The Portland daily press., 1899-08-15
New One Has Rather the
Best Of the Conflict.
Park Street School House to be
RemodeIIed.

dollars year to light the streets, parks,
etc., Of the city. In last evenings meet
Ing Of the city government the most I'm
portant business related to this subject.
There was lively brush between the
partisans of the old company. who eyi-
IDENTIFY We're not anxious for competition,
and those members Of the city govern
ment who wished to tring the matter tc
basis where there would be chance
for the new company to bid against the
old one. The result in both boards was
o distinct victory for the latter.
The matter CANA up fsrst In the board
of aldermen. In the first place the propo.
sition Of Councilman Goudy for special
COMMITTEES to get estimates for lighting
was indefinitely postponed. Then AL
derman Smith presented an order provid-
Ing that the joint standing committee OH
lights "bs authorized and directed to ad-
vertiss in the usual way for bids for
lighting the streets, etc., by gas and
electricity" This order was defeated.
Thereupon Mr.. johnson presented an
order providing for having bids presented
by August 10.
Alderman Smith said that this seemed
q very short time in which to prepa re
bids. They had usually had time enough.
Alderman johnson said that the old
company had been lighting the city for
ten or fifteen years, and ought to make
out its bid without much trouble. AS
for the other company, 1t had already put
a bid In and could do so again.
Then Alderman Lamson moved to
amend the order by changing the date
of presenting the bids from August 10 to
September 10; but he withdrew this
amendments to enable Mr.. Mannix to offer
an amendment making the time at the
discretion Of the committee on lights.
On this amendment the vote stood: Yeas,
Messrs Sprague, Mannix, Lamson,
Smith, 4; nays. johnson. Dow. Moulton
and Frye. 4. Tho mayor then voted nay
and the amendment was defeated.
Then an aIendment offered by MIR.
Dow making the time September LIST was
adopted. and as amended the order was
agreed to. The full text OF the order as
agreed to Is as follows:
Ordered. that the joint standing COM
mittee on lights be and 1t is hereby di-
rected to ask for sealed bids or proposals
for lighting by gas and electricity the
parks, streets, squares and public build.
ings of the city Of Portland for the sever
al terms OF one year, three years. Ave
years. No bids to be considered unless
for the several periods of time above msn-
toned. Each proposal to he specific and
separate. All bids to be received by the
committee on lights at the aldermen a
room, City building. Friday, September
!, at three O'Clock p m., there and then,
to be opened and publicly read. The
committee to be authorized to reject any
or all bids. said committee to report all
proposals or bids presented to the next
adjourned special OF regular meeting of
the city council with such reconmenda-
tions as they may deem psoper to pre-
sent.
The object of this order Is evidently to
compel the COMMITTEES on lights, ofswhich
Alderman Smith is chairman, to act
promptly,as the present lighting contract
expires the last of October; and the new
company, as 1t requires time to install its
service. could not compete IL the time OF
receiving bids was delayed. Therefore
the action of the aldermen was distinct
victory for those who believe In having
competition In the making OF the contract
for lighting the city.
In the common council the order was
passed unan imousIy withoat debate.
THE PA RK STREET SCHOOL.
Alderman Dow introduced an order in
the board of aldermen authorizing tie
joint standing committee ON public
buildings to make all necessary contracts
for ramodeling the Park street school
house at an estimated cost of Ssl 900.
Alderman Lamson objected to the order
In this form and asked that 1t be amended
SO rs to read not to exceed 81, COO. This
amendment was objected to ana the yeas
and nays We're called upon it. Alder.
mem Sprague. Dow, Smith and Frye
voted no and Aldermen Mannix, John.
son, Lamson and MouIton votsd YES. The
mayor voted for the amendment and
TIE words mot to exceed s21, ,Oo0'' were
| inserted In the order. In Its amended
form the order passed the alierraen and
was sent down for concurrence.
In the council Mr.. Waldron objected to
the passage of the order on the ground
that the bids should be submitted to the
city council before contract was made.
He argued that If the bids for remodel.
ing the building were not less than ss5,.
600 or sss,000 it would be as cheap to
build new buikiing In the end.
MIR. Waldron argued that IL the remodel
ing of the building was to cost nearly az
much as new building could be built
for 1t would be far better for the city :
intsrests to have brand new building.
Mr.. Driscoil YVES In favor of the passage
of the order just as IL came down from
the upper board and he said he believed
the majority of the citizens were In favor
of this action.
Mr. Phinney said that he wanted to be