Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1906-07-25
City Council.

adjourned. Inc volume OF Duslness
transacted, however, was not large. The
report of the joint committee on light,
finance aud general laws leasing the
electric light franchise TO E. E. Mande-
vile, of Philadelphia, for term of 30
years, was adopted by both boards. But
one member voted against it in the Com
mon Council and two in the Board OF
Alderman. After quoting a price OF
s75 per annum each for not less than
IS 1000, candle power arc lights, $3.50
for 20 candle power incsudescent lamps,
and $19. so for 32 candle power lamps
for municipal purposes, Mr.. Mande-
Vile agrees to furnish current for pri-
yate consumption at IL cents hour and
7 cents for each additional hour, with a
reduction of so per cent on incandescent
lights used by the city, except in the
court houses, the mayors Office, and the
engine houses, which shall be lighted
tree. The churches, the Alexandria
Light Infantry armory, and the Alex
andria Hospital are to be furnished cur
rent at discount of 90 per cent less
than the price to other consumers, and
the city is to receive per cent of the
gross receipts in lieu of taxes.
BOARD OF ALDERMEN.
All the members OF the board were
present, and shortly after having been
called to order a recess was declared
while waiting for papers from the lower
board, there being no business before the
Aldermen.
Later several papers were sent in from
the Common Council and after the AL.
dermen had concurred in the action OF
the lower board an ordinance granting
TO E. Z. Vaudeville the electric fran
chise was received and read. The joint
committees had recommended the adop-
ton OF the same as the most favorable of
the bids which had been received and it
had been passed by the Common Coun-
ell by vote Of ayes Is, noes l.
President Sweeney Mr.. Curtin 10 the
chair made an energetic speech against
concurring in the action of the lower
board. He said this had been the second
or third time he had opposed the sale OF
the electric light franchise, on both Of
which occasions he had given his reasons
for his action. The peoples interest,
he said, should be protected in this i'm
portant matter, he believing that the
furnishing of light and water should be
controlled by the city. He gave sue
cinct history of his previous course in
the matter Of the electric light franchise,
going into all the details of the Barstow
proposition. He took the Vaudeville
proposition and went over it section by
section and showed why, in his opinion,
it should not be adopted by Council and
dwelt especially upon the section which
makes it obligatory upon the city to dig
trenches for conduits in the event of laws
being enacted compelling the placing of
wires underground. he said in such an
event the city would be compelled to
spend at least $4,000, as the vitri6ed
brick roadway would have to be disturb
ed in order to make such change. The
speaker called attention to the fact that
the city was to receive but $4,000 for
the franchise. He also was ayerse to
the section providing for the purchase
of the new plant by the city in case 1t
became necessary for the city to assume
control of the plant. Mr.. Sweeney said
he was not opposed to the city having
electric light and power He said Alex
andria should have such plant, but he
believed the city could construct aud
operate one, and he saw no difficulty in
the way of raising the necessary money.
The speaker also took issue with those
who asserted that the present electric
plant was falling to pieces, and said it
would continue to give satisfaction for
years to come with the necessary atten-
ton. Mr.. Sweeney said he had not
had time to sufficiently study the mea-
sure before the board, as a copy of the
contract had been put in his hands late
in the evening. The speaker referred to
proposition of the electric railway
company which had just been submitted,
that corporation guaranteeing to furnish
current for arc lamps at $45 each. He
did not believe the offer of Mr.. Mande-
Vile to be the proper one tor the city to
adopt, and said the petitioner did not
guarantee 10 erect and maintain a
plant. He could at any time forfeit
the $40, 900 penalty and still hold the
electric light franchise. Mr.. Sweeney
was especially solicitous OF the gas works
and said that institution would have
competition which would eventually
cripple it as source of revenue to the
city, and in the end Mr.. Vaudeville
would have control of all the light of
the city. The speaker said also that in
his opinion the entire procedure vas
illegal and should not be passed on the
same night by both boards, as it pro.
vided for an appropriation. He quoted
laws which forbid the passage by both
boards on the same night of measures
appropriating over 81, 900, or for raising
revenue
Mr.. Simpson said he had listened
with pleasure to the remarks of the
President, and agreed with Nr. Sweeney
that representatives of the people should
labor in the interests OF their constituents.
He was satisfied that Mr.. Sweeney was
convinced that he was acting for the
public good. Mr.. Simpson said under
ordinary circumstances it would be bet
ter for the city to own an electric plant,
but Alexandra was confronted with con-
ditious which debsrred it from providing
q suitable plant. The present electric
light plant was out of date and out of
renair. and did not meet the wants of