The Montgomery advertiser., 1902-04-13
THE CITY LIGHTING.
A Citizen Calls on the Council to
 Protect Individual Consumers.

Editor The Advertiser:
 Much discussion and interest among the
 business men of the city has been awak-
 ened by the recent communications ap-
 bearing in your columns in reference 10
 the contract for city lighting which is
 now about to be made by the City Coun- ell. The citizens of Montgomery are 1n-
 terested in the contract about to be made
 by the City Council, not only as to what
 price will be charged the municipality TOT
 the arc and incandesceufs pecessary to light the city, but also, and very much more, as to what price will be charged for commercial lighting-that is. the pr1- yate consumer in the stores and resi- dences of the city.
 of commercial business overshadows in importance the $l4,000 worth of municipal business. The City Council should not sacrifice this greater to the lesser inter est. They have secured a remarkably low bid for the municipal lighting Will they not secure comparatively as req sonabIe terms for the commercial light ing of the city?
 The securing of tho city contract car ries with 1t practically the right to the commercial business of Montgomery. No plant will come here to compete for com mercial business without the city con other hand, fortified by the city con tract, another company could and would come in to compete for commercial II ght- ing. The City Council Is having the ben
  ness in securing prices on municipal l lighting. But what will the consumer
 haveT In all probability. he will have
 but one company with which to deal. and
 time and the City Council is the only power able to give the people the pro- tection in contract, which every senti- | mont of business foresight demands. With three parties eager and anxious | for this valuable city franchise. the City Council is in a position as perhaps never before. to secure for the people of Mont gomery reasonable terms for the commer- cial lighting by requesting bids thereon | from each one. Light is a necessity and should be furnished citizens at the low | est reasonable terms.
 If the present company can furnish arc lights to the municipality for $51 per year. should they charge private consum- CTS from $S0 to s90 per year? The muni- cipal lighting requires an all night ser vice, while the commercial lighting Is only until Il o'clock. In other words. if
 an all night service can be rendered the city for $51 per year per light but little
 if any more. should be. charged the cit- izen for Q lesser service. If the com- | the same reasonable basis as that of the municipal lighting. the clamor for the | municipal ownership of a lighting plant
 will cease. as the reason for 1t will no longer exist.
 The recent failure of a large dry goods house in this city brought to light a most astonishinglv low rate paid for lighting | its store, which was the subject of uni- versal comment in the business commu- nifty. At present there seems 10 be no l fixed schedule for commercial lighting there being as many different discounts | from the stated price. as there are con- sumers of electricity. If. as has been stated. no raise in rates Is contemplated | now Is the time for this most welcome verbal statement to be nut into writ | ten contract which will designate the A. A. I Atn ANA
 of the city for commercial lighting. Citizen.