The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1899-11-30
WORM TURNS AGAIN.
City Council Demands an Investiga-
ton of the City Electric
Lighting.
MAY REVOKE THE CONTRACT

Chairman scnlenker. of the Light Com
mittee, Saws That the Company Are Not
Carrying Out Their Contract-Investi-
cation Demanded at once-Pt lice Or
dered to Act on Paving Ordinance and
See That All obey the Law.
The worm has turned again and
from present appearances it seems
! that there is lots of trouble in store
! for the Kenosha Light and Power 90.
in the near future. Not only did the
Council decide Monday night that the
police should enforce the demands of
the ordinance against breaking open
the paved streets, but they also ordered
that searching investigation be held
at once as to the manner in which the
Kenosha Light and Power company
are carrying out their ten years con-
tract for the lighting of the streets.
The meeting of the Council was d
very short one, but the members were
ready to act and they did act in a hurry
and it is to be hoped that their action
will go long ways toward bringing
better lighting system to the city.
The matter was opened by Aid.
Sch1enker, chairman of the gas and
light committee. AS soon as the little
regular business was completed he
arose and stated that during the last
few weeks he had been flooded with
complaints from taxpayers in all parts
of the city in regard to the way in
which the streets were lighted. He
declared that the light furnished was
not according to contract, and al
though the city was paying out 5000
a year for the use of 10 lights, fully
half the time the city was in compare
tive darkness. Continuing, he said
that the company was at no expense in
furnishing lights to the city save the
expense of fuel and the wear and tear
on the machinery. ''The cityis their
largest customer and they should rec
ognize the demands of the citizens"
''The lights are on the bum and as
long as we pay good clean money we
must take some action to get good
light" Mr.. Schott was not present to
pour oil on the troubled waters and the
tongues of the Aldermen were ZOOS
ened. Denunciation followed denun-
citation until it looked as if the in
famous contract would be annu1led be-
fore the meeting ended.
Aid. Head followed by stating that
to his personal knowledge the lights in
the west part of the city had not
burned on the 22d, 23d or oath of the
month, but he had not noticed any de-
crease in the monthly demand of the
company against the city. Specific
kicks then came in from all parts of
the city and an investigation of the so
called reductions and rebates were
made. Aid. Sch1enker stated that the
reductions in the bills had been from 81
to So for lights which had failed to
penetrate the gloom, but an investiga-
ton of the books kept by the City Clerk
and police failed to tally with the re-
ports sent into the Council with the
bills of the company. Last month 1t
was shown that the company had de-
Quoted for 10 hours in which the
lights had not burned, while the report
of the police showed d total of 400
hours. Similar incongruities are to be
found for each month. Aid. Curtis
said that it was not the money lost,
but the poor service that was worrying
him and advocated the revoking of the
contract.
Mayor German here took hand and
said that he was of the opinion that
there was not single light on the cir
cult furnishing the 1000 candle power
as demanded in the contract. He said
further that he was in favor of forcing
the company to live TIP to the very let
Ter of the contract or else let that
noted document be declared null and
void.
Finally to bring the matter before
the Council Aid. Curtis moved to give
the gas and light committee full power
to act and make a complete and imme e.
date investigation of the lighting sys-
tenn. The motion was carried without
a dissenting vote. The committee
were also instructed to secure the as
sistance of experts in arriving at a re-
port which is to be presented to the
Council as soon as possible. The &C
ton of the committee will be awaited
with great deal of interest.
The Council having settled the
lighting question, then took up the
paving ordinance, and the Chief of
Police was ordered to arrest all per-
sons not complying with the ordinance.
ppnnp ANG