Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1911-07-09
Council Bluffs
COUNCIL DEFERS ITS ACTION
Will Not Decide on Lighting Question
Until Next Monday.
WILL HOLD EXECUTIVE SESSION
LonR MeetiAE Held, at which Fig
ures on Cos ard Electricity
Charged in many cities
Are Analysed.

After another half days tussle with the
problem OF accepting the contract drawn
by city Solicitor Kimbali by which the
Citizens Gas and Electric Light company
and the Omaha Power and Light com
pany is to light the streets for a period OF
five years from October l. the city council
yesterday deferred final action until the
regular meeting. next Monday night, but
decided to hold secret meeting for the
purpose Of considering the whole PROPOSE
ton as a committee Of the whole. When
the decision was reached at noon yester-
day Contractor wickham said he would
suspend further work on the Broadway
paving until next Tuesday hoping to know
definitely by that time whether or not
he would be permitted to go ahead with
his contract with the electric light com
pany TO lay, the conduits for underground
ing the wires.
There was little or nothing accomplished
in the long session yesterday. The Com
mercial clubs representatives in the per-
sons OF itA president, DR.. Treynor. Or.
Jennings. George F. Hamilton, E. H. Doc
little Secretary Towne and others, were
expected TO present definite objections to
the contract. but had nothing more to
offer than several kilograms confirming
In most instances the figures submitted by
Lawyer Tinlcy on the previous day com
pairing the Council Bluffs rates with those
OF other cities.
Revised Contract Read.
The revised and corrected contract was
read by City Clerk Duff while members of
the council closely scanned. copies. The
corrected copies Included the amendments
decided upon at the previous conference
and made the present rates for private
consumers now prevailing In Omaha the
maximum to be charged in Council Bluffs
during the five-year period Of the contract,
with the provision that any reduction
made in Omaha rates for either current
or gas should at once apply to Council
Bluffs
Alderman Harding began the discussion
BY declaring that he favored aerial wires
and iron poles on the streets In preference
TO tho underground and pedestal post sys-
tenn and would not ask Mr.. wickham to
hold off paving work any longer. He
thought that no further action should be
taken In relation to the street lighting con-
tract until next fall and moved to indefin-
itely postpone the pending contract.
He received no second and Robert wal
lace, for the Commercial club, came for
ward with handful Of kilograms received
from other, cities in reference to prevailing
rates. all Of which Mr.. FINLEY claimed in
reply. we're fully corroborative of the
figures he gave the council on the previous
day One telegram was from Kearney, Neb.,
and the quotations of prices for current
lost some force when II was pointed out
that the Kearney plant was operated by
water power. President Nash, who was
again present, declared that the Kearney
figures were the only quotations showing
the prices of current as low as those con-
tained in the CouncillBiuffs contract. Attor-
ney Killpack attacked the royalty clause, de-
lartng It TO be Illegal, and that It should
not be enforced. The argument lost its
force when Mr.. FINLEY pointed out that the
withdrawal of the royalties would compel
the reduction of the present number of
lights one-fourth. ~
Clause About Royalties.
The revised contract contains a clause
preventing the council from exercising its
prerogative to reduce the price OF gas by
ordinance without forfeiture OF royalties,
but the clause was modified by the ex-
press provision that II should not operate
to prevent the council fixing by ordinance
whatever price prevailed in Omaha lower
than the figures named in the contract.
Near the close of the long session Mr..
Nash spoke earnestly and calmly. declaring
that HIS desire was to give Council Bluffs
the newest and best thing in street lighting
at the lowest cost, and that the new fam
ing arcs would give the greatest amount
Of light at the lowest cost and make Coun-
ell Bluffs the best lighted of the smaller
cities OF the United seates. He said the
rates named for power were half cent
10 la l.
falo where the Niagara current Is used. He
said these low rates were being established
In Council Bluffs and Omaha to encourage
the use OF current in small factories and
elevators for power. and that the rates
offered were lower than any quoted from
other cities.
Domestic Charges.
The rates for domestic and power pur-
poses are covered by this section OF the con-
tract.
And the said second party further agrees
that II will furnish to all consumers, cleo
trio current for light, heat and power
Within the city OF Council Bluffs and that
rate fixed by the city OF II cengg per kilo.
watt Tor the first ono and one half kilo-
watts per lamp. baaed upon 90 pzs cent OF
the actual lamps IN business houses and
cents per kilowatt for all additional cur
rent for lighting, and that Il will not con-
test and win acquiesce In the rate fixed by
kilowaft with the following discounts:
Leas than 800 kilOwatts In one month. 10
Per cent
Two hundred to so kilowatts In one
month"; Is per cent.
Three hundred TO 100 kilowatts in one
month. % per cent
-Four hundred to 600 kiIowatts In one
month. Is per cent.
Five hundred to 600 kilowatts In one
month, % per cent
SIX hundred TO 100 lulowatts In one
month. 3 per cent
Seven hundred to SO knoWatts In Ons
month. 20 per cent
Night hundred 10 800 kilowatts IN one
month. Is per cent
Nine hundred TO 1850 kilowatts IN one
menth, 50 per cent
One thousand i've hundred to aOOo kilo-
watts IN one month. s. per cent.
Two thousand TO 400 kiloWatts In one
month, % per cent
Three thousand I'VE hundred to 5000 kilo-
watts IA one month. 6 per cent.
Over 5000 kilowatts In one month. 70
per cent.
C1Osing Oct All Summer Hardware.
Twenty-Five per cent discount ON all gar
den hose Prices, up from Sc
Hardwood hose reel. 7sc.
Adjustable window screens, regular SOC
size. Saturday. lee.
Picnic plates, doz-. Sc.
Screen doors up from 7bc.
HammOcks. all kinds. up from. each as.
Gas. gasoline or oil stove ovens. all kinds
and sizes, up from. each t1-N