The record-union., 1897-01-19
THAT LIGHTING CONTRACT.
President Leonard Had Not Signed Ii,
But Will Do So Now.
he Proposes to Throw the RESPONSE
biiity of Veto on the
Mayor.

Mayor.
The City Board of Trustees met IN
regular weekly session last night, Irus-
tees Leonard, Wachhorst, Kent Davis,
Mckay, Devine, Bentley, ToZer anu
Pennish being present.
l.. L. Hatfield addressed the poaru VII
relation to the lighting contract WHICH
was last week awarded to the Sacrd-
mento Electric, Gas and Power Conn
pany He had, he said, presented the
bond for the performance of the con-
tract to the President of the board, VINO
refused to sign it The Mayor had re-
fused to sign it because the President
did So He did not think the PRESIDENT
has the power to veto the contract, al
though the Mayor has. The company
has a certified check in the custody OF
the board, which it wishes to release,
and he wished the board to take some
action in the. matter. as all other bids
having been rejected the bid OF MS
company is the only one before the
board.
He wished the fact placed on record
that he offered a bond approved by the
lily "A anu cISiIId ~ -
Ralston and Treadwell, men worth
million each. He read a long list OF
cities in which the prices paid for
lighting We're about the same as here.
Leonard said that the Mayor and
he had talked on the matter during the
Week and the Mayor had given him
to understand that he would not sign
the contract He did not think that
the bids put in last week were Iegltl-
mate, as one of the companies had put
in higher bid than last year. He had
been told that lights could be had for
81. He moved that the action of the
board be reSCinded. He did not believe
in lighting the city on moonlight nights.
Devine was persuaded that the city
was the victim of a combine. He want
ed to see a committee appointed to see
that a plant is built by the city for its
own lighting, and thus break up the
combine and save the cost of the plant
in one Year. He had been told that the
rev company had been absorbed by the
gas company.
Leonard said he had been told by
representatives of the gas company and
the South Yuba Company that if they
were allowed sixty days to put in their
plant they would put in a legitimate
bid. He read a list of cities where the
lighting was cheaper than here. He
believed the time had come when the
city should do its own lighting.
Hatfield said that where the rates
were 81 the lights We're only 1000 to
LOO candle-power. He denied that his
company had ever made any promise
to cut the prices of lighting
Kent said he had thought it would
be for the city's advantage that it
should own its own plant, but ne feared
that to give the other company a con-
tract would be a jump out of the frying
pan into the fire. He was creditably
informed that the South Yuba Com
pany has sold out to the gas company
for $4,000, half of which has been
paid. If there has been a combine, to
advertise again would be to give both
companies a chance to raise their bids
to SIG. He believed that it was the
duty of the President of the board to
sign the contract after it had been
awarded by the board, and if the May
or wants to veto it let him put his rea-
son on paper. He thought the Presi-
dent should sign the contract, and the
=
Its own lighting hereafter.
Bently asked if there was no message
from the Mayor on the subject. 1t had
been brought to his attention early in
the week, so that he knew of it. He
had investigated the matter more fully
and thought he had found reason to
change his mind in regard to the every
night schedule, and thought the city
could get along as it does now. He
thought it would be we'll to reconsider
Mr.. Hatfield said the board could only
take one of two courses, either rescind
its action or sign the contract and send
it to the Mayor.
Tozer said he voted against the ev-
ery-night schedule, but the board
adopted it, and he thought the Presi-
dent should sign the contract, and as
far as he was concerned should insist
that he did SO.
Davis said he had always favored the
every night contract and did now. He
thought the President should sign the
contract
Leonard said he did not want to be
stubborn about signing. but from the
way in which the Mayor had talked he
had not supposed that he proposed to
shove the burden on his Geonard's)
shoulders. He was perfectly willing to
sign the contract If the board wished
and let the Mayor sign it or other
wise. He thought the board should be-
gin TO inquire about plant for the
city.
Devine said he had asked the Mayor
not TO sign the contract and would do
so again. He thought the city would
gain by advertising again.
Davis offered as an amendment that
the President be instructed TO sign the
contract. Leonard said he would sign
it in the morning, without a motion.
and throw the responsibility on the
Mayors shoulders.
Hatfield asked the board In that case
TO adjourn till tomorrow night. in order
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