The record-union., 1898-11-22
LAMPS THAT DID NOT BURN.
ELECTRIC COMPANY REDUCES
ITS DEMAND.
City Trustees Allow the October
Bill After Looping OFF Over
a Hundred Dollars.


Board of Trustees was held last night,
all the members present.
Monthly reports of the Chief OF Po-
lice, City Collector, Superintendent OF
Streets, Chief Engineer of the Water
Works, City Taper, Chief of the Fire
Department, City Surveyor, Auditor,
Treasurer, Superintendent Of the City
Cemetery and Poundmaster We're read
and ordered placed on file.
A proposed ordinance, providing that
runners for restaurants and lodging
houses be made to pay a license OF SlO
per quarter, took the usual course-lald
over one week.
The Mayor reported that Street Su-
perintendent Touhey had been granted
q two days leave of absence.
1t was decided to accept an invita-
tion to visit Auburn on Saturday next
for the purpose of examining the quail
1ty of water in the North Fork OF the
American River, with a view to fur
nishing the city's water supply from
that source, and on motion Of Trustee
Paine Trustee Devine was elected
Grand Marshal of the Parade" and
instructed to make all necessary ar
rangements for the trip.
Then the report of Chief of Police
Dwyer. respecting the condition of the
eity's electric lights during the month
of October, was taken up. 1t called for
lengthy debate before it was definitely.
disposed of The report showed that
during the month in question a great
many of the street lights were not
burning when seen by officers on. their
beats, and that at times the lights were
turned on late in the evening and turn
ed off early in the morning.
Then Mayor Land, basing his action
on the report of the Chief of Police.
recommended that the bill Of the Sac
ramento Electric, Gas and Railway
Company for lighting the streets in
October. be reduced from $1e60.50
(S6.15 per Light to 81, ,549.S0, making it
nearly $5.75 per light, and, as so re-
duced. that it be approved.
motion to that effect by Trustee
Tebbets was carried, and the bill was
ordered paid.
Trustee Bentley said that the bill had
never been referred to the Auditing
Committee of the Finance Committee,
and that accordingly the committee nor
the board could tell whether or not it
was just. He thought that as an act of
common courtesy the bill ought to have
been referred to the Chairman of the
Auditing Committee before being acted
on by the board.
Trustee Dolan said he believed the
reduction as made on the Mayors rec
ommendation was a Just one. but if
Trustee Bentley felt aggrieved he
would move to reconsider the vote
-lRfa,-s L
The motion was seconded by Trustee
Brown, but under the two thirds rule
was lost by five ayes to three noes,
President Mckay declining to vote
President Mckay said the electric
company had done the best it could do. :
and that when the supply of water in
the river had diminished in quantity
until there was not enough to generate
electricity for all purposes it had re-
ceived assistance from the railroad
shops. The late fire in the shops had
cut off that supply and as "a conse-
quence the contract had not. been filed
to the letter.
Trustee Devine said that a reduc-
tion of 30 cents per light might be
reasonable compensation, but .1e was
opposed to rushing the matter through
before the Auditing Committee had had
chance to make a report on the claim.
and for that reason he had been in IA
vor of reconsidering the action of the
board
Trustee Tebbets thought it silly TO
refer the matter to the Auditing Com
mittee in the face of the report of the
Chief of Police and the recommendation
OF the Mayor. If the matter was re-
ferred to the committee its members
could do nothing except confer with
the Chief of Police and his officers, and
could gain no additional information.
Trustee Bentley said his contention
was founded on the fact that the bill
had never been passed on by the Aud
lting Committee. He said the city
was paying high rates for lights for
public buildings and every demand
put in by the electric company ought
to be closely scrutinized before being
allowed by the board.
5. Luke Howe, Secretary to the
Mayor, said it had been next to i'm
possible to get accurate information
respecting the number of lights that
were not burning at specified times
during the month of October. The
electric company had estimated that
an aggregate of eighteen lights were
out every night during the month: that
deduction to that amount would be
about the proper thing, and that as
that estimate had seemed reasonable
the Mayor had compromised on that
number.
Trustee Brown raised the point that
the action in allowing the .ill was in
valid, inasmuch as it had never been
passed on by the Auditing Committee.
Trustee Dolan said the board could
act on any bin without its being re-
ferred to any committee and he was
sustained by President Mckay.
Trustee Devine moved that the Chiefs
of the Fire Department. Water Works
and Police hand in reports showing
the increase in the cost of electricity
for lighting the public buildings. The
motion was carried.
Trustee Bentley said the bold state
ment had been made that the cost for
sixty-eight lights had been deducted
from the bill for lighting the streets,
and % cents from each and every light
besides. That, he said would amount
to over $400, whereas the bill as al