The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-11-03
MAY GET IN THE FIELD SOON.
COUNCIL CONSIDERS EDISON ELEC-
TRIO COMPANY ORDINANCE.


Report at a Meeting Wednesday
Night-An Engines on River Front,
Either on Boats or the Wharves
VIII BE Required to Have Spark
Arresters on Smoke Stacks-Pawn-
brokers want a Law to Prevent
ImpositiOns on Their Business.
-Four Ordinances Pass First Read
ing.
Four ordinances were introduced, and
passed first reading at last nights meet
ing of City Council. The most important
IS to give the Edison Electric Illuminating
Company the use of the streets and lanes
for the purpose of constructing an over
head and underground electric system;
another provides for spark arresters on an
steam craft and steam engines along the
river front; another Is 10 shield pawn
brokers from persons who raise the three
balls" in front of their places without pay
ing the required license while the last
gives a property owner the right to erect
six frame houses in CASTOR ward.
Mayor Meldrim has been absent from the
city the last few days, and in his absence
Acting Mayor Owens presided, at the meet
ing. Aldermen Charlton, Duncan, Thomas
Smith, Reid, O'Donnell, Krouskoff Davis
and We'll were present. While the board
was in caucus Mr. w. II. Chapman, super
vising engineer of the house drainage
work, and Mr.. Bradt, representing the
house drainage contractors, were caDed
to consult in regard to matters pertaining
to the prospective work. There were
few changes in the contract it was de-
sired to discuss, and ii was also desired to
come to an understanding about when the
work win commence.
After disposing of preliminary matters,
the board heard the petition OF the Edison
Electric Company, which asks the city for
privileges contained in an ordinance, which
was also read and passed first reading.
The ordinance and petition were referred
to the street and lane committee, who viii
report on them at an adjourned meeting
of Council Wednesday night. 1t is tx-
pected by that time the committee will
have looked thoroughly into the matter,
deciding upon such additional restrictions,
If any, il is considered advisable to ada
| before the ordinance is placed on it's pas
sage.
By section / of The proposed ordinance
the company is given the use of the streets
and lanes for the purpose of furnishing
TO the city of Savannah, and the citizens
thereof, electric light and heat, and also
power produced by electricity for opera
ing machinery and electric railways" Ac-
cording TO the statements of both Mr.. Geo.
A. Baldwin, who is interested as stock
holder and Mr.. J. Randolph Anderson,
of counsel for the company. the only in
tention, at least at the beginning, is TO
furnish electric lights. 1t is claimed there
is room for another company and it is
hoped by a slight reduction, to largely
increase the demand for electric lights.
Among the specifications in the ordi-
nance Is that the under aground system
shall only be used in section bounded by
| Broughton, Lincoln, Montgomery and
| River streets. The city is to have full SUI
| rervislon of all wire used, to see that it
| is of the right material and properly in
! sulated II is also provided that all streets
torn up in putting down the underground
system shall be left in the condition they
were found.
Another ordinance Is that introduced by
! Alderman Davis a. the instance of the fire
| commissioners. 1t provides for the use or
| spark arresters on smokestacks, to be Sc
curely affixed to all snokestacks along
the river front, whether on steam craft
or engines used for any purpose along the
| wharves. For the last year a measure OF
| this kind has been contemplated for the
safety of property abutting the river II
! is stated some of the most disc strous fires
!
/ thrown out by steam craft, or, at least
this was the only cause ascribable. A
case in point is the Conklin fire, which IS
supposed TO have started from burning
lumber on the wharf.
| The ordinance makes Ii the duty of all
owners of vessels Immediately OH their ar
/ rival at this port, to cover all tunnels
and smokesiacks securely with spark ar
| rosters. II is also made the duty of every
/ person operating any steam locomotive.
| which win, of course, include the Central
! Railroad trains on River street or donkey
or stationary engine, about the wharves,
| or about any warehouse, where any cot
ton or naval stores are kept, to cover the
| smokestack Of each and every engine with
| the arrester.
All steamboats, are required to couple
fire hose and have ii ready for immediate
use at all times while in port In the
event any vessel is not provided with nee
essary hose 70 reach every hatch it is
made the duty of the owner to provide a
suihcient amount without unnecessary de
| lay. Owners are also required TO protect
all hatch-combings, so that the cargo.
whether the vessel is loading or
discharging, shall not come IN
contact with the comb.nss. Smoking of
any kind is prohibited on The dock or in
the holds of any vessel while il is loading.
No lights viii be allowed in the holds ex-
cept it be a closed and locked lantern. 1t
Is provided that vessels shall not be paint
ed about any part of the hold while load
ing either cotton or naval stores II is
made The duty OF the masters of vessels,
while either loading or discharging, TO see
that all matches are put on and covered
with tarpaulins at night. 1t is required
that barrel of water shall be kept at or
near hatch on vessels, and that there
shall be a sufficient number of buckle is
at hand for the crew 10 do effective fire
lighting. Upon conviction In the Police
Court the fine for violating any of the
foregoing provisions Is S1OO fine or thirty
days Imprisonment.
The enforcement of precautionary meas
ures, such as are set out in the ordinance
} has been felt some time. At times there is
rubbish along the wharves, such as straw
paper old lumber and other cornbustible
material, which makes it unsafe to have
sparks lying in all directions at times. II
IS the more dangerous when the wind is
blowing, as sparks from boats using wood
as fuel are often carried some distance