Valdez daily prospector., 1914-05-19
CROWD ATTENDS
 COUNCIL MEETING Fight for Privilege of Furnishing Lights to the City at cut-throat
 Price Brings Out Crowd.

The city council held an interesting session last night at the council chamber in the city hall. A large number of the officials of both cleo tric light companies were at the meeting because of the expected de- cision on the bids offered the council for street lighting.
 Both companies offered the city a flat rate of two cents a kilowatt hour for it's street lighting. The Alaska Water, Light and Telephone Co. also offered to throw in the use of three telephones to the city-one at the city hall, one at the fire engineers home and the other for the use of the city marshal. The phones cost the city $9 a month at present. They also agreed to charge at the rate of one cent a watt for all street lights not on meter.
 Supt. Quinn asserted that his com pany had made the lowest bid; that the cost of lighting would be decreas- ed because of the saving in phone rental and also because of the low rate for independent lights not on meters. Vice-president Boyle, for the Valdez Electric Co.,, insisted that his company's bid was the lowest be- cause the A. w., L. and T. Co. would charge for installation of lights on the reservation, while the Valdez Electric offered to pay he cost of the wiring for street lights, besides un- der the franchise five per cent of the gross income over $1,OOO a month would go to the city, and when the new phone system is installed, he stated, the income would be over the $1,000 month, as it is nearly that at present, and that from the two cent rate should be deducted the franchise tax as showing better rate to the taxpayers. Supt. Quinn stat ed that the phone rental would be al most a third of the average month ly bill and therefore a great saving.
 The debate by the representatives of the two rival electric companies continued for an hour and when the councilmen finally voted the result showed three for each company. May or Ritchie being absent, some of the advocates of the Valdez Electric Go. thought it would be a good thing to let him vote by telegraph others were for waiting until he returned, but as the mayor is also the president of the new company that feature of it T. people to be of any advantage to them
 Some of the spectators wanted commission appointed to decide which company had the lowest bid; others thought a general election would be best and finally the council decided that in as much as the Valdez Elec- tric agreed to charge only cents for lights for the present it had bet ter be laid on the table, and it was.
 Chairman White, of the Street com mittee, reported on the work being done and asked for permission to cov- CT the garbage hauled by the city on Hobart and Sherman streets. Upon motion of Councilman King the coun- cil, instructed the Street committee to call for bids for $50 yards of gray ell.
 A petition for a sidewalk from the residence of c. Golden to that of Mike Deneen on Fourth avenue and on Alaska aevnue was acted on favorab- ly. The committee was also instruct ed to secure bids for cement walk from the Seattle Hotel corner to the Pinzon, on the north side of Nc Kinley street.
 The council will meet again on next Thursday.
 Councilman Lyons, as acting mayor, demonstrated his ability as a chair man when he maintained order dur ing the debate upon the light fran chise.