The herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1893-1900, 1898-07-03
IT IS NOT A CINCn YET
LIGHT QUESTION STILL A. MAT
TER FOR CONSIDERATION
CONTRACT MAY GO TO EDISON
Light Committee to Meet Tuesday
Morning and Listen to Com
pany's Statement

Judging from present indications, the
light question Is by no means yet settled
for the coming year. While the Los An
geles Lighting company undoubtedly
named the lowest price in its bid of $3.50
per light for each month, 1t does not nee
essarily follow that that company will fur
nish the best service for this price, and
some members Of the council are not indis-
posed to investigate this point thoroughly
before awarding the contract.
The Edison company will present the
matter to the light committee In all Its
phases and will contend that Its bid of
1894 for each light per month Is by far the
lowest and best bid. Bids were called for
by the city on two schedules, the first Of
which provided for the continuance of the
tower lights and the addition of twenty
more street lights to each ward In the city
The second schedule contemplated doing
away with the tower lights, which. as
matter of fact. are an obsolete and out-of-
date thing in the east, and the addition Of
the designated number of lights to each
ward. The Los Angeles Lighting company
bid on both schedules and the Edison COM
pany only on the schedule number two.
The Los Angeles Lighting company's bid
on the latter schedule is $6.75 and the Edi-
son company's 1894.
The former company would, Of course,
II awarded the contract, continue to fur
nish service over it's present lines and with
the lamps now in use. and the Edison COM
pany makes the claim that this line does
not comply with the contract in point of
insulation and Is In bad shape, and that
the lamps are of an old style, double-car-
bon pattern, long since fallen into disuse In
cities where modern Improvements are de-
manded. II the contract were awarded to
the Edison company, 1t Is stated that a new
and completely insulated line, with single
carbon, highly-improved lamps would be
put in, entailing an investment by the new
contractors Of about $3.50, 000 and giving the
city 33-1-3 per cent more light with the
same number Of lamps. 1t IL upon this
theory that the Edison company urge the
acceptance of their bid. 1854, claiming that
the city can we'll afford to pay the differ
ence of 10 cents for the improved and
modern service and the additional invest
ment Of the large amount Of money which
the company would have to spend mostly
in this city. In the year the contract with
the Edison company would cost the city
$1673.50 more than with the Los Angeles
Lighting company, and some of the coun-
cilmen seem to lean toward the opinion
that the change would be worth more than
that amount.
The Los Angeles Lighting company IL
resting easy, probably feeling secure In
the fact it's bid IL the lowest. Both
companies will probably die hard on the
proposition and II the Indications are worth
anything lively time may be expected
when they meet the gas and light commit
tee on Tuesday morning at 9:45, just before
council meeting.
Another proposition that meets with ia
vor in the eyes of some of the councilmen
is that of the San Gabriel Electric COM
pany to furnish power for the city lighting
at $4.25 per month for each lamp. Under
this arrangement the city would have to
own the poles, wires and lamps. and these
would cost about $125,000. 1t is said that
the interest and depreciation on this prop
erty would cost the city $22. 400 per year, and
this amount added to the cost Of power for
the year, $37, 434, makes the total 1884
Under the bid of the Los Angeles Lighting
company 734 lights, the required number,
will cost $780, 454, or $3.50 less than by the plan
suggested. 1t is not probable that this
proposition will receive much further con-
sideration.