The Caucasian. (Shreveport, La.) 1900-192?, 1911-03-15

ployment of Electrical Engineer and
Lighting Contract for One Year Only.
The committee of the City Council,
comprising J. H. Eastman, Mayor, and
Commissioners Fullilove and McCul-
lough and the citizens committee repre-
senting the consumers and the city, An
drew Queries, Leon R. Smith and V.
Grosjean, met in conference yesterday
afternoon at d o'clock in the Mayors
p9rlor.
1t was an adjourned meeting, The
representatives of the Shreveport Gas,
Electric Light and Power Company
were not present as they had already
notified the Mayor that they would not
attend, for reasons, as explained in a
letter published in the Caucasian OF
Tuesday March ID.
The question of lighting and its cost
was discussed fully. Mr.. Querbes said
he believed that the city and the con-
sumers were entitled to a better rate
than had been offered by the lighting
company and was confident that better
rates could be secured
1t was suggested by Mr.. Grosjean that
an expert electrical engineer be EN-
ployed by the city who would give such
information as was desirable, with the
view of determining the cost of an cleo
trio light plant and its operation.
Some gentlemen had declared en-
phatically against the effort to obtain
lower rates for lighting on the plea that
the lighting company had demonstrated
by comparison that Shreveport was be-
ing supplied with light at lower rates
than other cities, but while this may be
true, it was his deliberate opinion that
Shreveport could secure its lighting, es-
pecially to the consumers, at lower rates
than are now being charged or offered
on six and ten years contract, and the
only course of procedure. so as to be
fair to the city and the consumers and
the lighting company was to have all
the information necessary from an cleo
trica1 engineer, whose reliability and in
tegrity would secure approval Of his
conclusion Should If be shown to be
impracticable or too costly to acquire
and operate an electric lighting plant
under the system of municipal owner
ship, then common sense would be op-
posed to such an undertaking, but if it
was evidenced that the lighting by the
municipality would cost less than by the
lighting company, then good business
sense would suggest municipal owner
ship He. urged. that the cost for the
employment of an electrical engineer be
borne by the city.
In his reply, Mayor Eastman said he
did not know from what source. the
money would be obtained, but he would
do his best to get it with the assistance
of Commissioner Rives.
Mr.. Mccullough said that the services
of such an electrical engineer would
not be less than $500 and would prob
ably be $1,000.
Mr.. Smith was in favor of the em-
ployment of an expert The information
which could be obtained from an expert
was necessary before the commissioners
could reach decision on the proposed
lighting contract A report from dis
interested person would sustain Or dis
approve the contention of the committee
representing the consumers and the city,
All the committee desired was to be fair
to all concerned.
The points considered in lengthy
discussion are embodied in the report
following
THE REPORT.
Shreveport, La, March IS, 1911.
The Board of Commissioners, City of
Shreveport, La. Gentlemen-In COM
pliance with your instructions, we met
the representatives of the Shreveport