The daily morning journal and courier., 1898-01-11
THE BOARD OF COJJNCILMEN
MATTERS TALKED ABOUT 1T LAST NIGHTS MEETING.

 Matter of Lighting Contracts Tabled In-
 efinitely-Explanation as to Why Con-
 tracts Were Let by Councilman 0. E.
 Burton-Mayor' Veto of Contagious Hos-
 pital Order Sustained.
 The councilmen held another loqua- cous session last night, and in the in- tervals of the interesting conversations which were carried on, transacted some business, while the mayor, several aldermen, Anthony Carroll and few citizens gazed on from the side lines. The two principal matters brought up were the contract for street lighting and the mayors veto of the order to place the contagious diseases hospital at springside farm. When the matter of the street. lighting contracts was brought, up Councilman Shepard took the floor and said that he had under stood that the New Haven Gaslight Co, had refused to sign contract be- NN~N~~o only. and not for three years He said: If the gas company could get the con- tract for three years it would be a very good thing for them, but bad thing for the city. When I was boy the only public lighting was that done by the moon. At that time people feared that they would be obliged to go to bed early because the moon would not shine. Now the young people fear that it will not be dark enough for them to spark. Why, pretty soon we will have elec- tric lights cheaper than daylight. Per haps we may sometime get brimstone for lighting purposes and have light for all eternity"
 Councilman White then said 1T be- lieve that the gas company bid honestly and that it would make it's price for lights lower for the three years con tract, and they did give it lower be- cause they thought that the city had the right to give contract for three years. think that the contract should be let for one year anyway to the New Haven Gaslight Co.,, and for three years if the appropriation is secured | Councilman Shepard-"Th gentleman from the Eighth appears to be very familiar with the business of the gas company"
 Councilman White I am not stock- holder in the gas company" Councilman Shepard-.T addressed l the chair, not the gentleman from the Eighth. Is not a three year contract better so far as the price is concerned ?.s I Councilman Whfte-ssIt would be. NJ don't know any member of the company and few of the employees. I don't own I any of the stock haven't got so far yet. do my own thinking, as people of I New Haven by this time know \ l Councilman Isbell-"As understand the reason why that resolution to award I the contract to the Sunlight company was introduced was because the gas company was not ready to take the con- l tract when the resolution was present. i ed, but it is now ready to do so do not think that it is in the interest of the city to award contracts once and then recall them and advertise for bids
 again. We can't get low bids the first time if the companies think they are to 1 get a second chance at it. I wish some
 member of the lamp committee would
 tell us why the contract was awarded | to the Sunlight company?'
 l Councilman c. E. Burton: a member of the lamp committee, responded and
 said: "The gas company refused abso-
 lutely to bid except for a three years l contract, while the Sun Vapor conn pany accepted the contract with the l proviso for a three year contract If suf- l ficient appropriations were made for the other two years Finally the gas conn 1 pany began to realize that the common l council meant business, but I am not
 opposed to the gas company, nor am I l in favor of the other company. think l that the price of gas in New Haven is l too high"
 Councilman Graves-"It seems now
 that the gas. company has decided to- l come to the terms of the city and the
 questions is, if the city has not gone too far with the Sun vapor company to withdraw
 Councilman Isbell then moved that l the entire matter be indefinitely post l poned and it was so voted. It was
 also voted to postpone indefinitely the
 resolution to rescind the order for the | lighting of the city except the vapors
 contract, passed by the aldermen. l When the mayors veto of the order | to build the contagious diseases hos
 pital at Springside Farm had been | read together with the accompanying
 message, the veto was sustained unani-
 mously on motion of Councilman Graves On motion of Councilman Is-i bell the board adopted the resolution to l refer to committee of three aldermen and three councilmen the matter of de-
 ciding upon cite fo rthe hospital. l The resolution was referred by the aldermen to the committee on l retrenchment and reform. A resolution
 ordering the city engineer in preparing
 plans for the Chapel street bridge over
 Mill river to prepare for a level grade
 from the railroad bridge and to submit
 the plans to the contractor before March 15, 1898, was adopted. The re- port of the lamp committee recommend
 ing that $225 be paid to the heirs of E.s
 Frank Snyder for overpaid taxes was | adopted.
 The following letter concerning the
 contagious diseases hospital was refer red to a committee to consist of three councilmen and andtwo aldermen: To the Honorable Board of Aldermen and Councilmen: