The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1901-05-14
TO RAISE THE LIGHTS,
Matter Will Be Brought to the At
tention of Select Council
Thursday Night.

LIE question ol ulIcClluS tllc St1du-
ton Electric Light and Power COM
pany to raise the street lights to IL
height OF at least twenty-five feet Is
once more to be put to a direct vote
in councils on Thursday night.
Shortly after the contract for the
street lighting was awarded to the
COMPANY. resolution offered by John
Il. Roche, was adopted. directing the
company to place its lights on mast
arms at u minimum height of eighteen
feet from the ground. This was
passed and the company placed Its
lights at the minimum height.
Almost Immediately after the change
the citizens in all parts of the city
began to complain that the lights when
placed at the height of eighteen feet
were too dazzling upon the eyes of
both pedestrians and drivers of vehi-
cles. Especially did the latter COM
plain, saying that when a driver got
within Il half a block of one of the
lowered lights, he would be so blinded
until it was passed, as to be almost
unable to see anything.
Select Councilman Vaughan there
upon introduced a resolution. directing
the company to raise it's lights to q
height of twenty-five feet. BY the
terms of the contract the company
is obliged to place the lights at any
height the city may direct. Mr.. Vau-
ghans resolution passed select coun-
ell but was killed in the common
branch.
About two months ago the company
had introduced in the select council
a resolution declaring that the parti-
cular section of it's contract which pro-
Vided that it should be docked for an
entire night for all lights found to
be out. was not meant to apply to
lights out for only Il few minutes. but
only to lights out for Il prolonged
period of time. Mr.. Vaughan succeed
cd in having an amendment to this
resolution adopted before it was pass
ed. providing that it should not go
into effect until the company raise
the lights to ii height of twenty five
feet.
since the passage of this resolution
the company has made nuf,tgrmpt to
raise its lights and is still being tockod
for all lights found not lighted by
patrOlmen, without regard to the
length of time they are out. OF course,
as iDllS dS Tue company Is NllllnS 10
stand this dockage. the city cannot,
under the resolution, compel the rails
ing of the lamps.
Realizing the situation. Mr. Narl-
CHAN has decided to adopt IL new
course of procedure. He will intro
duce on Thursday night a resolution
repeating the original resolution of
Mr.. Roche'S, fixing the minimum
height of lights at eighteen feet. The
resolution will further provide that the
minimum height shall be twenty-five
feet ana will direct the city controller
not to countersign any warrants drawn
in favor of the company. until such
time as the lamps are raised TO the
height above mentioned.
This will put the matter To Il direct
vote" said Mr.. Vaughan yesterday.
There is not a single person whom
! have talked to on this subject who
does not say that the lights should be
raised. | think that there will be IA
sufficient number of counclmen who
realize the public sentiment on this
question, to pass the resolution"
Director of Public Works John r..
Roche has notified the company that
the new lights, 10 be erected as pro-
vided for in ordinances passed recent
~. must be- placed al IA height of
twenty-five feet from the ground.