Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1909-07-22
WOULD NOT CONTRACT
FOR BETTER LIGHTS
Council Again Fires Up On
Lighting Matter
Lighting Co. Told Plain
ly There Is Moth
ing Doing

Again Council was wrought up by
the city lighting proposition last
night Again a proposition was put
before it by the Americus Railway
and Light Company, again it was
freely. even fiercely, discussed by the
aldermen. and again it was tabled, put
to sleep forever, in all probability.
This time the proposition was for
the lighting company to at once pro-
ceed to put in thoroughly up-to-
date lighting system for the city,
provided the city would make a con-
tract for the next five months, that is,
until January l.
The proposition of the company
was as follows.
July 21st, 1909
To the Mayor & City Council of
Americas. Georgia.
Gentlemen:
Certain members of your body are
continuing to criticise the present
Street Lighting service, with the
evident intent of trying to make the
public believe that We are to be
condemned for not making it better.
Conceding as we do that it is not
what we would like to have it be,
We are once more calling your at
tentiop to the fact that it has long
been within your power to have
as good as the best and earnestly
urging you to make a contract with
us until the first of January, 1910,
for such number of lights as may
be deemed necessary to properly light
the streets of Americus.
We are repeating our offer to in
stall as many lights as you require,
of the most modern type of high
efficiency at the same price as you
are now paying and to be operated
under the same schedule. 1t must
be evident, therefore that if you con-
tinue to have street lights which, as
you allege, are inferior in quality and
insufficient in number. you alone are
to blame.
II the people are with you il your
municipal ownership" ideas, the
position which majority of you
have taken will be sustained and
approved at the neXt<election and
you will be given /the same oppor-
tunity to carry oK your plans, what
ever they may be, as you now have.
In the meanwhile, you will have your
streets iighted(as you wish and can
make no fu1her complaints about in
ettlcient Fser7ice.
-, EXPRESSLY Preserving any and all
riIAl6 which the Courts may finally
decide We have under the socalled
"Dodson Contract" We are ready, will
ing and anxious to give you this
new service at once. We will glad
ly take what chances there may be
of having our investment in them jeo-
pardized in return for the privilege
of showing the public what we can
do and will do if given the Oppor-
tunity.
We have made numerous efforts to
induce you to allow us to furnish
you with these new lights We are
once more calling your attention to
the needs of your City as so often
laid down in public utterances of
members of your body, in the hope
that, recognizing your duty to your
townspeople, you will reconsider your
action of the past and let us give the
streets of Americus more light.
Very sincerely yours,
AMERICUS RAILWAY & LIGHT CO.,
AMERICUS ILLUMINATING & POW
Err COMPANY,
By A N. WALKER, Prest.
AS soon as the communication was
read Alderman Clark moved to lay
it on the table Alderman Eldridge
amended to refer it to the lighting
committee. This started the ball
rolling.
Alderman Allen thought it highly
improper to take any cognizance Of
the proposition. If the company
wanted to give them better lights,
let them go ahead and do it, declared
he He insisted that no contract was
necessary, that the company was get
ting the city's good money and it
could and should go on and put in
the modern lights to which it. refer
red. Hs viewed the proposition as
scheme TO commit the city in some
way.
President Walker in reply stated
that to put the new lights in would
cost $4,000, but the company was
willing to risk this expenditure on
contract running only until Janu-
ary /, next, feeling satisfied that the
next Council would renew the con-
tract as the people would be satisfied
with the lights after such q trial of
them and would be satisfied that a
contract was the best thing for their
interests.
Alderman Allen referred somewhat
sneeringly to the company's desire
to spend $4,000 for improvements
when it would only get $4,000 back in
the next two quarters from the city.
President Walker stated that the
company was willing to take the
| chances of losing the difference. All
! it asked was a contract for five
/ months, to ensure it that the lights
would be kept for that period OF
time, and it would at once order the
| fixtures and have them in position
/ in four or five weeks.
Aldermen Clark the1 lade an i'm
| passioned speech anpA cling mis- en-