The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-04-02
WANT L|GHTONG GAS
LA MP CONTRACT
Councilmcn Sec No Reason for
Such Excitement IN
Committee.

Councilman Clarence Seaton nr
Clay Ward. has given notice that al
tho meeting OF tho Common Council
tomorrow might lie VIII call for u
rspoEt on the street gus lamp matter.
FOR two months the question has been
IN the hands OF the Committee on
light, and Mr.. Seaton has not even
Decn given Il hearing. 1t was only
at the earnest request of Councilman
iialclifc that the committee took the
matter up Friday might and debated 1t
IN 2 stormy session., and finally let It
80 over to Il special meeting to be
held next Friday night. Meanwhile
the Council will have met, and Mr.
Scaton will have his opportunity to
inquire into the situation. 1t has been
asserted By one member OF the com
mittcc that there Is a "niBEcr In the
w%oodpilc." II by another that there
Is something curious In tie effort
OF the committee three times to force
through . contract without making
any inquiry aH to other methods Of
lighting.
No Bids Invited.
Until q year ago gas amp We're
operated by the city with old style
Nat flame burncrs. Electric lights
arc used at street intersections. ard
the gas IaInps are mainly III alleya
and at alley entrances. Agents OF tho
American Stree. Lighting Company
III .. IltIS J II FL vi Il
lamps. known as the "Boulcvard' ;%p
with incandesce;t burners. giving g
greatly Increased light over the ole
styie burners. The conlfiittee recon-.
mendcd n one-ycar contract with this
concern for putting UP and opcratinL
1000 lamps, the city to furnish tNc
gas ana poles, the contractor 70 sup.
ply globes, patent burners ana 70 light
and c~xtinguisii them. Without In
,iting bids tie Committee on Light
last December recommended the re-
newal Of tic contract for anothc,
year ut si3 per lainN, and the Gounci!
has twice rejected the resolution con-
1rniing tho award. There Is NOW no
contract ana no bond. The company
Is continuing 10 operate the lamps OIL
the clause whiph sa$s that Il may be
Terminated on sixty days notice from
either party. !,
Thrco norths ago Sir. Sehton raised
the question III tic Council AS 70 whcth-
or II you'd not prove cheaper TO buy
tho globes aIi1 burners outright and
operate tho lights by city employees.
It seemed ridiculous, he asserted, for
the ci,v 70 own It's gas works aud not
b.. abtc to operate IT, :. month passed.
nid the committee again recoumend'si
the same contract, varying statements
being made on the floor as TO Tire
amount OF gas saved by incandescerf
burners and the Increase II candle
power. Members OF tho committee
were OF opinion that tho mnnties could
not be purchased, but Mr.. seuton pro
ducci a letter from at least one con
Germ offering 10 sell thcln at S,nut
what tho cit" liz paying In annual rem
ta5.
Meanwhile the lighting OF alleys rs
incandcscent electric lights from the
municipal plant has been proposed.
md Consulting Engineer +. " Trnf-
ford ir preparing preliminary estimates
OF the cost of wiring and installation.
AZ present the lighting OF tho streets
Is IN tho hands ot two committees
which arc pulling further and further
apart.
Members OF the Council said yestcr-
day that they SEW no reason for SO
much wransling, FOR suc!, excited
speeches and such coun~tercharges and
evidences Of temper. No one would
advocate goins lari 10 tho old fat
nArne lamps, which were u~rsigbtly and
gave little light. But, according to
these members. it should be a simple
matter to discover how much gas the
various kinds Of patent burners con-
sumo, how much candle power they &C.
tually give, and To secure competitive
bids both Tor routing and purchasing
tho outft. The present Light Commit.
every matter that iias Como before Il,
ana the suggestion il made: That a ro-
organization OF the committee by tia
presidents Of tie two branches would
secure more harmonious action.