The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1897-08-13
THE LIGHTING QUESTION.


upon some unseemly "racket" being
stirred up over the question of city
lighting. On this matter the public
mind is again agitated, and If the re-
fusal of the majority of the lighting
committee at the meeting of the
council last night to make report is
to be taken as an earnest of the future,
the settlement of the question gives
promise of again being chung up" and
a continuation of needless expense
imposed upon the taxpayers.
The FREE PRESS, in common with
all good citizens of the city who want
peace and harmony to prevail wants
to see this question of municipal
lighting settled, and settled promptly.
Through the unbuSiness-like action
of the council two years ago in refus-
ing an offer by the Mankato Gas and
Electric Light Co. to furnish arc lights
at price of S75 each per year, and
incandescent lights at ten cents per
1000 watts equal to not exceeding $500
each per month, the taxpayers have
already been called upon to foot a
wholly needless expense of over 800.
In other words. had the reduced offer
of the gas company been accepted by
the council when the question was up
two years ago, and contract made at
fthat time, the city treasury would
have been richer by the amount men,
toned than it is today.
Commercial lighting, taking the
consumption of private parties for the
past two years, at the prices paid in ex-
cess of the offer of the company made
at that time, equals, so we are in
formed by Mr.. Brown, secretary of
the Gas and Electric Light Co., fully
81 500 per year. Thus in two years
commercial lighting has cost the indi-
viduals over S., 900 more than it would
had the council acted upon and &C
copied the very reasonable offer made
in 1895. In addition to these items,
it cost the city nearly 81, 900 for an ex-
pert to come here to look over the
grounds. prepare plans, etc., for
municipal plant and special election
that followed for the issuance of
bonds. Here, then, figures are pro-
duced which are indisputable, show
ing that the taxpayers have showed
into the Golfers of the gas company
fully S., 500 more than the same SER
vice could have been secured for had
the council transacted it's business in
business-like manner and closed
contract that was concededly fair and
liberal at the time. Aldermans Brad
ley and Fowler did everything within
their power at that time to afford the
relief offered by the gas company and
generally demanded by the citizens,
but to no purpose. We are again con-
fronted with similar conditions, and
the question is, are the people to suf-
fer like outcome?
Coming down to the propositions
now before the council, what are the
facts? The city can very we'll get along
with the present lighting capaci-
ty, as there is no immediate demand
for an increase, and none should be
allowed until the city's finances are in
much better condition to stand the in
creased cost. There is a demand for
the expenditure of city funds much
more deserving and necessary, than
TO add to the number of lights we
already have. Assuming this to be the
fact, therefore, the comparative figures
that we shall submit will be based up
on the present consumption of cleo
tricity, viz: A arc and &c incandescent.
The bids presented are these, ex-
cept as to number Of lights.
MANKATo GAS e. ELECTRIC LIGHT co.
A arc lights at S74 per year for years $16,2sO
IS incandescent lights at $A per year for
oyears. ................'........ 1871
Total for five years. S24, 200
INDEPENDENT ELECTRIC LIGHT co.
A arc lights at $74.5O per year for years $751;
| IS incandescent lights at S21 per year for
1
Total. s2322O
If the so-called Independent
Electric Light company had it's plant
established in Mankato and ready to
do business tomorrow their bid would
show a saving to the city over what
the present company's bid is Of $3.50
for the full five years asked for by the
city. But the Independent company
(so-called) has .no,existence in fact, so
far as the public is informed, and GER
tainly has no plant with which to be-
gin operation. To put the plant in,
the company asks for six months
time-certainly little time enough.
Hence at the quickest, under their
own motion,it will require six months
before the new or proposed organiza-
tion could begin to furnish the city
with lights if it had the contract.
What will it cost the city in the mean
time for lights in excess of what the
rate would be had the council accepted