Arizona republican. [volume] (Phoenix, Ariz.) 1890-1930, 1911-02-23

THE LIGHT QUESTION
AGITAT|NG MESA
Subject Exclusively Discussed at
Council Meeting.

Since the first mandate went forth:
Let There be Light" the question OF
light has been one that occupied a
great place in mans affairs. The
torch. the camp fire, the tallow dip
the candle, the lamp, gas and now
the electric light, in its most approved
form. supplies light for the dark
places of the land. Ii is not strange
! therefore that the people generally
and the town council i'm particular
should spend a great deal of their
valuable time in trying to work out
the most satisfactory system of light
ing the town. Every property owner
is taxed to pay for lights for streets
| hence every tax payer is interested
in getting the best light possible for
| the money. The town covers a large
area and to properly light all of the
streets, thus equally distributing the
benefits to those who pay for the SER
vice, is impossible with the limited
funds at the command of the council
Hence the town fathers have ever
tried to give that portion which pays
the largest per cent OF taxes the
more generally be of benefit to the
whole people-the business section.
Last June the contract with H. l..
Chandler expired and since that time
the five arc lights have been carried
under the former agreement, it being
generally understood that the lighting
system was to pass into the hands of
the South Side Gas company, a cor
poration composed OF our own people.
The present equipment is old and
needs renewing. For months the
lights have not been up to what the
council think they should have been.
but until a new contract was made.
Mr. Chandler did not feel that IL
would be safe to put in new lights.
though new poles have been and are
being installed, to supply individual
patrons.
Arc System Agreed Upon.
At the regular meeting Of the coun-
ell this month. a vote as to the sys-
TEN to be used. whether arc or Mazda
incandescents was taken. resulting in
adoption of the arc system. In or
der to get a more general opinion
from the public. however an adjourn
ment was taken until the 21st. and
at the adjourned session last night
the matter was gone into thoroughly
Mr.. Chandler made three PROPOSE
tions to the council. The first was
to continue the present arc system.
installing new lamps. at rate of
$3.50 per month per light. as aginst
the $500 now charged: second. to
place ten luminous arc lamps as
should be designated by the council
at a rate of $500 per light per
month; third, to place as many in
candescents as the council should care
to order at s1.25 per light per month.
All Of these prices based upon a five
year contract
The Voice of the People
The council chamber being well fill
ed by interested tax payers. Mayor
Palmer called for an expression from
them as to the wishes of the people
regarding lights.
P f Fuller was the first to re-
spond. Mr. Fuller said he had given
the matter great deal of thought,
and that he favored the luminous arc
system. The incandescent was not
satisfactory in small towns where
only limited number could be used
1t would require fifty incandescents
to cover the same area one good arc
lamp would cover. He believed that
the time was near when Mesa would
get cheaper power and hence favored
a short term contract, not to exceed
three years.
Max Vault was the next to respond
to the invitation to speak. He said
that he was more interested in the
power problem: he could get along
with the lights furnished. but the
power had been so irregular that il
Occasioned heavy loss to the mill
which was dependent upon the cleo
trio power Mr. chandler interrupted
to state that the power problem had
been considered: the Consolidated
company had agreed to install a du-
plicate system at once and there
would then be no complaint as to the
service. Mr.. Vault responded that he
was glad to hear il and would simply
say that he favored the arc system.
with not to exceed a three-year con-
tract
J. l.. Waring favored the mean
descent system. He stated that he
was stakeholder in the South Side
Gas company. and that he also could
assure the people that as soon as the
electric franchise was turned over to
the gas company. there would be a
general improvement all around. The
power problem. as MIR. Chandler had
stated. would be looked after. II the
could not supply the
power the company would look else
where. He thought there should be
a five-year contract signed
w. ]. LeBaron favored the shortest
contract possible. and the arc system.
What the public wanted was more
attention paid to keeping up the SER
vice: lower rates for private indi-
viduaIs and some consideration of the
rights of the patrons. He cited a
number of lapses of the present man
sgement which to say the least in
Dictated a carelessness that was in
excusable.
w A Macdonald favored the arc
system, and not to exceed a three
year contract. When the new power
plants were completed he thought that
there would be no reason why Mesa
should not have a rate as low as
that given Phoenix. Il cents per kilo
watt hour.
Henry L. Peterson favored three