The Caucasian. (Shreveport, La.) 1900-192?, 1911-04-11

The City Council held its regular
monthly session this forenoon witt
Mayor Eastman and Commissioners At
kins, Fullilove, Mccullough, Rives an(
Attorney Jack, and T. H. Thurmond
auditor and clerk, present.
In attendance were a number of citl
zens who watched the proceeding:
closely.
The reports of committees were reac
and several resolutions were adopted.
The Journal was elected the public
printer through Mr.. Frantz, who re
ceived the votes of Commissioners Full
lilove and Rives and Mayor Eastman
There were cast two votes for Mr. Relt-
meyer of the Times by Commissioners
Atkins and Mccullough.
The ordinance providing a contrac
for electric lighting between the city anc
the Shreveport Gas, Electric Light anc
Power Company was not called to it:
final reading, and action thereon ha:
been delayed or postponed by the reso,
luton of Commissioner Fullilove, ot
which the following is copy:
Resolved, That there be no fur
ther action taken on the pending
agreement with the Shreveport Gas,
Electric Light and Power Company
until the report of the expert here
matter provided for be made.
Resolved, That the Superintend-
ent of the Department of Public
Utilities be and Ire is hereby author
lied and directed to employ an ex-
pert to- investigate the cost and
maintenance of an electric lighting
plant of sufficient capacity to supply
all purposes needed in the city of =
Shreveport.
Resolved, That the sum of $1,000,
or SO much thereof as may be neces-
sary, be and the same is hereby ap-
propriated for the purpose of meet
ing the expenses thereby incurred.
In attendance were the representa-
tives of 365 citizens, all qualified voters
with their protest against the lighting
contract. As the ordinance was no
passed to its final reading, the protes
could not be presented and will be with.
held or reserved for future action.
By voting the appropriation of ont
thousand dollars, the Council has con
ceded that the contentious of the peo,
pie, through their committee, are right
1t may be recited that the joint com
rnittee of the Council and the citizens
committee bad reached an agreement
which each signed, the gist of which Is
that the contract for lighting with the
lighting company should not exceed
one year and that the Council and thi:
committee would direct their efforts tc
the obtaining of information relative tc
the cost of lighting in other cities O.
about the size of Shreveport.
In BRIEF the committee representing
the citizens and the citizens signing the
protest believe that action by the Coun
Gil should be delayed upon the bids O
the lighting company until the people
have received the report of an exper
to investigate and report on the follow
ing propositions: (a) The cost and ope
ration of plant of a capacity sufficien
to light the city streets. (b) The cos
and operation of plant of capacity
sufficient to do both the city and com
mercial lighting. (c) The cost of pro
ducing electricity here in Shreveport
The contract does not expire until July
+, IoII, and there existed no necessit.
Of acting before the above and other in
formation is obtained and given th'
public
In opposition to these views the Coun
Gil, with number of citizens, are OF
record as having declared that the rate
offered by the lighting company wer
fair and much cheaper than for instanc,
New Orleans and other towns and cite
which do not compare with Shreveport
and where the prices, owing to condi
tions, are much higher than at Shreve
port.
Had it not been for the protests, tn
probability is that the prices of tn
lighting company would have prevailed
It has been demonstrated by figure
obtained officially and which will stan
the test of verifcation, that lighting ca
be or should be obtained at less than tn
prices prevailing or offered in the pro
posed contract between the city and tn
lighting company.
The report from Jacksonville, Fla, a
published in the Caucasian and tn
Times, was a revelation, and has set tn
people to thinking.
After all, the issue must rest with tn
people.
If, after the expert shall have sui
mitted his report that municipal hght