The Oskaloosa herald., 1909-07-29
LIGHT FOR STREETS
Mass Meeting Brings Out Several
Different Views.


The subject was Eight" but 1t was
by no means .lght subject that occu-
pied the attention of the mass meet
| ing held under the auspices of the city
council in the court rom Monday even
ing. h TIE meeting was largely attend
ed and lively interest was manifest
in the proposition under discussion.
Mayor L. NJ. Bacon called the meet
| ing to order and turned the chairman
ship over to Councilman w. X. Camp
field of Second ward, chairman of
the light committee, who presented
the matter in detail. The situation
he explained to be something as fol-
lows: There are now in Oskaioosa
seventeen all-night arc lights and IS
arc lights In the residence portion of
the city. 1t is now suggested to re.
place the IS lights in the residence
districts with 23S tungsten lamps,
which may be maintained at the same
cost to the city as the IS arcs, with
the exception of the expense of re-
newals for the 1853 additional lamps.
This would allow the placing OF
tungsten lamp on practically every cor
ner in the city. -... .A
Several persons. spoke freely upon
| the proposition, and while many OBJ
| jections were raised to the terms OF
| the plan offered and some to the man
ner in which it is being investigated,
| the general opinion of those present
was that the proposed change would
be a benefit, in that the tungsten
lamps concentrate the light upon the
| sidewalks where 1t is useful to pedes-
TRANS, while the arc lights are most
beneficial to drivers, who either carry
| lamps of their own or do not require
them as much as pedestrians. Byron
V. Sewers spoke in favor of placing
a light on every corner in the city,
but expressed his opinion that the
Traction and Light company was ask
ing too much of the city in refusing
to take care of the renewals of all
lamps under the proposed plan. The
| total candle power (estimated) claim
| ed to be given by the present system
1 of lighting in Oskaloosa Is 100000,
while the 23S tungsten lamps would
give only $4,000 candle power, the
loss being compensated for by the
scattering of the power In more
lamps and consequently over more
| space. Mr.. Sewers said that the peo-
pie built and paid for the electric
light plant and that they ought to re-
ceive from the Traction and Light
company more reasonable PROPOSE
i ton than the one offered. John T..
| Williams spoke upon the necessity OF
| securing an expert to investigate the
two plans and to report upon the saw
ing to the light company in the change
/ so that the city officials might arrive
at some equitable basis in the making
of the change. He expressed the be-
lief that the light company would
prfit richly by the substitution OF the
tungsten lamps for the arcs, in that
the great reduction of candle power
would provide a saving OF fuel. Henry
Rosecrans spoke in favor OF the
change with one exception, and that
4 was that the city should not be re-
quired to take care OF the renewals
of any of the lamps. c. Winters said
that tungsten lamps were in use along
portion of the street on which he re-
sides and that the lighting there Is
very satisfactory, because 1t is direct
ed towards the sidewalk where 1t iS
mostly needed He and w. II. Wray
urged the trimming OF shado trees.
lMr. Campfleld explained that the prop
osition, as presented, was not offered
by the Traction and Light company.
but by the light committee OF tho city
council.
No action was taken by the council,
but they viii consider the proposed
change in the lighting system of the
city at later meeting.