The Montgomery advertiser., 1902-04-22
LIGHT CONTRACT AWARDED
 BY THE CITY COUNCIL
Will Be Supplied by Montgomery Light and Power Company Restrictions on Rates to Con-
 SumerS--Lengthy Debate.

electricity in Montgomery was a part oI the subject matter. He wanted to Know for the city.
 Alderman Gunier said his proposition was not at all indefinite, He might ad- init that the city could not manufacture the electricity for S51 light, he said, but
 this did not dispose of the fact that the tax paid by consumers of commercial if the Council proposed to fix the maxi mum price of electricity to the cousurn- CTS while the Council had the chance to do SD, If there was bid or *p year
 for arc lights to the city and $60 for arc lights to the consumer, Alderman Gunter said he would fayor it instead of this bid of $5l to the city and no restriction upon the rates to consumers. Under the req soning of the majority of the committee
 ho said the city might get a bid of $20 Tor
 the city and leave the consumers 10 De charged extortionate rates. This. he said.
 was manifestly unfair. If either was to get the lower rate he said he thought II should be the commercial consumers 1T
 the Council had made mistake Tn asking
 for bids Alderman Gunter said it was
 the conscientious duty of the Council to N undo this mistake and ask for new bids.
 MT. Vandiver Speaks.
 Upon motion of Alderman Rushton w. F. Vandiver President of the Montgomery Light and Power Company, was invited to address the Council
 Mir. Vandiver spoke about twenty min- utes. He assured the Council that 1t was
 not the intention of his company to alarm the Council nor the citizens of Montgom-
 cry by making a very low bid on the con tract for lighting the city. The low bid
 had been based on probable city owner ship he said, and his company did not take into consideration other competi-
 tors because it was known that other
 competitors would have to use steam
 power. It was dwell established rule of
 business, he said, that great amount Of
 product could be supplied at lesser fig-
 ire than small amount. It was unfair to ask his company to make the same
 rate for one light for one year as it was making the city for PAP lights for ten years.
 The bid of his company. MT. vandiver said was for arc lights one year, VA each. arc lights two years S13 each; arc iights three years. $70 each; arc lights four years, $66 each; arc lights five years. $Se each, and arc lights ten years. S51 each. These figures in themselves showed that
 his company was figuring on the term of years 1t would have the work. The con- sl mer buys the electricity by the month. Mir. Vandiver said he was authorized to
 say that the bid of his company was the lowest at which electric lighting is sup , piled any where in the country and that the rates for commercial lights would not be increased He asked for nothing but | fairness he said. and he expected noth- ing else He would not enter into an agreement in writing not to raise prices' he said. because 1t would place his com pany at the mercy of future councils put be would give his personal guarantee That prices would not be increased TOT commercial lights. Alderman Gunter, after MT Nanoiver 1 had concluded, said he had listened With | interest to MT. Vandiver. The asking for new bids he said, might be an injustice | to Mir Vandiyer and his company, put m his opinion, justice should first De ao-