, 1904-02-16

Following is the report to be made
to the city council tonight by DR..
Miller on the results OF his trip to
other cities Investigating the subject of
lighting plants:
To the Honorable Mayor and Council
of the City of Laramie, Wyo.:
| have the honor to report that, in
compliance with your request, | left
for the purpose of gaining information
concerning the lighting of cities in
Colorado. Kansas and Nebraska, and
for such other information as would be
OF interest to this city.
In the first place. permit me to say
that the officials of all the cities | WIS.,
tied extended me every courtesy and
assistance in their power in giving in
formation concerning their lighting
systems.
1t was the universal opinion, not only
Of the city officials, but also of all the
| people with whom | talked in these
cities thai municipal ownership was
most desirable in lighting, waterworks
and heating systems of cities, and
found that in all the franchises granted
by them ii was provided that, upon the
expiration of the franchise, the city
should have the privilege Of purchas-
ing the plants upon an apIraisement by
disinterested parties, and a sinking
fund was being provided for that pur-
pose.
The relative advantages of electric
poses was also investigated, and the
opinion Of the officials of the various
cities visited was almost unanimously
III favor of electricity. While it is true
that the cost per candle power for
lighting by gas with the Welsbach bur
ner is less than by electricity, | found
the opinion expressed by the city cleo
trician of Omaha was the same as that
given by officials i'll other cities, name
", An electric light will cost you in
consumption "a little more than gas
light produced By the WelsDach bur
ner. although | believe if you figure in
your renewals of mantels, chimIeys
and shades on the Welsbach that you
will find your cost will run very nearly
the same" 1t was also stated that, in
outlying districts. the lamps were o
kept lighted more than three-fourths
of the time. and the annoyance from
complaints from residents were con-
slant.
In the following will be found in de-
tail the lighting systems USED and cost
CT The same in the cities visited:
First. Denver-PopulatIon, IT'S, 900.
Electric light for street lighting, all
night service, $50 per year for each arc
light of ~2.0O0-candle power. For 32-
candle power street lamps, all night
service. So per month. Gas for illum-
mating purposes costs Sl.35 per 1000
cubic feet. For fuel purposes gas costs
sl.l5 per 1000. Plant owned by pri-
vate corporation.
Colorado Springs-Population. 49,.
600: plant owned by private corpora
ton: electric light system. Cost to
city. $3.50 per month for each 1000
| ,onll, p,u-,,. n,.n lipht from slnSnt tn
sunrise: cost to private consumers, ~
cents per hour per 16-candle power
lamp.
Florence, Colo.-Electric light sys.
ten: street lights. 1000 arc lamps;
cost. So per month. Private consumers
same as Colorado Springs.
Salina. Kas.-Population. 5000; city
pays $3.50 per month for ~2,OO0-candle
power are lights; for l6-candle power
street lights city pas 81 per month
each: to consumers. same as Colorado
Springs.
Abilene, Kas.-Population, 1000; pri
vate corporation, run by water power
City has twelve arc lights of 2,O00-can,
die power. for which it pays $1,000 per
year: private consumers pay on meter
rate of 10 cents per -.owatt hour.
Topeka, Kas.-Population. $4,000
Street lighting plant owned by city
Cost per 2.0O0-candle power arc lights
$3.G1 per month; cost to consumers, !
cent per hour for 16-candle power
lamps; cost of gas in Topeka. SLIGO pei
1000 cubic feet to private consumers
16-candle power gas street lamps eos
8 mills per hour.
Lawrence. Kas.-Population. 10000