The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1904-02-05

M board OF aldermen met in regu-
lar monthly session last night with all
emoers present excep Alderman w
p. Gafford.
After reading the minutes of the las,
meeting une standing committees made
1heir reports in then regular order.
Inanc Committee-Chairman w TT
1opp. stated that in accordance with
bids advertised for TO transcribe the
! PACK taxes into n book, the contract
hao' oeen awarded to Mr.. John Gafford
the lowest bidder, and the contract IN
furnish the book to the jackson g. Re,I
Company.
1t was reported that progress was
| Company case.
alderman Yopp SAID the finance com
IhItee mad met since the last meeting
OF uhe board and discussed Mr.. Hugh
AIdcfSdeS liability for city taxes. ne
stated that Mr.. MacRae was present a.
uhe meeting and made an explanation
TO them in regrad to his ressdency
Alter nearing Mr.. MacRae's SIC
Hlent and already having looked into
the matter. Mr.. Yopp said they decided
as the county commissioners had done.
that Mr.. MacRae was a nonresident
the DOlrQ
iast night n made statement in re-
gard to the matter.
Market Committee-Chairman TEN
Ken SAID all the repor that he had t.
make was that the shad benches at the
market had been rented.
Light Committee-Chairman Hasha-
gen said his report was about the same
as last month. that the city lights were
very poor.
Mr.. Hugh MacRae. president of the
Consolidated Company. the mpa
that furnishes the cit- lights. was prs
emf and made a statement in regard to
the lights. He said he thought Alder
man Hasnagen under a misappreLaen-
sion as to the lights being very bad
Tor the past month. AT the first glance
at the reports he said it would appear
that the lights had been bad. but after
analyzing them he thought it appeared
quite the reverse, that the city was be-
ing supplied with remarkably good
lights. Mr.. MacRae said in fact the
lights in Wilmington were better than
in any town he knew of. 1t was SHOWN
that out of Is. 740 lamp hours during the
month Of December. only IA lights were
reported out. making a loss during the
month of about 4-10 of l per cent. Dur
ing the month of December Mr.. Mac
Rae said 3,475 extra lamps hours. II
per cent in excess of the contract was
furnished, for which the electro COM
poiIy oO( L l n lIles
for about ten days during the month OF
December the gas lights were very
bad, owing as Mr.. MacRae expl lined.
to an accident at the gas plant He
said the report of Alderman Hashagen
for the month of January as TO the gas
lights was incorrect. The electric / s1ts
he thought about the same as during
December. very good. Il was shown
hat during January there were 23, 40
lamp hours. and that the number OF
lights reported out was IL. being about
2-10 of l per cent. During the past
month Mr.. McRae said 2.5S1 extra hours
were furnished, II per cent in excess
of contract. Mr.. MacRae stated TIA
he thought Alderman H~ashageniS re-
port was due to a thorough misund r
| standing of the facts. II there was no
more than 1 per cent of the lights out
MI. MacRae thought n company
should be regarded as giving good ser
vice.
Alderman Hashagen replied to
Mr.. MacRae and said that he had n"
other means of telling about the lights
than the reports as made by the po-
licemen. He stated that he did not
think the Electric Company was allow
ed as little as l per cent of the lights
being out and he thought the company
had to forfeit a certain amount for
each ight that was out. He stated
I further that he thought part OF tn
| complaint in regard to the gas lights
being bad was not due to the gas pres
sure, but that many OF the mantels
were in bad condition. After Alderman
| Hashagen had concluded mis- remarks
| Mr.. MacRae again addressed the board
| stating that he was wiling to pax for
| any shortage in the number Of Nights
| that were out and that he woud stick
to the agreement between the Electric
| Company and he city.
He said his object in appearing be
| fore the board and making a statemen
was TO remove the impression that had
| been caused by former statements Il