New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1906-02-03
AEOLIAN HALL Nf ssR 5 s.,rn LAVE
LIGHTING PLANT WAVES
Recent Loo Bids by Companies
Nay Kill Municipal Scheme.

The Mcclellan administration seems to be on
the point of abandoning the project for a nlu-
nicipal lighting plant. II has already spent
about 100000 for sites In Manhattan and
Queens and the Board of Estimate and Appor-
tionment yesterday considered resolution to
appropriate 100000 for the Brooklyn site. In
spite Of the start already made and the POM
pous platform declarations of Tammany Hall in
the campaign last year. it looks IL Commits
sioner Ellison is disposed to favor the continue
ton of business relations with the lighting trust.
on the ground that the companies are willing to
furnish lighting as oheaply as the city can pro-
vide It.
1.-THE city has been fighting for three years for
fair treatment and a reasonable price for light"
said the Commissioner yesterday. The bids
submitted on Thursday show that the war Is
over. The Stevens law and the city's de-
termination to build its own plant have brought
the companies TO terms. I consider IT A great
victory for business administration"
The report Of Cary T. Hutchinson, the engt-
neer on establishing municipal lighting plant
said that the city would be able TO produce
$4,000 lights on basis OF about SCI light
The bids submitted on Thursday by the light
ing trust offer similar lights at $50, with slid
Ing scale toward a lower figure with an increase
in the number of lights. Commissioner Ellison
seems 10 tnlnk tnaL the CITY, COnlpellSu 10 oD-
serve the eight hour law and Civil Service regu-
lations. would not be able TO produce lights for
less than $50.
Commissioner Ellison does not In many
words. advocate the abandonment OF the city's
plans for lighting plant. but his apparent Joy
in witnessing substantial reduction in the bids
IS attested by a statement which he made
terday. He said that the bids could "be
taken into serious consideration by the city"
Chief Engineer Laconbe. Of Mr. Ellison's
staff, prepared a memorandum Of the new bids,
and this memorandum Commissioner Ellison in
dorsed aud gave out for publication. 1t says in
part:
In electric lighting in general throughout all
the prices specified in the laws OF 1905 relating
TO lighting with gas or electricity. These bids
start within reaching distance Of the number of
lamps now IN use IN the city and end at about
the number of lamps proposed by the Municipal
Plant Commission under The Mayors suggested
plan Of a municipal plant.
Outside of the matter of street lighting. the
electric bids are of great interest in the prices
received for current for lighting and power in
public buildings The prices show reduc-
ton of % per cent and tend To approach the
cost of lights in public buildings when furnished
from municipal plant. according 10 the re-
port of the Municipal Plant Commission.
In gas lighting, while the Conpa MES did not
bid on the supply of gas. owing to the impossi-
btlity of filling the specifications required TO
operate the mantle lamps and Yet keep under the
ilHut OF pressure at which the companies would
be fined. al the same time the bid for the main
tenance of gas mantle lamps is important The
bid for the supply and complete maintenance OF
a mantle gas lamp of 90 candlepower is nearIy
10 per cent below the price of the last contract
as mere are 5000 or more of these lamps in
Manhattan and The Bronx alone the saving 10
the city amounts to over $4,000 on this ona
Item On the same basis the bid for the few
reInaInlng unimportant open flame gas lamps is
Sl4 So lamp a year In previous years the
prices were Sl' 90 and $11 %.