The Montgomery advertiser., 1902-04-10
Letters to The Editor.
THE LIGHTING BIDS.
Protection Should Be Afforded Indi-
 vidual Consumers.

Editor The Advertiser;
 Thirty-six hours ago a situation was l revealed without parallel in Southern cit | ies and marks a turning point in Mont gomery's industrial career.
 The City Council called for bids for l lighting the city and three bids were submitted. Two of these bids were from interests guaranteeing new and com peting electric plant. The figures in each of these two bids were practically on the same basis. showing that they had been carefully and prudently made and more over conformed to similar conditions and prices in other cities. When the lowest bid Chat of the Mont | gomery Light and Power Company was read, the figures must have opened the | eyes of those present. The difference in | their favor was so marked and so unu- | suai that the people of Montgomery have
 a good right to be astonshed thereby. l Was it to destroy all chance of a pros
 pective competitor that the prices for arc l lighting was reduced from S74 to s51 per year?
 The results attained here in the past and in other cities at present will hardly tend to uphold such figures in good faith as a profitable contract and if not a
 profit to the company proposing it, what
 is the motive? From whom will this de- fcit be made up? The people should draw their own conclusions and act to save themselves while 1t is yet time. The Council should demand that each of the three bidders advise what they will do for the people of Montgomery
 not only in the price for municipal light ing, but fix also maximum rate that should be charged by meter for commer-
 cial lighting. At present the people of Montgomery are more interested in the
 prices to be charged for commercial light
 ing than they are for municipal lighting, Would the present company furnish the people arc lights at substantially the same figures as proposed to the city? If so. well and good. If not. why? rhA osS 1t (nN11x a1t,ot h ta companies as a nucleus) should not be used to lever out wholesome competition: at the expense of the consumer-the pub lic-afterward.
 should apply to the consuming public as well-for the city lights are even more expensive to operate and maintain than those for commercial purposes. City lights are scattered and require extensive and costly circuits. Commercial lights are grouped together with less poles and wire to serve them and less ground to go over to keep them in shape. We have been and are now paying double what we should if this low bid from the present company is in good
 faith.
 higher bids were estimated on a steam basis and the advent of the cheap Talla-
 poosa Water Power Company warrants
 the abnormally low figures of the lowest bidder
 IT Sucn argument IN dlANdhSNd At IOtuS
 for the people-as much so as for the
 city. If water power can supply the city
 with such remarkably cheap lights a
 company so fortunate should also fur practically the same price and the Coun- ell erred in not asking for bids with that stipulation. Now that developments show
 rlarinE need for action. the Council should require each bidder to state nm. der seal supplementary to each bfa what he propoEes to do for the people, The