The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-10-01
GAS COMMITTEE FAvORs 1T.
PLANS AND ESTIMATES PREPARED
BY C. WILLIS JR. SUBMITTED
AND CONSIDERED.
SUBCOMMITTEE COULDN'T AGREE
On the specifications of the Board
OF Public works for Next Year
Competition in Sight.

that the city of st. Paul establish and
operate an electric lighting plant of its
own was laid before the joint commit
tee on gas last night in definite form.
Plans and estimates for an electric
lighting plant with a capacity OF l. o90
arc lights, which plans and estimates
were prepared by G. Willius Jr., an
electrical engineer, were submitted to
the committee and discussed at some
length. AS as result, the committee
went on record in favor of the adop-
ton of a resolution authorizing the city
clerk to advertise for bids for the con-
struction and installation of a munich
pal electric lighting plant, with ca
pacity of 400 arc lights for constant
or regular service and 100 arcs for
contingencies.
In bringing the matter to the atten-
ton of the committee, MIR. Albrecht
argued that the city ought to place
itself in a position where it could reject
all bids of private companies, in case
they were all too high and do its own
lighting. Mr. Albrecht thought that
the common council ought therefore
to advertise for bids for the erection
of an electric lighting plant. BY so do
ing the council would not, he contin-
ued, commit the city to the construc-
ton of public plant, but would SIM
ply place the city in a position to pro-
tect itself Mr. Albrecht then offered
his resolution, which, with the excep
ton of some minor amendments after
wards Incorporated, was in substance
as follows:
of ho pitv ffe no 81
to advertise for the erection and construction
of a municipal electric lighting plant, with
a capacity of 375 are lights of 2,C00 candle
power each and a station capacity of 125 arc
lights for contingencies, and that the bids be
in accordance with plans and specifications
to be prepared by committee consisting
of G. Willius Jr., Joseph King and T. F.
Varnum, to be approved by the common coun
Gil; that the right be reserved by the COM
mon council to reject any and all bids, and
finally; that 30 expense be incurred in the
preparation of the plans and specifications
unless duly authorized by the common ccun-
Gil.
Before the committee acted upon the
resolution Mr.. Albrecht introduced to
the committee G. Willius Jr., who, he
announced, would submit plans and
estimates for municipal electric light
ing plant capable of lighting the en-
tire city of st. Paul. Mr.. Willius
thereupon unfolded his blue prints, ex-
planned his plans and gave his esti-
mates. The committee gave the young
engineer the closest attention, as did +.
w NJ Cutcheon, the vice president of
the ST. Paul Gas Light company, who
was likewise an interested listener
The plant described by Engineer Will
Illus is one with a capacity of 1,500 arc
lights of 1000 candle power which num-
Der, Mr. Willius said, was more than
sufficient to light the entire city of"St.
Paul Such a plant, Mr. Willius said,
would cost $685., 900. The power house
a ground plan of which was shown,
could be erected on Market street near
the river. After describing some OF the
mechanical details, Engineer Willius
informed the committee that the an
nual expense of operating such plant,
including the interest on the cost OF
the plant and the depreciation, would
amount to $Sl,4S2
At this stage, one of the committee
inquired what the city was at present
paying for it's street lighting, and was
informed that the total cost for the
year would amount to about $10S,OO0.
Continuing, Engineer Willius said
that figuring on the same basis, that
is including interest and depreciation,
the cost to the city of each arc light
per year, would be $3.50. Mr.. Willius
said that there were three systems of
arc lighting in use. One was known
as the cross suspension system, which
is employed in localities where the
foliage is thick; another was the tower
lighting plan used to illuminate open
spaces, and a third was the crane sys-
ten. the arcs being suspended from
cranes or set on the ends of poles.
Mr.. Willius cited some figures rela-
tive to the municipal electric light
plant in operation in Detroit, Mich.
The plant has a capacity of 1900 arc
and 5000 incandescent lights. Mr.. VIII
Illus said that, including the interest
on the investment ard depreciation,t f5.
annual cost per arc light per year was
$S9 AZ.
In conclusion, Mr.. Willius said that
a plant with a capacity of $50 arcs,
and with a station capacity of rs
arcs for emergencies, could be con-
structed at cost of $4,000. and ope1'-
ated at an expense Of $4,000 year,
which would mean a cost of SIT per
arc per year.
Mr.. Albrecht's resolution was then
taken up, and, after amending it so
as to call for bids for constructing q
lighting plant with a capacity Of 400
arc lights for constant duty and 100
for contingencies, instead of 375 and
125 respectively, the committee voted
to recommend the adoption of the
rGSOIullOu, Alu. SdHUCIH diOile NOllIlS
against the resolution.
The committee took no action in the
matter OF the specifications prepared
by the hoard of public works govern
ing the districts to be lighted by cleo
tricity and gas. On motion of Aid.
Donahower. the report OF the sub
committee resulting from it's confer
ence with the board of public works
relative to the boundaries of District
Mo was NOT accented Aid DOna-
hover explained that he wanted Dis
trict No. 2, which comprises most of
the business district, extended so as
to include Seventh street, and Waba-
sha and st. Peter streets up to Tenth
street. but as soon as the subcommit
tee, consisting Of Assemblymen Thomp-
son, Alhrccht and himself had con-
scented to that amendment, then Mr..
Thompson wanted to light East Sew
enth street as far east as Hope street,
and East Sixth and East Fourth to
Maria avenue, and Maria avenue
from Seventh to Third. This, Aid
Donahower said, would make District
No. too large to secure any competi-
ton.
Mr. Albrecht advanced the proposi-
ton that all the electric lights needed to
be included in one district and that the
city advertise for bids for lighting the
entire district This did not meet with
the approval of the committee, the
plan favored being to subdivide and
advertise for bids for lighting such an
extent Of territory, as competing COM
panies are in position to furnish light
for.
Mr.. Albrecht remarked that he sup
posed the st. Paul Gas Light, and
Smith and Taylor were the only COM
panies who would put in bids for light
ing the business district.
mo, they're not said Assemblyman
Kirl1e. There are others who want
to bid. and one of these companies is