The Corvallis times. (Corvallis, Or.) 1888-1909, 1903-12-02
THE CONTRACT MADE.

! THE CONTRACT MADE.
| End of the Negotiations for Street
Lighting-Arc Lights Ordered.
An agreement has been reached
with reference to street lighting
in Corvallis. A contract, giving
franchise to the local Electric
Light Company for a period of 10
years was signed Saturday after
noon. The company is under bond
to the city for faithful performance
of the terms of the contract.
Under the arrangement the city
is to pay FIVE dollars per month for
arcs, and 81 SIS for incandescents.
The figures are exactly the same
as those submitted in the Jones
bid, and are believed to be very
low. The present rate the ely
pays for incandescents is about
S. so per month, The new rates
are to go into effect Decem Ser Ist.
when the total cost per month to
the city for street lighting will be
$54- For several years past the
cost has been $Io2 so per month.
Formerly, it was $124 SO per month
STREET LIGHTS CHEAP.
The last of the various steps in
cident to the negotiations. was ta-
ken at special meeting of the city
council Friday night. It consisted
in the repeal of the ordinance that
was passed over the mayors veto.
and in the adoption of new or
dinauce in lien thereof. The Of
dinance that was passed over the
veto, it will be remembered. pro-
vided that the city should pay So
per month for arcs and $I.41 for
incandescents. 1t subsequently ap-
peared however, that the council
men, when they passed the ordina-
nance over the veto had
al private agreement by which
the local company should accept the
lower 6grues of the Jones bid. or
SIS per month for arcs and 81 IS for
incandescents Then it developed
that no contract could be legally
signed on a basis of the lower fig
ures, and a special meeting was
called and the work of passing the
ordinance over the veto was undone
and a new ordinance Incorporating
the lower figures adopted. The
result is that Corvallis probably
has the cheapest street lighting of
any town in the West.
CONTRACT HAS GOOD FEATURES.
There are other favorable fea-
lures of the new contract, Under
the former contract, when once a
light was ordered. it had to contin-
ue in use by the city during the
life of the contract In the event
that an extravagant council should
have ordered an immense number
of lights, the city would have. been
compelled to continue to use and
pay for them. Under the new con-
tract, the city may at the end of a
year discontinue the use of any or
all lights ordered, sof such action
may be taken at the end of any
subsequent year thereafter. Origin
ally, the local company asked that
at least SIS orth of lights should
be constantly used, but this was
eliminated from the contract en-.
tirely,, and the city may use $40
worth, or-go without lights entire
Iy if it SO desires. The only way
in which the city is bound in this
particular is that it shall use the
lights of the local company, and
pay IS per month for arcs and
SI.35 for incandescents for such
number as it may u5e.
There is also a very distinct
promise on the part of the local
company that there is to be Iber-
al reduction to private consumers.
Mr.. Porter addressed the council
while the new ordinance was pend
ing, and said that the minimum
for meters, now S. so per month
would be reduced to Is cents or
ST. per month, and that the rate
for meter use would likewise be
much lowered. Itis fully believed
that the company will carry out its
promises. Meantime. the council
has it distinctly stated in the con-
tract that the council does not
waive its right, granted under the
charter, to regulate the rates of
light to private consumers.