Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1907-03-14
COLONEL WEBER
AND LIGHT POSTS
Makes Clear and ForchIe Ex-
PLANTATION Concerning Meth
cd of illumination.
ASKS FOR SUPERIOR POSTS.
Cannot Understand Why Cheap Sas
Pipes Should be Preferred
Read What He Says.

A representative OF the News inter-
viewed Col Weber OF Y. C. M l.
today In regard 10 an article IN
morning paper, which purported 10
contain the Views and expressions OK
the city engineer regarding the Pro-
posed plan for illuminating upper ms'ii
street. Col Weber said;
IT hardly believe that Mr.. Kelsey can
have been correctly quoted, because the
insInuations made are so slarinslS I'M
true that only the grossest kind OF IN
Justice could have prompted them The
fecrs are: Early in the year the d.
rsetors OF q. c. NJ. /. authorized me
to investigate the matter of better
lighting the front Of our store, realiz-
ing that II would add to the
beauty OF this part OF Afair street. We
concluded to place IN front of our store
A row of handsome cluster lights.
mounted upon posts OF artistic design,
and accordingly coTresponded with
foundrles east, obtaining large NUM-
her OF designs. from which we selected
one which we think is handsome and
In good taste, as we'll as durable
1--WE also consulted local foundries
and found that they could do fully as
well as the eastern, both as regards
workmanship and price. a pattern
would have to be made here and al
considerable cost, consequently the
price Of each post would depend upon
the number ordered, and as 1t was most
desirable 10 have the entire block UNI
formly lighted, we invited property
owners to join us, showing them the
prices we had obtained both as TO the
posts and their installation. We also
obtained HAT rate from the Utah
Light s. Railway Co, for supplying
light. and / am pleased to say, that
all but one of the property owners
along the block Joined us in the move
ment-
Further than This we have absolute
ly no interests In the matter. and
should permission be granted to erecl
these posts, we SHAH order the HUM
Der we require and will leave it TO the
foundry company TO solicit the orders
Of other property owners as Well as
leaving it to them to say by whom
the posts shall be wired and erected.
with others we then applied to the
city council for permission 10 erect
these posts, and maintain them at our
own expense during the pleasure OF the
council. This petition met with Wig
orous opposition from some of the neni-
hers, as well as the city engineer. The
latter had prepared Il plan for the usli-
form lighting OF the streets all over the
business portion of the city. The post
he has adopted is made of wrought iron
pipe, plain looking, and consequently
cheaper than the one we propose. The
distance too at which We intended to
place our posts. was strongly objected
TO- IN order to apportlon the posts
equally and equltably between the sew
eral buildings along the block we found
that 35 feet would be about right, but
some members of the council thought
this distance entirely too close, and
because the city of Los Angeles has
"a uniform post ON some OF its streets,
about 100 feet apart. therefore this city
must adopt a similar arrau cement, but
at greater distance apart, contrary TO
all rules for effective lighting The re-
suit, naturally, would be an uneven
distribution OF light, brilliant in spots,
dim in others, while all the property
owners would be taxed alike both as to
installation and maintenance,
THE discussion in the city council
has AL times been very animated.
Some members seem to think that ev-
cry post must look exactly alike.
~ have been in many important
cities in this country and Europe. and
have noticed that large and hand
some buildings. hotels, theaters. banks
and public buildings would provide
handsome and elaborate lamp posts
outside their edIfices, often designed
WllH SpeclaI REGARD 10 ane architecture
~ the building. The city governments
seemed TO have no objection to prop
erty owners spending large sums IN
thus beautifylnG their city, and ] can
not for the life OF me see why our city
government should wish to force a
holnely gas-plpe lamp post upon the
property owners, when the latter are
ready. willing and anxious TO furnish
q better one themselves. Further, II
any property owner should prefer to
light with gas, think that, too. should
be permitted.
The Utah Light & Ry, Go. Is going
10 erect trolley poles us feet apart,
and are said to have adopted the city
engineers design we are perfectly
willing to have the street car people
erect tbs wrought Iron trolly poles and
place cluster light around each. II We
may he permitted 10 place two lamp
posts between each which would give
a uniform distance Of 30 feet between
posts, The council granted this re-
quest last Monday evening, but one
OF The councilmen gave notice Of re-
consldera7ion--so there the matter now
stands"