The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1899-10-26
Council to Direct the Board to
Ask for BIDS.
PROSPECT or COMPETITION.
0n0Qnaloie Falls Power Company
and Seattle Gas and Electric Com
pany VIII he Factors In the Bid
Aing-Chan9es I'm Lixhttsg Conn
traes-Wkat Ii Costs to Light City

At rpec4al meeting Of the city council
10 be held tonight the city's Legislative
body will be asked by tho board OF public
works 10 grant IL authority 10 advertise
for bids for the city's lighting contract,
TO take effect January /, 1850. Under the
city charter the contract for city iigating
must be let annually until the city owns
its own lighting plant. and the board must
advertise for bids for AZ least ten days
before the award is made.
At thu city hall yesterday IL was stated
that in al probability the council would
pass resolution tonight directing the
board OK public works TO call .or bids for
the lighting contract. 1t Is expected that
the bids Wit. be opened about November
December l.
The probabilities are according to the
general view taken at the city hall, that
there VIII he competition OF rather live
iy sort for the big contract for lighting the
city during the first year Of the twentieth
century The board OF public works ex-
poets bids from the Union Electric Com
pany, the Seattle Gas and Electric Com
pany and the Snoauaifnie Falls Power
Company The contract for furnishing
lights Tor the city streets IL regarded by
experts az profitable one under presen,
conditions.
Conditions have somewhat changed since
a year ago. when the lighting contract
was up fer confederation. At that time
there was more or less competition be-
tween the Third Avenue IL Suburban Rail-
way Company and the Union Electric
Company. w. j. Gramos was then as he
II today, the managing head OF the Third
Avenue a Suburban Railway Company and
DR. Il. c. kitbourne occupied the same po-
aition regarding the Union Electric Com
pany.
Today as every one knows. there IL a.
strong community of interest between the
Union Electric Company and the Third
Avenue line.
In fact. they may be said to be con-
fr1lled By The came corporate influence
namely, the General Electric COMPANY
II is no secret that the representatives OF
the General Electric Company, which fig
ured largely In the recent consolidation of
the SIX principal street car lines OF the
city. some time ago secured q majority OF
stock in the Union Electric Company. The
General Electric Company In heavily in
terested. IL Ii commonly believed, In the
Third Avenue line
For these reasons at the city hall II Is
not believed that there will be that ayiSity
In bidding for the contract between the
Third Avenue Il Suburban Railway Com
pany and the Union Electric Company
Which the authorities might desire
On the other hand. the chances are. SO
II Is stated at the city hall. that the se
attic Gas and Electric Company Is In n
better position To make night for n big
share CT the lighting contract than ever
before. In fact. at the offices of the gas
company II was stated yesterday that the
company would enter the bidding "sor all
IL was worth and would endsayor to So
cure the biggest part of the contract. or
as much thereof as II is capable OF hanal-
ing.
During the pas. eighteen months the
company has laid between ten and fifteen
miles Of gas mains. covering a very large
part Of the city which II did no. enter
when its FIRST bid for city lighting was
made 1t Is understood. too, that the bulk
OF these n1ains have been laid with the
tiea OF ultimately furnishing the city gas
for street lighting In the districts travera-
ell by them.
The Snoqualmie Falls Power Company
IL another factor In tire consideration OF
the lighting contract which has never be-
fore appeared In such matters. II IL I'M
derstocd that the city authorities have re-
eoised assurances from the company that
81 would pa; IN n bid for the entire CON
tract. This being true. II Is believed "a,
tho city hall that tho competition for tho
contract this year may lie keeuar than
for long time past
The city Is now paying ahou, a. oa0 an
nually for Tia street lighting There are
ninety arc lights ~ .Csa candle mower. sra
incandescant lights varying between ar
teen ard thirty candle power each. and 10
gas lights The electric lights. ares and
fncandsscents are supplied BY tho rhtrs
Avenue & Suburban ana the t-uior Electric
Company. while the gss company supplies
the gas lights.