Virginian-pilot. (Norfolk, Va.) 1898-1911, 1899-10-17
[: !. | ] LIGHTING u j
Present q sci Cost Of Lighting Norfolk's
Streets and Municipal Buildings
a'rcsent Contract Runs out Sept. Asst.
Iooo-Mo vJnoasonvillo. Floridn.
!Sie.sA Public Iaght. Eroe TIA zsx-
81 cianEe for ~ Lighting Frnnchiae. /.

cn0OHe AOr ~ lighting FrRn chtao.
Consi dera BILE Interest is being shown
all over the United States in the ques-
Y ton Of municipal ownership Of public
utilities. especially lighting and waite,
+ supply. The matter OF public lighting
In Norfolk has again come up for con-
4 sideratlon, and proposals are now being
s advertised for regarding the lighting
OF the streets and municipal buildings
& and city offices OF Norfolk.
PRESENT COST.
The ordinance making appropriations
: Tor the fiscal year, 1899 and 1900, pro-
yides s21,200 for city lights. The city
now has muse about 300 arc lights. at
= q cost OF $50 each per year, and 325 in
Z candescent lights, ut u cost Of So each
per year.
The arc lights of Atlantic City Ward
and Brambleton arc inciuded in the
above figures, but these wards pay
gneir own proportion Of the expense.
MIR. DAWES IDEA.
Mr.. Dawes and several other leading
citizens believe that municipal owner
ship of the lighting OF Norfolk would
result IN glvingsthe city lights for the
streets and municipal buildings and Of
noes Without cost, or AT n small frac-
tion OF the present cost and reduce the
charges for commercial lighting 90 per
q cent. or more.
~ MIR. Robert q. Steed, assistant City
= treasurer. also has data In his Office
showing the desirable results under
.munictpal ownership OF lights at De-
troit Mich, st. Joseph, Mo, and other
places where the experiment has been
{ tried.
SUCCESS AT JACKSONVILLE.
ofimunicipal ownership of public util-
tiles at Jacksonville. Fla, the New
York Journal Of Sunday has the follow
Ing from Its representative there:
me municipal ownership of public
works in Jacksonville began in 1880,
With the assumption by the city OF the
control Of the water works system.
This was operated until 1893, when the
3 water works and sewerage systems
Were improved to the extent of about
100000.
The success that attended this enter
prise on the part of Jacksonville en-
couraged the idea In 1893 of undertake
1ng the operation of an electric light
Ing plant, whose management should
be on the same plan as that which had
proved so successful in supplying wa
Ter to the citizens"
IL
like that OF the water system, has pass
ed beyond the range and stage OF eX-
pertinent, has been TO demonstrate that
tho electric plant can be run so as to
light the streets, public buildings, hos
pitals and all charitable institutions of
the city free OF cost 10 leave n sufi-
Client capacity available for CONNER
cal service at fixed and extremely low
rates, to provide for the entire cost
or operating the plant, to meet the In
terest on the investment, to create
sinking fund. to retire the bonds, and
TO provide for the maintenance of the
plant and circuits and leave profit be-
Sides. That the plant has been n. sue
cess is demonstrated by the monthly
cash balances. which show a handsome
return on the Investment
4 early IN Its municipal history Jack
sonville bought seven acres of land
centrally situated. This was devoted en-
Ilreiy 10 municipal purposes. and on 1t
To-Day the waterworks and electric
Ii Ign pants are operated side by
slde ana under the same mana cement.
Inc grounds have been improved as n
PARK, with shade trees. palms and oaks
hover beds, broad lawns and fountains
supplied by four artesian wells that
spout twelve inch streams from n thou
sano ieet below the surface into broad
lakes, or aera ting basins, from which
tits drawn into reservoirs to be pumn.
ed to all parts of the city. 1t is one
OF the charming and health-giving spots
of the town.
The city, prior to the establishment of
inc present plant. was paying each
year 10000 for lighting its streets with
gas. Now, out Of the profits of the sale
OF electricity Mt Z cents per lsilowatt
u is paying all expenses OF operating
the plant. including maintenance -;
plant and circuits; 1t is lighting Ire
streets and public buildings. 1aijs firo
stations, armories and all hospitals and
charitable institutions; Is constanti,
extending Its commercial and strea,
lines, Is laying aside q considerahiu
sum for sinking fund and is ma vins
interest on the entire Investment a .he
rate or per cent. per annum. VIZ
Under an act OF the Legjslotn,o :,
1913 bonds to the extent of S75.o wor ~
issued to build the plant Befor, tha
ponds We're issued, however. l,irn , ine
was begun by the private comnanIos o'
ready inthe field, reaching 10 thn coM ~,
OF final appeal, In suit 10 rcstrai,,
the city In its proposed action. tn a,a
companies claimed that tho civ ,' o's
not the right to build n plant ~ ,hI.
Kind nor to enter into competition wills ,is