South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1913-11-25

Delaying definitely figures in an
swer to statements made by Council
man Arthur Fl. Rice at the council
meeting Monday night, with regard to
installation cost of a municipal dis
tribution plant for city lighting. other
than to declare the estimates alto
gether too low, Fred a. Bryan. gen
eral manager Of the Indiana & Mich
lgan Electric Co, stated Tuesday that
as soon as he hadetime he would an
swer the councilman and seek to place
the local situation before the people
in the true light
L will answer Mr.. Rice as soon as
1 have time to go over his figures" he
said.
Municipal lighting, as expected, was
the chief topic of discussion at Mon
day nights session of the common
council, a remOnstrance signed by 5.
w. Baer and 551 others, reinforced
by the presence of a hundred citizens
with Councilman Arthur II. Rice as
spokesman, furnishing the fireworks.
An ordinance confirming a contract
between the board of public works
and the Indiana < Michigan Electric
Co., providing for the furnishing Of
municipal lignr Tor the next ten years.
was the bone of contention.
The ordinance was passed first and
second reading, and was referred to
the council in committee of the whole,
TO be considered at its weekly eXecu-
tive session to be held next Tuesday
night. On motion of Councilman Hag-
arty, whoever is interested in the
lighting question is invited to be pres
ent at that meeting, and they will be
accorded a hearing.
Councilman Rice here took up the
question involved by offering a sub
stitute for the Hagarty motion. ask
ing that the lighting contract be side
tracked until after the state public
utilities commission has had an op-
portunity 10 pass on the petition now
before that body, and that the board
Of public works be directed TO go
ahead and investigate the cost OF
lighting, through an expert, as or
dered by the council at its meeting
last Tuesday.
Rice Goes Into Details.
The Rice substitute was voted
down, seven TO three, Rice, Fink and
Buechner constituting the three, but
it was not until after the seventh ward
man had utilized his opportunity 10
place before his colleagues and the
gallery, some apparently carefully
prepared figures calculated 10 sus-
tain his position that the rates to be
charged for municipal lighting, under
the ordinance submitted, are exorbi-
tant, and discriminatory.
The councilman submitted his mo-
ton in iting, and read his address
from manuscript, that he might
have a record, as he put II, Of exactly
what ne said.
The Indiana & Michigan Electric
Co. offers 10 furnish 400 lights un-
dergrOund construction, at SIS a Hght
as against the present rate OF $50.
The company also offers 10 furnish
overhead lights at $55.25 per lamp.
The present rate is S7S.75. This fig
ure is also made on a 400 lamp basis
and a 10 year contract.
The company mas also submitted
bids on 10 ampere constant current
series lights. The four ampere con-
tract current is offered at So a light
per year. the six and siX-tenths am
pere contract at $50 and the 10 am
pere at $50. Figures were also sub
mitted on three and five cluster lights
similar TO the ones in the business sec
ton at present.
Some SCOTS and $72 lights are the
ones accepted.
Calls IL $4,000 Too High
Going into the matter in consider
able detail. the position of Council
man Rice is. that a considerable por-
ton OF the expense TO the city. aggre-
eating S42,0 a year on the eco
lamps in use. is not for electricity at
all. but for distribution and lamp use.
He claims that the actual electricity
used, at the rate at which Mishawaka
Il through its own plant, would cost