Los Angeles herald., 1910-08-03
COUNCIL Of PASADENA
SHELVES LIGHTING BID
Edison Company Suffers a Snub
When 1t Makes Revised
offer of Service

PASADENA, Aug. o. uG oOuIAASii -
California Edison company was snubbed
hv +he citv council Yesterday when Dis
trict Manager Mulligan in person pre-
sented a bid for lighting Pasadena
streets. The matter was referred With
out comment to the lighting committee,
where it is said 1t will be pigeonholed'
Assistant City Attorney Carr said after
the council meeting:
"The offer is the rankest knd OF
cheap politics. intended no doubt to
prejudice the people against the man
agement of the city plant
The Edison company's offer to the
council was in part as follows;
For installation of the street light
ing as of record as being istalled july
l, 1910, including all are lights, tungsten
lamps, carbon filament lamps and ser
vice to ornamental clusters on the
same schedule of lighting as is now
being furnished by the city of Pasa-
dena, of an equal or better quality, ana
for which service the cost to the tax
payers would be $3717S year in ac-
cordance with the estimate of the mu-
ninipal lighting department we Will
make a complete installation and sup
Dly the proper service at an annual cost
of $4,000; payment for same to be
made in twelve monthly installments.
Following this proposal, the Edison
company in its letter casts reflections
upon the city's arc lights ana oiters 10
install lamps guaranteed to give 80 per
cent more illumination. It says: I'VE
would be prepared to begin supplying
service four months after date of sign
ing agreement" The company offered
to allow a discount of 10 per cent Off
the price named if the city would
change its charter and enter into a
five-year contract.
SUPPORTS MUNICIPAL PLANT
AS If in anticipation of the Edison
company offer, the council passed mo-
ton pledging unqualified support TO the
municipal light plant. The motion had
been pepared in advance. but the mem
hers of the council declare that they
had no intimation of the impending Of
fer of the rival company. The motion
is as follows:
"That the council hereby extends its
thanks to the Pasadena Municipal
Lighting league and to all those Who'
whether city officers or private citizens,
assisted so effectively in showing the
people of this city the practical and
moral issues involved in the support OF
the city's lighting plant, and in secur-
ing from citizens the splendid support
now being given to the munlclpal lght-
ing project. -.
"Further, That inasmuch as the clu-
zens expressed themselves so emphat-
ically at the last municipal lighting
bond election, voting over seven to one
to issue the bonds and complete the
plant, and inasmuch as there has been
some misunderstanding in the pubic
press and elsewhere as to the counclls
immediate intentions;
"Therefore, That this council declare
itself unequivocally in favor of doing
all things necessary at the present time
or in the future to maintain the plant
as a distinct Pasadena institution and
ready at all times to serve all citizens
with proper lighting service at D.
cent or lesser rats, and that the super
intendent of the lighting department be
hereby instructed to take all measures
necessary to care for the business now
contracted for and which is coming to
the city, and that the city continue its
efforts to secure new consumers
sLAVIN WRITES TO COUNCIL
Matthew Slavin, whom Mayor Farley
in an open letter has accused of being
interested in the Edison company,
wrote to the council yesterday in part
as follows:
'I had understood that an amount
was set aside from the earnings each
month to provide payment Of bonds as
they mature, $S125 of which falls due
each year. Upon investigation l find
that the city auditors records for the
wear ending June 80 do not show the
payment from the municipal lighting
fund. I would like to inquire from
what fund this money was obtained
The communication was relocated
to the received-and-f filed pigeonhole.
Mayor Farley said last evening:
Instead of SS125, the amount men
toned by Mr.. Slavin, we paid $4,000 in
bonds and interest last year from the
earnings of the city plant"
Manager Koiner of the city plant eX-
plains the payment of lighting bonds
and interest as follows:
according to the state law tax
must be levied to meet all outstanding
bonds and interest. The council each
year levies such a tax for lighting
bonds. We transfer an amount to the
general fund each year equal to that
which is raised by taxes to meet the
lighting bonds. This reduces the tax
necessary for the general fund. At the
end Of the last fiscal year there re-
mained in the lighting fun $7775 to be
transferred to the general fund. This
was transferred on July 1, hence does
not show on last years report The in
come from the municipal plant is pay
ing all charges against it from its
earnings We have 5000 customers and
expect before September ! to acquire
the additional 400 to reach the mark
set when the present campaign for new
customers started