New-York tribune., 1903-03-15
FEW MUNICIPALITIES OWN LIGHTING PLANTS,
CONTROLLER GROI7T WANTS TO LOCK HORNS UTTH
GAS COMPANIES At ONCE-CHIC4GOS SAVING.
Colonel Monroe Says Gam pqniCs
U'W Fight Municipal O7tH"rShip.

Literally w"II fGurati-Niy 'H~ Burning
question in local political circles eaterIsv ras
the suddenly sprung at tho nnn-iuG - fF~
BOARD Of F.stinat" ami AprHrtI, rrr~r' ON F~:-
day afternoon municipal "vvn-rehII, nS \ light
ing plant sufficient furnish tho ,iry neaIs-
Colonel Robert ofri~r Monr"..e rr.pinulcuoI..-
tion Of rejection ~ the bids fr.,.s fhs T., %!
lighting companI"s for next ;~ar-S lighting and
tn" further recommendation fh.rt 'a~ rtt, trE-
tI" necessary steps FOR s~taF'r +tIruE rs "-' "a
lighting plant were sort "f r"r. .isn"U -rr faa
corpora tions Interested IN furnishing HIGHT -
the city The shares Of the local gas and e'ae-
til" companies drnppeI several poI 1885,
Colonel Monroe yesterday "ngag"d cay =
Hutchinson. an elcctrical enern~.r noa err
I,"yed a consulting CAPACITY I,y the RAPID
Transit Commission ." furnish an estimate 80
the cost Of lighting plant sufficient to supply
the city's needs Mayor Low put consider,-
tile work on the proposed hill authorizing tEa
city to build its own lighting plant.
controller 'irout said that it was high time -
the city t" stop paying such excessive gas and
electric lighting bills.
II am In favor Of locking horns With tho light
ing companies at once" said the Controller
The old contracts with the lighting companies
having expired. I am in favor OF informing them
that the city will pay only so much, a reasonable
figure based on proved cost. for the lighting
they furnish the municipality This should
I,e radically under present rate IF III" COM
panes refuse furnish at the proposed rate.
then let them go TO court. That Will make It
inevitable that their books must be shown. and
l don't believe that there is a lighting company
in this city that would he willing throw open
its books. showing the actual cost OF production
with the actual profits derived. Failing in that.
the court would fix the rate fair price. and
the city and people would get the benefit" He
added:
CITY PAYING TWICE Too MUCH
rssrd al This agitation M ,,z. as the [. h@Enn -
eary furnish all the people with lights II aE
l.. ssf,hIfshHd m. results will show that lighting
* "osrtH5 III" city perhaps nearly tWce Nhat u
nnilteloier and the city viii then have to go AMI
W w. peaT- Of HcV--Ye,r7 on~e clearly r1sie--
stand thar under municipal ownership gas costs
Lut 81 Thousand IN Ph'Ia"t'ht gEIE .. o. e. -
,ClnE am g5nIIrrgh ird ,i.-.u d
viii at ono" rsnss - b. wiring Z" f-.V n -, -
thousand fe,r 'i,- T-hrInS nJ1I.>. Hfr'rft-
y 4nd n@Gern, q Ion, are n llG<,ry All -
ona objects that the city matntiIn~ heht$ m ta1
worth as much in the preservation ~ IN and ~ -
as a l,ysre,i r7acss-Ir1 far f ..r. =
Neu-York and for It's inhahitanrs The W+7- 80 ir
i, public Bic W, "nnfi = IlPplTnT Il o,l1n4 - rf h. ~
~ +b oI,Trir erraets The rs.nre elrh-r rr.~- -
lie need r'Iru them 'y'- f7t 'rr ga. q
- . r.rfyfto corporation To ,r "r"~'~f''t f'.-
ritv -nnITI airher ~s'I If> do K ~. :'"!- -
markets and system. - PT1r'f' 'f'i'''
~horlId rrrfka TvtN ~ - Is
supply q 4rrIf~rsl lI-r : = ''i, 49, -
aud NOW ~ r7rIrc1r,aI 0rTcrs''r' ~ 'N' Z
rr,rL-r a-l y7r.r .-rir;f rr.l.,-sf- p -
a1- ..--tc. ard rr-rr r71.f So. ,'-' --"N', -
90 md -Iecr~I~ r-htrr-
The -r=r-@7 80 i-f"I- - tTff7 ''[-1 80 ' -' >
franc. on 81 la-,rtI Ftrj~ cnnf.'r- -.-.'.r
~ h .r,t-,r- v ,or7-- -, -frI Er--.- -o-o:---
ror,; rap:r ,,Gz'rron = ~ .-'. .,.fn as
than Il, tim y. Tr~k ..'r '@,-r H.-H - q -
from :rtv4rs ,orror-t-i-~- ~ g" r1r = -N."'. -'~
y - cor Iva k~o- rrnt,r .rr..- r7,s ~I- Y
ms an o. r7-!~i~fvcI n0~-~=hr