Arizona republican. [volume] (Phoenix, Ariz.) 1890-1930, 1911-06-20
A STATEMENT
OF POSITION
Maintained by The City
Council
ON LIGHTING CONTROVERSY
Mayor Christy Says Coun-
Gil Has Pronounced No
Ultimatum - City's Elk
penses Must Be Kept
DoWn-No Affront.

In an interview with Mayor l.loNu Il
Christy yesterday afternoon il was
learned that the council has pot Yet
taken a positive stand in regard to the
number of standards TO be used TO each
block in the down town district, but in
tends to withhold a decision until Ger
tain tests have been made to determine
the number of lights the streets Will
need for perfect illumination. What
these tests are to be Mayor Christy
would not state.
There has been a good deal Of agi-
tation over this light business he
said. and the council has been misun-
derstood ever since the question of the
standards came up. We are not against
the new light plan, and we do not in
tend to oppose the paving commission,
unless we find ourselves called upon to
spend more money for these improve
ments than the city will be able To pay
1t is a simple matter for people To
come to the council and say we want
this or we want that but the prob
lem we have to face is the vital one Of
financing these enterprises. We have
a certain amount of money coming in
each year, and 4 we spend any more
than that amount we are simply obli-
eating ourselves for greater sums than
we will be able TO pay. 1t seems to me
that this proposition is self-evident.
cont see how anybody can misunder-
stand our position.
we are Just as much interested in
having a new lighting system as any
member of the commission, and we
agree with them when they say that
Phoenix ought TO re one of the best
lighted cities in the world. We are
as ambitious for Phoenix as anyone
could be. but we can't put the cart
before the horse. and if we are going
To- do our duty by the people who cleo
ted as to office we must keep the city
finances in good order. That is exact
ly what we are trying to do.
As we look at the matter, we are
concerned about just one thing, and
that is this-How many standards will
We need to install on each block TO
give the city perfect illumination. II
there should be two, or eight, or twenty
standards to block, the council would
be willing to do all it could to have
them put inf someone could show us
where the money to pay the bill Is COM
ing from
There is only one thing to do. and
that is to find out how many lights the
streets will need. From a standpoint
of economy we don't want to go to a
bit of expense that is not absolutely
needed People present petitions TO the
council at nearly every meeting ask
ing for lights on this corner or that cor
ner. and we don't want 10 have all the
lighting centralized at one point at the
expense Of all, the other streets of the
city. The lighting question with us
covers the entire city. With the people
who are making this agitation. it COW
ers the blocks in the district where the
paving will be done We have to think
about the city treasury. They can ar
ford to ignore il because they viii have
no responsibility when the time comes
to pay the bill
Il want to say that the council IS
not going to anything more about this
matter until certain Investigations have
| been made to prove the number . OF
! standards that will be needed to light
up the streets. The council believes
three will furnish plenty of light, but
we are not saying, merely because we
believe this. that three standards will
have to be the authorized number We
do say that this matter ought to be
given careful consideration. and if, af-
| ter these Investigations are made it IS
| found that three standards will be suf-
ficient. we will work for three. If four
are needed then we will have to have
! four. But in that case. our problem Of
paying the cost of the additional light
will not be lessened in the least
This is business proposition for
the city. and I want the people to look
at it in that way. All this talk about
the council being opposed to the com
mission is pure invention. We have
! had no difficulty with the commission
| that we know of, and we don't intend
| to have any. | think the members OF
the commission have been misquoted.
and / believe this trouble will be set
| tied without any more difficulty If
this agitation is given chance to die
down. II does great deal of harm,
and no good whatever that ! can see
After the council has finished its in
vestigations. we will be in position to
say what we are going TO do about the
matter. And until we finish these in
vestigations it will be useless for peo-
pie to say what we are going To do
about ii, for we won't know ourselves
until we have thrashed the thing
out and have satisfied ourselves
that we will be absolutely right in our
| recommendations. And I want to say
again-in fact | don't think too much
emphasis can be laid on this point
fnat this lighting question is simply a
matter of dollars and cents. and the
personal factor does not enter into it
at all. We want to do the right thing,