Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1907-04-04


would absorb nearly half q this
amount. The amount to be paid
each month under this contract
would exceed the amount paid ior
salaries Of all city officers. including
street commissioner and sexton, and
the amount paid to The fire depart
ment. We have haggled for months
over the price Of q street grader, but
our light bill for one month would
buy the best grader on the market
We need an automatic method OF
ringing the fire bell. The light bill
for one month would provide that.
We ought to have a new and accurate
survey Of the town made SO as 70
establish each block corner and pre-
vent the zigzag method Of putting In
sidewalks and curbing. The amount
to be paid for lights for two months
q
would pay for such survey by a COM
petent civil engineer. We are, De-
hind the times with our fife DEPART
ment. We need q paid department
with a combined chemical and hose
wagon driven by motor or team.
What we would spend in one year
for lights would provide an up-to-
date fire department which might
save the city from q disastrous con-
fagration. We expect to have city
park, but 1t will not be much Of an
ornament to the town unless some
money is spent for improving II,
The city needs a dumping ground but
we have not had the money to expend
for it. Many other things will be
needed but each succeeding council
will have to exercise strict economy
to meet the monthly light bill OF
$3.50.
It is not certain that the proposed
lighting system will be satisfactory
We had incandescent lights on the
streets from about 1885 to 1890 and
they we're very poor substitute Tor
arc lights. None Of the council so
far as know, has seen modern town
lighted with incandescent lights
These lights, located as proposed oy
the ordinance, twelve feet above the
street and six feet out from the curb
line, will come in the line Of dense
shade and on streets like Third street
that have an abundance Of trees, the
lights will furnish, in summer, very
little illumination on the sidewalk, Of
the trees will come between the lights
and the sidewalk.
II the city has 100000 to exPend
for lights in the next ten years. why
not put in q plant Of our own In con
nection with the water works. $So'
900 wisely expended would pay fol
such plant and probably pay cos
Of operation for ten years and at TIM
onA 20 that time we would have some
thing to show for our money, w
could then run the lights to suit our
selves. II hard times came we could
cut expenses by running the lights
three hours each night, or Il prosper
GUS. we could run all night instead o.
ON moonlight schedule as provided
by the present ordinance.
There are some minor points in the
ordinance which are Objectionable
The location Of lour arc lights on the
block bounded by Broadway, Cedar
Second and Third streets is not an
economical distribution. IL these
lights were placed at the intersection
Of Cedar and Third, Spruce and Third
Broadway and Second, and Broadwa!
and Fourth they would fairly illum
mate the business part oil town
lighting sixteen blocks Of street. Ar
lights placed two blocks apart Civ
good results in street lighting.
The granting Of franchises such a
this is one Of the most serious matter
which can come before city council
} In this matter l have given you m
best judgment after mature deliOera
} ton and acting as believe for tn
I welfare Of the city. And in an
! further elaboration on the subject
) beg the council to consider CAREFUL
: the facts which have presented, 10
\ this ordinance, II adopted, settles tn
4 n,attar for twentv succeeding admin