The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1909-12-18

port anu I0e Ouslco AhdAihihal.hb Gentiemen:-The United Illuminating Company having installed and tried out in New Haven and Bridgeport a large number of luminous arc or mag nitfte lamps. and believing that econ cmy will result from their general use. hereby makes the following propo- sit on:
 That the present contract between
 the City of Brid eport and the Com pany be superseded by a new con- tract to take effect upon the execution of the same. which contract Is to pro vide for the installation in the place of lamps now used of luminous arc or magnitite lamps. using four am peres at not less thsn 72 volts at the arc. at the following price: For eoO lamps. which Is approximately the number now used by the city, at the all-night service. being S73 per year per lamp. When the number of lights in use exceeds TOO the price to be at | the rate of 1s 1-2 cents per lamp per night, being $71.17 per year: the con tract to continue in force until the expiration of a six months notice in
 writing by either party to the other of its desire to terminate the same, provided that no such notice shall be ] given by either party to the other within IS months from the execution
 of such contract. The details of the
 contract to be agreed upon between
 
 company.
 The luminous arc or magnitite lamps above provided for are of the same capacity as those which have been lately c~perimentally used fin the City
 We have endeavored in making the | above proposition to meet the wishes ! of the city for arc liShts at a less price contract, and to meet as far as pos sfb,e the desires of your committee.
 tSigned) The United Illuminating Co.,. by Alfred B. Beers. its Attorney. Bridgeport. Ct, Oct. IS, 1909. Your committee has no further power
 or authority In the premises. except
 to submit this proposition with such
 facts appertainins thereto as may De In the possession of the committee. and with such recommendations as 1t may deem advisable.
 | This offer has been submitted to MT. A. F. Winchester. the manager of the municipal lighting plant at South Nor , walk. who has acted in the capacity of consulting engineer of the commit tee. and hls opinion is submitted with this report
 ADVANTAGES APPARENT,
 The oner contained in communi- cation from the United -Iliurninating of the city with a new form of arc i, lamp. known as the magnitfte lamp. An experimental series of SO of these lamps had been installed before the commencement of this investigation. and your committee for that reason
 had an opportunity of comparing the two forms of lamps. Experts and technical writers accord in their tudg- an established success and an un- doubted improvement over the type of arc light used in this city, both in the amount and quality of illurni- nation
 The form of the proposed contract Is radical departure from that now existing. It provides for an fndeter- minate term with the right of reyoca- ton by either city or company upon . six months notice. after the end of eighteen months.-(the approximate term which the present contract would haev remained in force. The advan- tages to the city of Bridgeport of this the first place. 1t eliminates the ob- lection so frequently and justly made to lighting contracts extending over long periods. and places the city in a position to take advantage at once the cost of producing electricity for street lighting: and further, a con tract terminable at the option of either party precludes the possibility unfair advantage of the other. and provides a speedy and effective meth cd of adjusting any difficulty which may arise
 pressed in terms of a year. Is SIS an
 arc Eeht. based upon $50, lights. ne cessitating a slight increase over the present number of 626 lights now In operation This represents a saving Of s5.47 a year per lamp. or s3.555- 50 upon $50 lamps A further reduc- | ton of s1.e3 a lamp Is provided for upon the Increase of the total number of lamps to TOO. This second reduc- ton not only provides for the increase of lights necessItated by the natural
 growth of the city. but also furnishes ' a basis for further adjustment in price when the number of lights is increased beyond seven .hundred- The cost of producing electric light by this new system in Bridgeport Is necessarily a question of engineering calculations until It's installation and continued operation for a sufficient data for the computation of an aver age cost The fairness of this propos- ed price. Is. therefore, a matter of ex- bert opinion rather than a question
 which can be accurately determined by an Investigation of the cost of operation under the present system LOWEST IN CONNECTICUT.
 rate with those existing in other cities ! in Connecticut and other New Eng land states and although so many different elements enter into the cost ! of the production of electric light that
 no definite or accurate results can be obtained by such comparison. yet | it can at least be fairly stated that the rate is considerably below the pre- yafing averages In New England, and
 Is the lowest rate in the state of Con- necticut for all-night service with electricity produced from steam-drfv- en generators
 These are facts which have come
 to the knowledge of your committee | in the course of its investigation and which may possibly be of assistance ' to your honorable body in acting upon his proposal It is true that the prim- ary duty of this committee is that of Investigating the cost of electricity for arc lighting. but 1t is equally true that the ultimate object of such Investiga-
 tion Is the securing for the City of Bridgeport a fair price and straight forward contract For this reason. r.-u <lel