The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1900-07-11
It's Bid Equivalent to S21.gG Per
Mantle Lamp Per Year in
Residence District.
LIGHTS READY SEPTEMBER I.
president Brown Assures the
Beard That His Concern Will
BE Able to Begin Opera
tons at That Time.

The new contract 30 light the residence
district or tlie city for the remaining por-
uon OF the term of ten years beginning jan
uary l. 1900. was awarded yesterday by the
Board of Public improvements TO the Wells
hach street Lighting Company Of Philadel-
phia' Pa. It's bid being $751; per mantle lamp
per THOUSAND lamp hours. which Is equiva-
lent to sIIs6 per mantle lamp per year. or
S'V.'0'V Il year for 1ic0 lamps. the number
estimated in the Specifications.
The contract calls for the service 70 begin
on January /, 1901. but the Welsbach people
nave assured the Board OF Public Improve
mehts that they VIII be ready 10 light all
inc streets and alleys which have been
hShted under the temporary contrac, bv
September I. 1850. the date on which this
contract held by the Missouri Edison Com
pany. expires
OilIy Two proposals were received at the
letting, the American DEVELOPMENT Conn
pany OF Chicago being the other bidder. a,
S6.s- per lamp per thousand lamp hours. an
increase of cents per lamp per wear on tba
"elsbach bid. This coincidence WAS re-
marked by every member Of the hoard bur
as both bids were considered reasonable and
were within the original estimates OF the
cost of lighting the streets by ,naut,a larpns
made BY the board there was no hesitafiop
ABOUT accepting the lowest bid and awarding
the contract. e
~ recess was taken from u o'clock noon.
when the bids were received. until 4 n'cIocl,
III inc AFTERNOON, when the contract was
formally awarded to the WeIsbach COM
pany.
Tho contract WAS Immediately drawn II,
am signed by tire proper officials and was
Nih the Nelsbach company's bond for
$500 hoth were promptly approved
installation to Begin at Once,
w, VILLAIN r Brown. presd mt OF the wels-
dAi spoke To members &C the Board OF p,,b-
u. improvements in regard to the lighting
contract as follows.
our company Z. ready IN haot, tho shf-
mont OF lamps % St Louis ri once Ne
VII haEc -" eral thousand here within, a
Me.n' a. VII. rot delay for one hour the
"or% OF installation of the lamrs. nv Son
-e8nber l, when the temporary Ughfi1.
contract expires. We Will be rsaiIy 10 lirht
All the streets and alleys which were lighfed
under the old contract and which arr. bcinr
:lShted now under the temporary contract
lie bid We made is the lowest at which
we could perform = satisfactory service
without losing money"
Chairman Hermann of the Special Commit
zee on city lighting expressed himself a
Oelng wei! pleased with the new contract
There ia no doubt OF the roliahili.v ana
responsibility OF the Welsbach comnanv
ne SAID The city can now feel assured
that the lighting service will be commenced
on Seltenner by responsible company.
and taat the service will be satisfactory
The emergency ordinance. now pending IN
The Council. providing for the letting Of a
temporary contract for lighting any of the
streets and alleys in the residence district
which have been lighted heretofore ami
may not be lighted under contract after
NeSbach company assures US they Will b.
ready TO begin the service on the Ist OF
September. a. for the streets and alleys
which are TO be- lighted under the new con-
tract: but have never been lighted before,
the " elsbaSh company will be ready 10
Nsht them in a very short time after Sep
TENDER /.
Both the bids received to-day were very
Reasonable Boston pays so per lamp per
year, while We VIII pay a little less than
81. Many other cities using the mantle
lamp service pay more than We Will pay
under our contract. True. the Kern com
panyS bid was much lower than the We's-
bach comranys bio is, but l think the city
VIII get the value Of its money in the light
ing.
Comparison With Former Bids.
on March 10 the American Development
Thousand lamp hours. or se9.52 for the LOO
lamp hours in year: the Welsbach Com
lany bid ~. Per lamp per thousand lamp
hours. or s3SlS Fer lamp per year; the Kern
Company bid s5.59 per lamp per thousand
lamp hours or 81 % per lamp per year
The difference between the Kern COM
last bid IL SOL per lamp per year; for II 90
lamps. this makes Il difference OF So 90 a
year in the two contracts. or $551.0CO for ths.
whole period OF ten years. The Kern Com
lanys bond is for $4,000 and, of course.
II the city should recover the full amount
or that bond IL, would still be out S{5DUn ON
account OF the failure of the Kern COMPANY
10 carry out It's contract. But there Is an
other way OF looking at the matter and "a
more sensible way. The bid made by tha
Kern Company was unreasonably low low
or than they could afford to carry ont the
contract for. Had they endeayorea 10 in
50 they would have been unable To civ.
service. Under the new CON
tract the city may expect high-class service
ana gets IL at considerably cheaper figure
IMAM was bid by any other company than
me hern company at the first letting of
the contract. In addition to This the civ
can justly expect TO recover 10000 from
the Kern Company. which, yfevv.d In ths
on the deal"
President McMath OF the BOARD ~ puhIt,
improvements said: The lighting Situation
ls now settled. as far as we car sea
mink tho contract is a good one and The
one" AuF
"A, H. Graney has represented the yveIs-
racn company In st. Louis since tha nre-
!minaries to the letting of the contract 10
light the residence district were onensd
lie VIII be In charge OF the companys
work here.