The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1908-09-03
Kenosha Gas & EIeetkis>co. Will
Probably Be the Only Bidder
for the Street Lights
ENGINEERS LOOK UP THE CITY
These Work on Plans for New Plan,
But it is FeaEed that Railroad
Commission Would Not
Allow This Move
(From Friday IS Daily)

The time for the presentation Of bids
for the contract for the street lighting
of Kenosha will be up week from
next Tuesday and up to the present
time the city clerk has received no bids
for the contract and has had but a
few letters in regard to it. It is be-
ginning to look as if there will be but
one bid for the contract and that bid
will come from the Kenosha Gas and
Electric Company. Roger N. Kimbali,
the manager of the company, when seen
this morning stated that as yet his bid
was not ready for the consideration of
the Council, but that he expected to
have a bid III the hands of the clerk
at the time set for the opening Of the
proposals. Mr. Kimball stated that he
had been figuring on the matter, but
was at loss as to what to figure on.
"The number of lights to be demanded
by the city, said Mr.. Kimball, els
so indefinite. We are asked to bid on
a total of 155 lights and there are
more than that number of lights in use
at the present time. We are at loss
to know how many new lights will be
added during the life of the contract
and each added light would make 81
difference in the contract The cost
Of installing the new lights is consi-
derable and it is necessary for the com
pany to make a price to take care Of
this expense of installation. IF the
company could bid on three hundred
lights for a given period of time it
would be a much easier matter to reach
an equitable charge to be made to the
city. It must be understoQS that any
rate made at this time will be subject
to review on the part Of the State
Railroad Commission and for this rea-
son no rate ag this time could be con-
sidered as permanent rate. -
Most of the officials of the city had
expected that the report Of the State
Commission would be in the hands Of
the Council before this time, but the
Commission is still making it's investi-
gaton in Kenosha and has no time for
a hearing. Several engineers have
asked for information in regard to the
lighting proposition in Kenosha with
view Of installing new plant, but it
it is thought that all of these men are
simply engineers who are figuring with
view of getting cheap franchise rights
to be sold to some other companies.
No other company now in active opera
ton has even deemed it necessary or
advisable to ask for any Of the terms
for the Kenosha contract.
The present contract with the Keno
sha company will expire early next
year and it is probable that the Keno
sha Council will not be in a position to
put in municipal plant for several
years. Tt is hardly possible shat the
State Railroad Commission would per-
nit the installation Of new plant I'M
til after it had been shown that the
rates charged by the present company
were too high to be considered fair by
the commission. The original plan
was to have the bids for the contract
opened on August 3, but the time was
extended for month in order to give
some other companies chance to put
in bids.