The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1899-09-19

The city mee ting last evening was the
liveliest for years. There was an air of
suppressed excitement about the city
building when the two boards met. The
contest over the electric lighting contract
and the expectation that some sensation
might be developed in relation to 1t In
the course of the proceedings. had at
traoted a considerable audience.
The mayor having real the call asked
the pleasure Of the board. On motion of
Alderman johnson 1t was votsd to pro-
coed at once to new business. This re-
lieved the tension somewhat. and the
had been disposed of a recess was taken
and both aldermen and audience betook
themselves to the lower board, where a
skirmish had begun over the proposition
to change the ordinance relating to max.
ing contracts for electric lighting. This,
however, was not the main business of
the evening. which cams later when
Mayor Robinson presented in the board
OF aldermen the order passed by the CON-
mon council at it's last session providing
for a contract for lighting the city for
five years by the Portland Electric Light
Co.
There was pause after Mayor Robinson
had finished reading and as he asked:
what is your pleasure concerning 1t f'
Then Alderman Smith arose and said
that the order was not In accordance with
the proposals, in that the gas company's
proposition for furnishing Welsbach lights
was made directly and not in conjunction
with the electric light company, as
seemed to be assumed by the terms Of the
order. Therefore he moved that the
board
NoN-CoNCUR IN THE ORDER
as 1t came from the council. This mo-
tion was carried without division, while
a murmur of disappointment went
through the audience. who had expected
to see fireworks of the common council
kind at this point.
Alderman Dow then presented an order
providing for direct contract with the
gas company for furnishing the three
hundred Welsbach lights. This order
was passed without division, and sent
down for concurrence.
Alderman Smith then presented an
order providing for making
contract with the Consolidated Eieo-
trio Light company for one year in ac-
cordance with the bid submitted by that
company.
At this point the clerk Of the common
council appeared and announced that the
lower board had adhered to their order
relating TO electric lighting, and asked
for a joint convention to discuss the
matter.
Alderman Mannix thought that a Joint
convention was wanted only because
some
MEMBERS WOULD LIKE no HEAR
THEMSELVES TALK.
He opposed 1t.
Alderman Moulton said that a joint
would be merely for informal
discussion, and he should favor 1t.
Alderman Lamson said that so far
the council had done all the talking and
the aldermen all the doing. He did not
favor the convention.
Alderman Smith also was not in, favor
of it.
The vote beingtaken there were five for |
the convention and four against, as fol-
lows:
For-Messrs. johnson, Merrill. Dow,
Moulton and Frye-6
Against Messrs. Sprague, Mannix,
hanson, SMITH.
So the joint conventions duly opened.
At once Alderman Lamson moved to
limit speeches to fifteen minutes. Alder.
man Mannix seconded this motion.
Councilman Wilson of ward eight,
thought that the motion was calculated
to detract from the dignity Of the proceed
ings. Mr. Cloudy also was against the
liIuit. saying that discussion was wanted
Alderman Moulton moved the previous