Waterbury Democrat., 1900-11-14
BOARD OF PUBLIC WORKS
Question of Municipal Lighting Intro =- duced Last Night.

Mayor Kilduff, Commissioners Whit ing, Blakeslee, Mahaney, Scully, Sup erintendent OBrien of the bureau of water. Superintendent Kelley of the street department, Engineer Cairns and City Clerk NJ. J. Ryan.
 Commissioner Whiting introduced the question of municipal lighting and stated that he had it on excellent au- thority that the city could install plant at a reasonable outlay and by furnishing electricity to people who might want to use it, save at least $20,000 on the venture. Some of the factories do their own lighting now and it seems to me that the city ought to be able to make it pay if they can. NIT Whiting said he knew the city was not getting the worth of it's money from the local company. He was also aware that the municipal lighting con- panies had laws passed in their own interest which might lead one to be- lieve that they had an undisputed field but he thought the time had come when the constitutionality of some of these laws ought to be tested.
 Mayor kilduff: II think the Scovill Manufacturing company and every other concern that is doing it's own lighting is evadng the law. I'd like to have some one inform me why the Scoyill Manufacturing company can do it's own lighting and the city of Waterbury cannot. Look at where Waterbury stands in the premises! Be fore going into that business two sue ceSSive boards of aldermen would have to pass a vote favoring the project then the matter would have to be submitted to the people and if they favored it the city could not build q plant of it's own, but instead it would have to buy out the one that is here and as that has been merged into the Connecticut Lighting and Power com pany. l suppose they would tell us we could not purchase the Waterbury part of it unless we bought out the whole company and that couldn't be had for. oh. well. not less than S3.I5 anyway"
 AIr Whiting: These trolley com panies appear to have all the law on their side, but I believe that the time has come when the whole people will rise up against them. 1 saw in the papers the other day where they laid rails through a village when the in habitants were asleep and kept them there simply because the people were not able to fight them
 Mayor Kilduff: You needn't go out of your own town for similar case. Didn't they put down their rails on the Watertown road without consult ing anyone about it:''
 MT Whiting: I'd like to have the democrats in power for while just to see if they would repeal these laws.'
 A1r Blakeslee: Il suppose this is a good time for q man to display his ignorance of public affairs. What party passes these meaSureS:
 Mayor Kilduf (with a smile): Well, I'm not aware that the democrats were in power in this state since cleo tricity was discoyered.'
 AIr Scully: T don't know how the present board of aldermen would look at this question. but it is q matter of public record that q majority of the two previous board stood prepared to back up the trolley company as against the city on all occasions.'
 MT Mahaney: You just try this board on that matter and you'll soon find out whether they represent the Connecticut Lighting and Power com pany of the city of Waterbury,
 It was finally voted to appoint a committee consisting of Mayor Kill duff, Commissioners Whiting and Rlakeslee to consider this problem.
 This was followed by q discussion on the attitude of the Connecticut Lighting and Power company regard ing the vote of the board requesting them to remove q pole that stands in the center of the square on North Main street. The company has re- fused to remove it unless the city finds another location for it. and this is something they do not feel called upon to do. The following resolution was passed:
 Whereas, The Connecticut Lighting and Power company owns and main tainS pole standing in the square at the junction of North Main, Cherry and North Elm street, which pole is q menace to life. and
 Whereas, This board has ordered the said company to remove the said pole, and said pole has not been re moved up to the present time, there fore
 Voted, That the city attorney is hereby ordered to take such action as will cause the said company to re move said pole on or before December
 Mayor kilduf inquired if anything had been heard in reference to the in junction restraining the trolley com 'pany from maintaining it's rails o1 the WatertoWn road contrary to law The case was to have been called il court before now and as nothing has been heard from it he considered i the duty of of the board to inquire into the present status of the case. 4 vote to this effect was passed.
 Property owners on Howard stree were heard regarding their petition fo the layout and grade of that street They all favored it. It was voted to recommend to the aldermen tha the board of public works be author ized to designate such land as is to b' taken for that purpose.
 The contract for opening a new roat at the valley turnpike was awarded to Edward McManus for the price O his bid, $5,415. This is more favor able bid than the city received fo that class of work five years ago ant the engineer appeared to be quit pleased with it, but the mayor woul, be better pleased if more bids ha, come in.
 Property owners on Bishop stree were present requesting an extension of the water main in the street a shor distance. The matter was referred t the city engineer for an estimate o expenses.
 John Mulvaney was granted
 plumbers license.
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