Evening journal., 1915-05-21

commission by representatives of the
Wilmington Gas Company VINO insist
ed that provision should be made for
lighting the building by gas. and this
commission again took up the oues-
ton, examined it thoroughly and was
more than ever satisfied with tho cor
rectness of the conclusion arrived at;
and at this time the installation Of a
proper. dual system of lighting would
require the tearing out and lestruc-
ton of a large part of the work al
ready done, and would materially in
crease the expense
Had the funds available to the com
mission warranted Il in so doing. It
would have installed a separate light
ing plant for the joint buildings, and
should necessity arise by reason of eN-
Orbitant rates. unsatisfactory service,
Of for any other cause. such a plant
can readily and cheaply be installed
and operated in the joint building.
The commission has also consider
cd carefully tho possibility of city
lighting plant which has been the suo-
iect of discussion from time to time
i'm your honorable body and before
the public. and should such system
be installed, the Municipal Building
at least will be enabled to take adj
vantage thereof, should such advan-
tago exist
The commission would further call
your attention to the fact that the
rates at which electricity is furnished
are in these days and in this city con-
trolled by public authority, in the first
instance by the Street and Sewer
Department in granting the public
service companies the right to use the
public streets, and more fully, per
haps. by committing TO the PubliC
| Utilities Commission the lower of reg.
ulating prices.
Il might also be well 10 call youi
attention to the fact that the figure
( of 81 500, named In your cOmmunica-
| tion would in the judgment OF this
commission pay but small part O
the increased expense which would b'
! incurred The change at this time
would necessitate tearing our th'
work already dcne at very consider
able expense. and il is manifest 'ha
]
be but the beginning of the cXpens'
necessary to be incurred before gai
could be used for Illuminating pur
poses. The increased cost in tho
matter of chandeliers and lighting
fixtures would be very great.
II has been the consistent effort o
this commission that the new Munici
pal Building shall represent the mos
modern and best type of municipa
buildings, and having always In min'
that any increased cost of the build
ing must necessarily represent an in
creased outlay by the taxpayers Of tn
city of Wilmington. the commission
has used every effort TO construct tn
building as cheaply as is cOnsisten
with the requirements Of such
structure. and we have therefore no
felt ourselves justified in acceoing 4
the request of the Wilmington Gas &C
persistontly made and repeated. lha
gas pipes snould be placed In Ia
building for general lighting purposes
We have been. are, and In the fu
ture will be most anxious not onl
TO receive. hut to comply with an
suggestions made by The Council, q
any of the public Officers of the cit
OF Wilmington. hut We are firmly an
, unanimously convinced that tho Intro
, duction Of gas piping into the builI
ing would not only be unwise, u.s.
less and unnecessarily expensive, hi
, also positively detrimental to q