The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1902-04-25
bids.
Contract Amended.


The contract between the city and
the Mankato and st. Peter Railway
and Lighting Co., for lighting the
streets and city buildings, was read.
The buildings are to be lighted by in
candescent lights at the rate of
twelve cents per 1000 watts. The
company is to begin the construction
of the street railway line within four
months and have FIVE miles completed
and in operation within fifteen
months.
A. E. Clark said in reply to qUes-
tion that the city is now paying
nearly thirteen cents per 1000 watts
with the discount off or 10 cents If the
bill is not paid by the 10th of the
month.
Aid. Heinze asked whether twelve
cents was not rather steep when the
city has given SO liberal street light
ing contract. He thought that tine
contract tied the city up to the new
company, SO that it could not continue
to use gas. This matter had not been
mentioned previously.
w. L. Hixon said that the new COM
pany was offering to light the build
ings at a lower rate than at present.
1t would go to help make up the
difference between the 100 arc lights
contracted for and the 1876 arcs that
Mr.. Collins wanted the city to take.
Aid. Heinze asked the city attorney
whether the contract would not tie
the city up to take lights from the
new company for twenty years under
the exclusive franchise.
City Attorney Daley said that the
franchise was exclusive but while the
contract is for ten years he would not
care to give an opinion as to whether
the city is tied up for twenty years.
A. E. Clark said that it was difficult
TO say what commercial lighting is.
Every light bought and sold is COM
mercial lighting. The contract ex-
pires in ten years, and then the city
can contract with whoever it wishes.
AID. Heinze said that the franchise
prevents anybody else coming in to
submit bid, as the new company has
an exclusive contract for twenty
years.
Aid. Wilcox said that the franchise
should require that meter be placed
in the city hall, so that the city will
know at all times how much light is
being furnished. At present there is
no way to tell.
| Aid. Heinze said that the city could
use kerosene lamps to light the city
buildings
Some one remarked that the city
could not even do this, that it was
tied up to the new company and was
bound to take it's lights of it or go in
darkness.
Aid. Taylor suggested that the con
tract be changed to allow the city tt
take as many incandescents as it want
ed to-
The contract was changed to reat
that all the electricity used in thu
public buildings is to be taken from
the new company at twelve cents Pc
1 900 watts, at Mr.. Clark suggestion
This leaves the city at liberty to US
gas if it wants to.
Aid. Heinze objected to twelv
cent rate, saying that merchants ar
contracting for lights at ten cents.
A. E. Clark said that all these con
tracts are made at twelve cents unles
the number taken exceeds 3, 900, whe
the price is to be ten cents Some
thing over four thousand lights hav
been contracted for.
AS amended, the contract was az
, proved.
: The matter of laying water mair
on Rock street between Second an
;. Third was referred to the committe
on waterworks, on petition of AID
Leonard.