The Cairo bulletin., 1904-03-17

A meeting of unusual interest was
held by the city council last night, at
which much argument was INDUCED
in and some i'll feeling voiced. Tho
was not without purpose, or
upon triflos; but upon subject of
much Importance to the city, which
called for earnest attention, and 1t
was therefore proper that the peo-
ple's representatives should evince
deep interest 1t was the proposition
to provide light for the city under an
agreement with the Cairo City Gas
and the Cairo Electric and
Traction company, 1t came up In the
form of double committee report, a
and a majority report, the
latter recommending the acceptance
of the lighting companies proposi
tions for all-night service, and the
former favoring the proposition for
midnight service The latter was
finally adopted, with an amendment
that allnight gas service be substi.
tuted for the electric lights after mid
night.
The reports of the committee lav.
ing been read, the mayor submitted a
statement giving a list of the cities
where all-nlght arc lights of 1000 can
die power were said to be furnished
at less cost
The mayor took the floor and
argued that the price charged for
light in the propositions of the Cairo
companies was not legitimate: that it
was too high; he wanted action defer.
red; he said he had not been fairly
treated before the committee the 9th.
er night, had been insultod and not
given fair chance. Messrs. Ais.
thorpe and Wright had been invited
to the committee meeting and they
had no business there. The commit.
tee should have permitted him to
make his report on the subject In his
own way, and could have taken his
word just as well as that OF others,
as his word was just as good as that
of the other people. Il tell you, gen.
tlemen," said he, seven dollars a
month for arc lights Is too much: |
represent a good many people In this
town as mayor Of the city. and tell
you the people do not want you to tie
the city up with contract You will
make a mistake If you do 1t, and you
will hear from the people.
Alderman Wood--Do you know of
your own personal knowledge that
the figures given in the list you have
submitted are correct?
The Mayor--You didn't ASK that
about the other list
Alderman Wood--So far as | am
concerned, ! want you TO understand
that am just as anxious to protect
the interests of the people as you arc
or any one else. You talk about es.
tahlishing municipal lighting plant
and want to say that believe that
If We had the right kind Of plant We
could provide the city with light
somewhat cheaper that what Is offer
ed us, but how are we going TO get a
municipal lighting plant? You know
as well as do. that we have not the
money In the treasury TO pay our Of.
ficers this month; and this talk about
establishing such a plant Is nothing
but farce under the circumstances
] am not taking the part Of the Gas
company or the Traction company
and | don't represent them In any
sense: but | know that If these com.
psnies had a mind to charge Us dol
lar a day for the lights we couldn't
help ourselves: we would have to
accept it. or throw the city into dark.
ness; instead Of this these gentlemen
come before us and make us very
fair proposition and | am in favor of
accepting II because ! believe II Is for
the best interests of the people |
don't care whether I'm reelected as a
member Of this council or not; If the
people of the Third ward don't like the
way | represent their intrests they
are at liberty to get somebody else:
but | want YOU and them to under
stand that I'm doing what I believe
10 be right and for the best interests
Of the city.
Alderman Egan-I would like TO
have the other list read for the bene-
fit OF those who have not heard Il.