished to private
consumers at fifteen cents per 1000
watts.
Aid. Fritz moved the adoption of
the resolution.
Aid. Zimmerman said that another
J company had bid lower, when bids
were advertised for. 1t is customary
everywhere to award contracts to the
lowest bidders. When there is COM
petition there will be reduced prices
for commercial lighting. Compett-
tion in telephones had brought down
the rates, and it is so in everything.
Aside from bringing about competi-
tion, the city has nothing to do with
commercial lighting.
Aid. Peterson said that he did not
know anything about watts, and he
did not think any alderman was
capable of voting on it. Competition
in sprinkling had brought the price
down from 80 to Is cents ger 100 feet.
1t is SO in every line of business. The
new lighting company had come here
in good faith and should be treated
fairly. The court had awarded the sale
OF the Glass Block stock to the best
honest bid, and it should be so here.
Attorney w. L. ComstOck appeared
for the new company and said that
the council has no right under the
law to 60 beyond public business. 1t
might even weaken the validity of a
contract to tack on the commercial
lighting. There is nothing on the
face OF the resolution TO show
economy for the public. 1t is going
dangerously beyond the duties of the
council. All sorts of reasons have
been offered to assail the lowest bid
The people of this city have spoken
in no mistakeable voice in this
matter, They have believed that
they have been paying too much for
street lighting. The only argument
made by the press is that to contract
with the old company would save the
reduction in price during the next six
months. The new company offers TO
| give bond for 81 900 or larger for the
faithful fulfllment OF it's bid. They
are the lowest bidders under any way
of figuring. Competition, which we
offer you, is the only lawful way to
reduce the price of commercial light
ing. The old company may promise
to reduce commercial lighting prices,
and 1t may laugh at you tomorrow.
You nave no legal hold, only pro-
mise. The stock may be owned by
other parties soon. You can save
5000 in the next five years by con-
tracing with the new company and
will bring down prices of commercial
lighting below those named in the
resolution.
Aid. Bradley could not see why it
would not be good contract, even if
commercial lighting was included.
The resolution was adopted by the
following vote: ayes, Aids. Adams,
Bradley, Fowler and Fritz; noes. Aids.
IHimmelman and Peterson.
A resolution was offered to allow
the stone walks on Cherry street be-
tween Front and Second streets to be
placed on top OF the curb. The vote
was tie and the resolution was lost.
A resolution was adopted, providing
for the building of number of side
walks.
Aid. Zimmerman moved that the
matter of curbing and guttering
Main street from Second to Fourth
street be referred the board of public
works, and this was carried.
acquisitions were made as follows
for the next two weeks, and were