Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1902-01-30
STREET LIGHT CONTRACTS
Discussed Tuesday Morning by Street
and Sewer Department Directors.
]. D. CARTER CROSS-EXAMINED
AS to His knowledge of the
WelSbach Contract.
CITY SOLICITOR WANTS INFORMATION

meeting of the Directors of the Street |
and Sewer Department Tuesday,
the discussion being precipitated by |
City Solicitor Reinhardt, who was at
the meeting for the purpose of obtain
| ing information on the subject. Dur.
| ing the meeting he cruss-eXamined
| Director Carter, who was member
OF the old board.
Upon the advice of Mr.. Reinhardt,
the board did not award the contract
for electric lighting, us had been in
tended, but expects to do so as soon
as the Wclsbach matter has been
cleared up, which will probably be in
Il few days. In the meantime the
electric lighting will be done by the
Wilmington City Electric Go. under
temporary arrangement. Mr.. Reinhardt
| promised to give decision in the
Welsbach matter as soon as possible,
and did not think more than two or
three days more would be consumed in
looking into the matter.
The first matter taken up relative to
light was the electric contract. Mr..
Reinhardt said in view of the fact that
the Welshach contract purports to be
for LOCO or more lights, it would he
we'll to have the matter of the legality
of the contract settled before fixing
the number of electric lights desired.
Superintendent Van Trump and At
torney Hayes of the Wilmington City
Electric Co. desired an early determi-
nation of the matter, but said they
would work under the old arrangement
while the matter is pending, and the
city will be lighted as heretofore. IT
is expected that the electric contract
will he awarded next week.
Coming to the Welsbach matter, Mr..
, Reinhardt said he was not vet ready
with an opinion as there was still u
| lack of information as to the details,
and it would be hard to get down to
the legal status of the contract until
he learned more facts. He said the
) contract did not appear to be in ac-
, cordance with the specifications which
had been furnished him, and he asked
j whether any permits had been given to
put mp the lights
! Street Commissioner Pierson, to
a whom the inquiry was directed, said
Q he had never given any permits. By
t direction Of the board he had fur
G nished the company with a list of the
G roles, also d list Of all incandesccnt
G lights and list of the lights fol
I, which applications were pending Al
d were checked off by the company eX
o cept 76, which were returned.
n Mr. Reinhardt called attention tt
k the fact that according to the minutes
e of the last meeting the street commits
q sioner had been instructed to act unde
o his directions, and asked why he hat
:, not been notified Of such action, Th'
* first he knew of such action was whel
n told by citizen after the meeting, am
e he had never received official notice,
Mr. Carter explained that he sup
posed it meant that the street commits
sioner was to act under the direction
of the city solicitor after the latte
IN gave an opinion provided the opinio
was ready between meetings.
1t Mr.. Reinhardt asked whether tn
$ board had given the company permls
n sion to erect poles.
Of "The board never gave permission,
* Mr. Carter replied. ''Mr. Wiley ha
a list Of all the lamps and also a list {
ID the applications for lamps which wei
.. furnished the company. They wei
er taken to the gas company's Office
ascertain whether the new lights aske
to for were on the gas mains. "
IN tDo you mean" Mr.. Reinharc
asked, ''that the board got it's il
structions from the Welsbach Co. ?"
"They asked for list of the lam
IN and we furnished it, -
n "Was any permission given to put l
new poles!"
"No. -
"Then the company put the poles ,
of on it's own account?"
n, eyes y
IL 'Did the company not start wol
at early in December" Mr.. Reinhar
MS asked Street Commissioner Pierso
sr- "And did the company ask you +
permission before that time?"
tx "Yes, = replied the street commi
", sioner, they started about that tim
ow but ! did not see any Of them un
of after the work had been begun. "
nd "Why did you not stop them VIII
cs' they began to put up poles?"
on "Well, thought / had no authori
in the matter.
;ed "Did a representative of the CO.
th any meet you, Mr. Carter, Mr.. Rel
of hardt asked, ''in the gas compan,
on. Office. in November, and ask permissi
bic to put up the poles?"
of mo" Mr.. Carter replied, she {
ose not see me on the subject in the
ted Office. One OF their men came to W
ier mington and saw me and asked p
he- mission to put the new tops on
Of lamps, but told him | woul, not e
Tif- him authority to do 50; he had bet
oh ask the board"
in ''You say he did not meet you in
to gas Office in November, and get r
and mission from you there?" Mr.. Re
ury hardt asked.
der "That is correct" Mr.. Garter
lore piled.
347, Then" said Mr.. Reinhardt, g
me, statement does not agree with your
his "He did not meet you there in
,ere presence OF Mr.. Betts?"
ore 'No, sir. y
en-. Mr.. Reinhardt read from the sp
tion tications and called attention to
yate fact that they called for 16-car
ION power lights and asked how the be
Nc come to give the contract to the w
ncis bach Co. for another kind of lis
Iol- He asked Mr.. Carter whether the be
fore had, in meeting, changed the spec
ary- cations. MIR. Carter replied that
ana board had not, but said AZ Il confere
ent. they had decided to accept the pre-
she'd sition of the Welsbach Co., WI
bine offered reduction of S1.25 on
ant wear contract for 1000 lights.
lska Mr.. Reinhardt asked whether
nd action was on the minutes and
, 50 Carter replied in the negative.
| IA .,a4, tf,