The herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1893-1900, 1898-06-03
DISCUSS CITY'S
ILLUMINATION
THREE PROPOSITIONS STATED
The Plan to Have the City Own Its
Own Poles, Wires and Lamps Is
Gaining in Favor

tract for lighting the city during the COM
ing contract year" The project for the
CITY TO own its wires. poles ard lamps and
to buy power was the matter which came
10 before the committee
Councilman Grider favored the muniei-
pal ownership proposition heartily. openly
and fought for it vigorously. Councilman
Raksr rave the nronosition q lukewarm
support In a half-hearted way. while Coun-
Gilman Blanchard opposed the measure. but
not in az vigorous, manner. His plan was a
demand for time "to think it over"
When the committee met. Chairman
Order said that the time had come when
the gas and light committee must formulate
to the council proposals for lighting the
city during the coming year If any re-
forms were to be inaugurated the lighting
company must be given six months time
in which to arrange its plans should It get
the contract. unless the regime now in force
was to be continued.
II have here three proposals which
desire to submit to the committee, and ask
that the same be recommended to the coun-
ell for adoption. What we want to do, as
7 understand 1t. is to see what can be
done to get more lights and better lights
for the CITY at less cost. We are paying
over twice as much for our lights as cities
Of the same size elsewhere in the country.
Now it is going to do no harm to get bids
on all the PROPOSITIONS which / hope this
committee will recommend. The council
need not accept any of the bids unless they
so desire. and It costs nothing to find out
iust what the rival electric companies are
willing tn do
Councilman Toll, while not member of
the committee. was present, and seconded
Councilman Orders effort, and urged that
the council take I'D the light proposition in
earnest.
"Weu what's your proposition?" said
Councilman Baker.
81 have three" replied Order, land they
are as follows. Let us call 'em A, b and c.:
proposition A. For the council to adver-
tise for the lighting of the city for the next
wear with the poles, light masta and all
else in the present positions, adding twen-
tv additional lights in each ward.
"Proposition B. For the council to ad-
yertise for the lighting of the city with the
noles. etc. as they are, except the $50 feet
masts. the masts to be taken down and
in place thereof six lights for each mast
IN he distributed in the wards in addition
IN the twenty additional lights asked for.
"Proposition c. For the city to own its
own poles, wires and lamps and buy power
from the company offering to furnish 1t the
cheapest, additional lamps to be added to
the system or changes in lamps made at
the city's pleasure. all additional lamps to
be served at the same rate as the lamps
on which the bid Is made
Proposition c is the proposition the ma
iority of the council favor, so 1t is said.
After Councilman Order had read the
PROPOSITIONS he urged their adoption. Gen
tlemen.n he said, 'its cannot possibly do
any harm for the council to advertise for
bids. If the companies combine, as has
been suggested they may do, the council
can refuse any and all bids and we will be
none the worse off. If. on the contrary,
IT can be clearly shown that it will pay
the city to own it's apparatus for lighting
and buy power where we can get it the
cheapest, we will be in. a. position to take
advantage of the position replies to the
bids will place us in
but we can't do anything this year to-
wards owning our poles and wires" pro-
tested Blanchard.
"Why not?" interrupted Toll. AT any
rate we can make the electric companies
show their hands and ascertain once for
all whether the electric companies are IN
earnest when they say they are competing.
With six months before us, we could get
up our poles and wires. We are paying
over SO per light, while Rockford, ILL.,, WITH
more lights than we have, but owning their
own poles and wires, pay less than s4 per
light per annum; yes, less than 81. 1t Is
no Injustice to the old company. suppose
we advertise as usual this year and new
company gets the contract, what will the
old company do with their poles and wires
If the successful bidders refuse to buy
them? Under proposition we give the old
company a chance, if they are reasonable,
to sell to the city their poles and wires"
That's just it, said Order. '"These
masts make it impossible for any new
company to bid against the old company,
for no concern would want to go to the
expense of puttingup masts and poles with
only the certainty of one years contract
for lighting the city. The old company has
had the contract for years practically at
its own figures just on that account"
"Eyery progressive city is doing away
with the masts." interjected Electrician
Francis. at has been conclusively shown
that the lower lights are better and far
chea
"Well. I've been called the man with the
iron hand in this proposition." said Baker
"but T amt running things to any extent
r have sent in nv schedule of lights and
r know we need more lights everywhere.
T can use thirtv-five yes. fftv more lights