The evening times., 1900-04-09
LIGHTS In THE STREETS
Mr.. Dodge Combats the Views OF
Commissioner Wight.
The Question of Outside Contractors
Advantages Over the Citizens of
the Observation-Disclosures Set Forth
That 1t Is Intimnted the People
Should Take Under Consideration.

w c. Dodge, patent attorney, and
public spirited citizen of the District IN
a communication addressed to the Com
missioners, handles the Board, and partic-
ularly Commissioner John B. Wight, with
out gloves in the matter of the use OF
naphtha in lighting the streets.
Mr.. Dodge first complains that he re-
ceived no answer to communication sent
to the Commissioners more than a month
ago. in which he urged the Importance OF
an early decision on the question whether
the tanks. burners, etc, should be fur-
nished by the District or by the contrac-
tor Through the newspapers MT. Dodge
says he learned that Commissioner wight
had recommended to the Board that the
best interests OF the District are served
by requiring the company furnishing
naphtha to furnish the tank and burner,
rather than to have them furnished by the
District
The reasons assigned for this. says Mr..
Dodge. according to the newspaper report
were that the burners considered best
for naphtha lamps cannot be purchased.
But the Dodge communication ADDS that,
according to the report of the Superintend-
ent of Street Lighting. the Wellington
burner formerly used is the best, for in
his report he states that with the burner
formerly used. which was the Wellington
burner. a 20-ca1dle power light was fur-
nished with less naphtha than is required
by the present burners for 16-candle
power light.
IF by his statement Mr.. Wight means
continues Mr.. Dodge, THAT the Wellington
burners are not kept in stock sufficient TO
furnish the 1.255 burners at once, that Is
| true. and it was for that reason | urged
! an early decision. so that if the best bum
er was to be adoptd. as | assumed, OF
/ course, it would be, there would be time
! to have them made, whether furnished by
/ the District or the contractor. But II MT.
| Wight means as his language would seem
! TO imply, that the burners considered best
| to wit: the Wellington, cannot be had,
then | have to say the statement is IN
correct, for as shown by a letter from
responsible company under date OF March
! / 1900 they say: We can furnish the l,3OO
/ brass outfits for the street lamps, etc, and
/ this was in reply TO an enquiry by an in
| tending bidder, as to whether they could
! furnish the Wellington burners, in case
it should be decided by your Boadr to
| adopt il. so that he could bid with GER
tainty of getting the burners if called for
A copy of the letter referred to is en-
closed in Mr. Dodges communication.
IF il be true" as Mr.. Dodge says be Is
! informed, that tins letter bearing date
as above stated was placed before your
| Board Immediately upon its receipt, and
that Commissioner Wight had his atten-
tion specially called 10 it in connection
with this matter. IL is difficult to under
stand how he could truthfully say that
the burners considered best could not be
bought
Mr.. Dodge, referring again TO the news
paper report which says Mr. Wight be-
lieves that the kind of burner and tank
to be used should be specified by the Com
missioners, and the contractor required
TO furnish such as in his opinion seems
best" continues as follows:
1t may be that the reporter accidentally
| substituted the word his for the wore
their in the sentence quoted, or other
wise the statement would be absurd. Bu
! suppose the Commissioners are 10 specify
the burner which they and not the contTac
tor consider best then is it not importan
, that the burner be decided upon in time Il
| enable the contractor to procure them?
! A second reason assigned by Commits
, sioner Wight as cited by Mr.. Dodge, from
the published report lis that by requiring
the contractor to furnish the burners TIL
, municipal authorities are at liberty an
{ 4 wear to call for such burner as may seen
best If. as stated by the Superintendent
OF Street Lighting, the Wellington burne
formerly used is the best. why then shout
} not the Board call for it, and why shoul
il not be done in time to enable the con
tractor to obtain them2 1t is difficult I
understand why not, unless the idea is I
delay the matter until it is too late TO oh
{ tain them, when, of course. there woul
. be nothing that could be done. but TO con
: | tinue the use of the inferior burners tuT
, ! nished by the present contractor.
: "If II were the intention TO so manag
, ! the matter of the naphtha lighting that
shall be continued in the hands OF tn
, ! present outside contractor. to the eXciu
/, | sion of citizens of the District, it is diff
! cult to see how ii could be moreAefectuall
= accomplished than by adopting the recon-
| mendation of Commissioner Wight"
: MIR. Dodge admits the possibility that III
newspaper reports referred to do not col
/ rectly state Commissioner Wights position
but if so Mr. Dodge declares that the fau
lies at the Commissioners own door, ft
. had he furnished me a copy of his recon
mendation 10 his associates, as he said /
supposed he had done. and as he promise
me at an interview had with him some tin
Il before this was published. he would do
r once there would then have been I
chance for any misrepresentation in tt
matter"
matters in connection with naphtha ligh
n ing for the District that would seem to r.
: auire investigation. asking how it WI
a and why the lamps and burners owned |
o. he District were allowed to be dismantlt
: by the company which formerly had Il
contract and allowed to substitute i
: own?
n Why is it not as desirable for the Di
II | trict to own naphtha lamps as for ii
|" own gas almps?
why is the present contractor permi
= ted to use a burner which the Superb
, tendent and experience shows to be inf
rior?
Why, in a former year, the contract vi
awarded to the highest bidder on Il
lo ground that the test showed his burn
- and the naphtha furnished to give an e.
~ cess of light over that of the lowest biz
, der while in last years award, when Il
y tests showed a much greater excess
- consideration was given to that fact?
why the District should not have Il
y best burner and the most attainab
- light?"
III These are matters which Mr.. Dodl
~ thinks the citizens and taxpayers are il
terested in and he intimates to the Cor
missoners that they are matters whi
should receive careful consideration at Il
u hands of the Board.