Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-12-05
STREET LIGHTING.
Branch of Government Which Inter-
ests Large Number

"One of the branches of our municipal
government which interests a very large
number OF people is that of street lighting
This is most interesting problem and for
the successful carrying out of which now
needs Only one thing-money In round
numbers $235,6po are spent for lighting the
District. OF this amount So, 900 are spent
Tor arc lighting III the central part of the
city, $500 for incandescent lighting in Eek
iEgtOn, TenleytOwn, the Aoueduct bridge
and Chain bridge; s137 300 for gas LAMPS:
S3o.Ho for naphtha lights. These naphtha
Ishts are used in such sections of the city
ana county as are not provided with gas
mains. The light is fairly good, and is the
best that can be provided, where there are
neither eectrfc wires gas mains 1t is
not at all settled in the opinion of many
people that the light of 1000 candle
power, such as now have is the hest
system even of arc lighting. Where the
streets are partly business and partly resi-
dental the presence of arc lights in front
of residences is exceedingly trying to MANY
persons in the houses and It is commended
that the larger number of lamps. with less
individual candle power, would be the bet
ter system of lighting.
Congress having made proyision and al
IoWance for experimental lighting the
money was used in equipping posts with
Welsbach burners. These lamps have been
placed as far as possible on the lines of the
street railroads. especially those extending
out into the suburbs. Attention is especial
iy invited to these lamps, as it is believed
That they are the best that can be had
The cost of maintaining Weisbach latnr
is $50 per year, while the cost of the or
binary gas lamp is $50. the difference being
principally in the expense of MAINTAINING
the burner. 1t is thought that the differ
ence in the quality Of the lights is well
worth the difference in the cost and the
Commissioners would be glad to substitute
these Welsbach burners for all the ordinary
burners did funds permit, but this is i'm
possible.
Cause of Complaint.
THE most serious cause of COMPLAINT
however, is not as to the kind of light
where light exists. but the absence of ugh.
In a very large proportion of the county
roads and lanes. where there Is actually no
light ut all Just as far as possible these
pieces are provided with naphtha lamps
but there is great need of large extern
sion OF this service In making up the esti-
mates for the coming year the Commission
efs nave asked as much as was possible to
allow for street lighting, hoping to extend
the service of naphtha lighting into those
portions of the county which are now in
de- rkness.
incident to the lighting of the city is
Inc matter of designating the names of
streets. In doing away with the lamps
Where electric arc lights are now in ex-
astence there was also the doing away with
the old system of placing a street desisna-
tlon on the gas lamp, that the street
c'Sii oe bS5I5iidlet ny night as well by
day. This is now provided for by using the
old lampposts. two-foot burner being at
tdched thereto al the top of the post in
closed IN what is known as Coils lamp.
This is not intended to light the street at
All, but the small burner gives light enough
TO make the designation possible These
lamps are of beautiful design: the lettering
Is large and can be easily read. con-
tract has been recently entered into with
the Washington Gas Light Company for
maintaining these lamps at a much lower
price imam heretofore paid, and with the
money thus saved additional Coils lamns
win be provided.
Attention is invited to the street desfg-
nations and especially to the new departure
OF painting the posts a silver color instead
OF the old conventional green.
1t may be of interest to the people of
the District to know that the number of
lights provided for the District is as fol-
lows:
M TIMBER of gas lamps. 6,455 incandes-
cent lamps, 26S; number of arc lights. 65s;
naphtha lamps, l,215; Welsbach lights 81;
Coils lamps, As; total, S699: an increase
during the year of 268 lamps.