The Cairo bulletin., 1904-03-17
1T is ALL ELECTION BUNC0MB
Say Aldermen Egan and Meehan--C0n-
tract For Five Years For Midnight
Arc Lights is Voted

and | don't see any use in reading 1t
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 1t is for the
council to decide.
Other aldermen joined In the dc.
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 on.
pose making contract for term Of
years, but favored continuing tho sys-
TEN now in force.
Alderman Egan That would not bc
fair to the lighting companies. Wo
con not expect men to spent a 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 II. 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 year the
council ordered them to put up II
new arc lights and they did SO at a
cost of over two thousand dollars. It
would not be just to expect them TO
continue making extensions without
a contract guaranteeing them some
use for their wires for given length
Of time. I'm not a business man, but
know that no man here who is
business man would agree to put up
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
4 people fairly.
Alderman Fraser moved that the
present system be continued
Alderman Egan-You have nothing
to base this motion on. How do we
know that the companies are willing
I to continue lighting the city under
the present system? Suppose we
adopt this motion and the companies
/ refuse to accept It, whore would that
4 leave us?
/ Alderman Fuller-Some OF the al.
dermen may not understand just how
/ this matter stands. When this matter
came up in the committee the mayor
himself suggested that a sub-commit-
, Tee he appointed to meet with the
electric and gas light people and see
what sort Of proposition could be
had from them, Tho subcommittee
was appointed and they had a confer
ence with the lighting companies and
the result was the proposition which
we have had before us several weeks.
The proposition to get this offer came
from the mayor himself.
The mayor explained that be bad
only proposed that the committee see
what light could be had for
The vote on Alderman Fraser's mo-
tion to continue the present system
was lost by two yeas fraser and
Mulcahyl and eleven nays,
The mayor said he did not see how
the council could contract for light
for 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 Z.
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 to
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 II
! without any contract They Win give
us light all right. and II they dca'.
I'll guarantee that somebody else will
Alderman Meehan-We have had
this lighting subject up every year for