The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1901-12-17
REPORTS OF HEADS OF
CITY DEPARTMENTS

I suitable building should not exceed
S400. A few old lanterns and fixtures
I have been sold to neighboring towns
for street-lighting purposes, and it is
possible that those remaining may be
utilized in our own service at the eX-
piration of our contraet-with the Wells
bach company.
The financial statement of the de-
partment for the year 1901 is shown
below:
Resources-B Balance Dec I. 1900, IS. 70:
appropriations, $121, 800 revenue, $6S2.75.
Total, 1922, 1873. so
Expenditures-Cos Of arc service,
$40, S5S.2 81; cost of incandescent service,
$136 is; cost of gas Welsbachs, 14,255.0S;
cost of gasoline Welsbachs, $27385 80;
cost of fire alarm signals, $1S5 80;
Welsbach construction, $115 SO; remov-
ing dead posts, $163.71; gasoline sta
ton, $66.07; balance forward to 1902
1928 Total 1922 1888. so.
Bills amounting to $50 so in favor of
this department for private lights and
lamp fittings sold are in the hands of
the city treasurer for collection.
The report refers to- the controversy
between the city and the Electric Light
Company, relative to the cost of the
arc lights, and the decision of the gas
and electric light commission, which
gives the city 500-Watt lamp for rs
| the lowest price ever made in New
England for equal service under SINH
lar conditions Monthly tests have
been made during the year by the su-
perintendent of this department to de-
termine the efficiency of the street arcs
furnished by this company. The result
shows an average of 511.4 Watts per
lamp, an amount of energy somewhat
above the standard requirements for a
nominal 2000-paDd1a T1nUaT LIGHT
the service rendered by the company
in the matter Of street arcs is of a very
high character is indicated by the
small amount of outage reported by
the police department and detected by
the officers of this department during
the year. The amount of outage is ADJ
lamp hours, or one lamp Al nights,
amounting to So, 30. This amount has
been deducted from the monthly bills
due the company. During the year 1901
q additional street arcs have been or
dered by the City Council
The cost of the aTc-light service for
the year amounts to $79,85S21 The
cost of the incandescent lights used
during the year is $136 is. Of this
amount $133 90 was paid the Electric
Light Company and $3.1S is the
amount charged for salary and clerk
hire. The last incandescent was dis
continued Dec I, 1901
But one open-flame gas lamp re-
mains in use, the cost of this lamp is
borne by the party for whose benefit
it is maintained.
The gas street lights in this city are
furnished by the Welsbach Street
Lighting Company of America, under a
contract which expires Sept. 1, 1903
The company pays for the gas used,
lights, eXtinguishes and cleans the
lamps, furnishes nantes and makes all
needed repairs above the cross-ar1ns.
The city furnishes the posts and riser
pipes set in position ready for the
lamps to be put in place. The lanterns
and all fixtures above the cross-arrn
are owned by the company. The price
paid the company under this contract
is $50 per lamp year; the lamps burn
1000 hours per year at a minimum Of
6O-candle power. The number of this
class of lamps in daily use is 40 the
same as year ago. The cost of this
branch of the street lighting service
for the year amounts to $14,255. 08.
The most radical departure from an
tiquated methods taken by this city in
recent years was the substitution of
the gasoline Welsbach for the old open
flame lamps. The work Of changing
from the old system to the new was
practically completed in January last.
The streets covered by our gasoline
service are better lighted than ever be
fore. The efficiency of the light is not
affected by wind or storm and the cost
on T.a~H