The Cairo bulletin., 1904-03-17
1T is ALL ELECTION BUNCOMB
Say Aldermen Egan and Meehan--Con-
tract For Five Years For Midnight
Arc Lights is Voted

and | don't see any use In reading II
again
Alderman Egan-There are some
Of us and quite number Of citizens
here who have not heard 1t.
The Mayor-The citizens haven't
any vote on this subject II is for the
council to decide.
Other aldermen joined in the do
mand of Alderman Egan and the may.
or consented to have the list read,
which gave prices in long list OF
cities which were higher than those
offered Cairo.
Alderman Fraser said he would op-
pose making contract for term OF
years, but favored continuing the sys.
TEN now In force.
Alderman Egan-That would not DO
fair to the lighting companies. Wo
con not expect men to spend lot OF
money to provide public service when
they have no assurance that the ser.
vice will not be taken away from
them at any time. No sensible bust.
ness man would do It, The com
panies have always extended their
wires and put In new lights when we
ordered them, sometimes putting up
blocks of wire to supply one light.
| This costs money. Last ylflr the
council ordered them TO put up I'll
new arc lights and they did so at a
cost of over two thousand dollars. 1t
would not be just to expect them TO
continue making extensions without
contract guaranteeing them some
use for their wires for given length
OF time. I'm not business man, but
know that no man here who is q
business man would agree to put up a
building for somebody else without
some agreement under which he will
have assurance OF returns from II.
think We ought to act like business
men in this matter and treat these
people fairly
Alderman Fraser moved that the
present system bo continued
Alderman Egau--You have nothing
/ TO base this motion on. How do we
/ know that the companies are willing
to continue lighting the city under
/ the present system? Suppose we
adopt this motion and the companies
refuse to accept Il, where would that
/ leave us?
/ Alderman Fuller-Some OF the al.
( dcrmen may not understand just how
/ this matter stands When this matter
came up In the committee the mayor
himself suggested that a sub-commit
, 'ee be appointed to meet with the
| ,lectric and gas light people and SEQ
What sort of proposition could be
lad from them. The subcommittee
vas appointed and they had confer.
nee with the lighting companies and
he result was the proposition which
ye have had before us several weeks.
rhc proposition to get this offer came
from the mayor himself
The mayor explained that he had
Inly proposed that the committee SEQ
what light could be had for.
The vote on Alderman Fraser's mo-
lion to continue the present system
vas lost by two yeas fraser aud
Nulcahyl and eleven nays.
The mayor said he did not see how
The council could contract for light
FOR a term of years without advertis.
ing for bids.
Alderman Egan-Whom would you
get bids from? People In Chicago?
Alderman Egan moved that all
night system be adopted. Lost by a
vote of ) to l.
Alderman Fraser moved that three
years be substituted for years.
The mayor again called Alderman
/ Koehler to the chair and said he
hoped the council would not vote 20
enter into any contract. We do not
know what moment some one may
come here who will offer to give US
light cheaper. We need not be afraid
that the Cairo companies will not
give us light as long as We want 4
without any contract They will give
Us light all right. and II they don's
I'll guarantee that somebody else viii.
Alderman Meehan-We have had
this lighting subject up every year for