The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1897-11-23

| profit made oil its gas receipts more than
| sufficed to pay the entire cost of lighting
| the city's streets with i5O arc lights OF
| 1000 candle power each. 1T thus appears
| that Wheeling is able to furnish itself
with electric light at about $50 per lamp, or
| less than one helf the charge made by pri-
vate lighting corporations to ather cities.
Bay City, Mich, has its own electric
street lighting system. Its official reports
show that the cost thereof to Bay City tax
payers is s66 per lamp per year--a rate far
below one-half the cost for the samo
amount of light in many cities served by
private corporations.
Richmond, Va, has had a municipal gas
plant since 1851. 1t Is now supplying con-
sumers with gas at 81 per thousand. The
people are so well pleased with their pup
lie gas service that they have secured an
act OF the legislature prohibiting the sale
OF the plant unless by authority Of a pop
ular vote. The actual cost of making and
distributing the gas is 73 cents per 1000
feet the city treasury making profit of
q cents per 1000 feet. During the thirty
years from 1867 to 1897 the Richmond pub
lie gas works have yielded a net profit of
$1,174,s55.20 over aud above all the cosls
amount exceeds the total cost of the orig
inal construction and of all extensions
since made ny nearly $500 900. 1r
LOUISVILLE does not absolutely own its
gas and electric lighting plant, but it is
the controlling stakeholder in the oompany
that supplies it with both kinds OK light
Under this arrangement, which is almost
municipal ownership, I.ouisvilles streets
are lighted with 1914 electric lamps at a
cost of $3.50 per lamp. New York and
Brooklyn pay from STAG to S1S2 each for
lamps Of the same power.
In Jacksonville, Fla, the city owns and
operates an electric lighting plant. since
the plant was established the plice of gas.
formerly SO per 1000 feet, has been reduced
to $3.50. and the price of electric lights 80
per cent. The latest official report states
the total saving to the people of Jackson
vile for 1896 at S4l,4sa.92.
A body OF private citizens Incorporated
as the Capital Electric company, Is sup
plying the city Of Springfield, ILL.,, with its
electric light, Practically. though not in
name, the plant is owned By the municipal
ity. The result Is that, after allowing
per cent en- the cost OF lne plant, the city's
arc lights are FURNISHED at a cost Of $50
each pei annum, which is about half the
cost OF the same lights supplied by private
corporations.
Detroit established municipal electric
lighting plant in 1894. The first Official re-
port showed that It cost $S4.7O psi lamp
10 light her streets instead OF sI5SS1 per
lamp. as it previously did. The Detroit
experiment is limited to street lighting.
MOI the largest, yet one of the most
striking, object lessons in municipal own
ership is afforded at Dunkirk, n. Y. In
1888 Dunkirk established an electric plant
by which Its water supply and lighting ser.
vice are jointly furnished For the year
ending March l, 1897, allowing fully for
interest on the Investment and all other
Items OF cost, Dunkirk's u arc lights. OF
2o00 candle power each, We're furnished AT
an expense to the taxpayers Of SSg.5t ner
year-iust about one-fourth the cost of
the electric lights furnished to New York
by privately owned plants.
Little Rock, Ark, has maintained a..
own gas and electric lighting plants since
lsss. The city eioctrician states that the
cost OF the city's electric light last YEAR
ihciuding every item Of expense was sal %
per lamp per year Mayor Woods saws:
Il have examined the published reonrts
o. large number OF cities In the limited
states, but have yet to lind a single c,,v
which operates its own .,lant 40 cbean,y
as Little Rock" As compared with tla
s@l.20 per lamp which Litila Rock NAYS far
It's electric light. the price raid per lam mr.
10 private companies by the following
named cities are worth noting: Boston
tnGton, $iSs. $3.50
Detroat Is the only American CITY In
which direct municipal control OF street
railway service has been tried. Its cx-
perience is uniquely interesting. II can
not be quoted as an example Of muntc,na,
ownership. for all that Detroit ala ,,.,s
, nn1ue. rival company 10 build a rix,v.
mile electric railway system In direc, co,,
petition with the old company. The new,
a. ,ps orsanised IN 1894. In consideration
.ne CITY TO CHARGE only cent fares ,,c,u "..n
s III, ". nouas tS;t5 q. m. to s o. m. and ~
~ sts entire plant 10 the city Al ~ Snu ar q
, - .'nir.y years on valuation. The s,,s1
s"'' ~ss tns practical consolidation a. ~ ~