The Paducah sun., 1906-01-26
Is Being Considered by Local
Light Committees.
A Proposition Made by the Street
Car Company Will BE Fully
Delibcrated On.


The members OF the joint light
committee Of the general council are
meeting this afternoon to consider
proposition from the street car
company to light the city.
What price the company will make
is not known, but 1t is said prices
Will be made on a minimum of 200
lights. The present number is 16O
city lights. and the company, it is
understood is willing to contract to
light the city for ten years, with the
privilege of a renewal at the same
price, or less. The price of the lights.
too, will be reduced as the number
of lights is increased.
What recommendation the COM
mittee will make to the council and
board OF aldermen of course, is prob
lematical.
at depends entirely on the offer of
the street car company" said a men,
Der of one of the boards today. ''we
certainly shall not make a contract
at figure more than at which the
city can light the streets itself,-we
are looking for the best of the con-
tract, and will get 1t. 1t is purely
matter of business and economy,
with us. II the offer made us seems
fair and will prove a source of econ
omy to the city we mean to give it
every consideration, study, and in
vestigation. It is the opinion of
most of the council that something
might be done in the premises"
The city's past management of the
light plant has always been the sub
ject of much comment, and IL is at
present matter that is receixifg.
much attention from the council
members. An appropriation of $751;
900 to put 1t in good condition and
to make the improvements neces-
sary to handle the additional lights
the city wants this year was made in
the appropriation ordinance passed
few nights since, part of ii being
in the contingent fund, but IL the
city can make better arrangement
with the street car company for its
lights, 1t may be done.
at would astonish a person to
make trip to the light plant and see
its condition." was the remark OF
some one who had been out TO the
plant since the latest break down.
Its present capacity, when In good
condition. is 16O lights and COM
plants are made every day from peo-
pie who want additional lights and
cannot get them.
The plant has been out of busi-
ness" a good deal during the past
year, and 1t was largely because the
machinery has worn out. Only this
week the city was dark one night
1t is fully expected tlat protest
will be raised by some people at the
mere suggestion that the streets be
lighted by contract, but this viii not
deter members of the two boards
from giving the matter their earnest
attention.
Many people think the city should
add an incandescent plant to the
present light plant, and by furnish
ing lights and power to private con-
sumers come into competition with
the present company, and thus pay
the expenses Of lighting the streets.
The cost Of such plant. however. }
would be in the neighborhood of
$50, 900 or SIS 900 at the least. Ow-
ensboro has plant for furnishing
both street and private lights, and
it cost 1925, 900. II the city had
such a, plant ii would no doubt prove
a source OF profit, but no one has
ever yet furnished the money or
showed how the city could conve-
nlently raise It, and without the mon
ey the plant cannot be put in.
The city plant now costs FROM
SIP 900 year up for the 16e lights
we have, and the regular municipal
expenses are so great that there Is
never much chance 20 get extra mon
ey. even to keep the plant in repair.
much less TO increase its. capacity.
The service is not satisfactory, and
the present question before the
boards is whether or not they can
get better and more lights for less
money by having private sensern
furnish them. The. city could stm-
ply closes its own lisht n1zpt and ze< {
its lights by contrxof1 - e
proved profitable
1t is impossia,H
sort of prot
hovavar Or