Perth Amboy evening news., 1921-03-23
HEAR LIGHTING
CD. EXPLAIN
Monmouth Co. Officials at
Meeting of the South AM
boy City Council.

SOUTH AMBOY, March 23.-Rep-
resentatives of the Monmouth Light
ing Company were ION the carpet
before the common council of this
city last night when charges of gross
neglect were made by several of the
members of the council. For several
weeks members of the council have
been protesting at the service and
consideration received by this city at
the hands of the Monmouth Lighting
Company.
Last night in addressing the local
body, Mr.. Van Dusen representative
from the Monmouth company. stat
ed hal in a round about manner
they had heard several complaints
on the service and wondered what
the trouble was. Questions were
fired at him so fast that he could
lot answer them. Councilman Kvist
pointed out instances where the peo-
pie have been Visiting for two and
three years for service, Mr.. Van Du-
sen maintaining that they had no
such record of persons but would be
pleased to look them up. Council
man Kvist asked why lights could
not be connected at the new work
shop for the water department. He
could not answer. In answer to the
question concerning lights of lower
wattage than which the city was
paying for, Mr.. Van Dusen stated
that the company was having diff
Guilty in getting all kinds of supplies.
There was a shortage of 100 watt
lamps and until such time the bigger
lamps arrived they had been using
40 watt bulbs. Mr.. Kyist was in
terested to know why no outage was
made for the reduction of current
consumed.
Councilman Shuey was interested
to know why the plant was shut
down so much. He pointed out the
fact that just a few minutes previous
to the council converting the power
and lights had been shut off. Mr..
Van Dusen stated this was due t.
some trouble at the plant. Mr.. Shuey
stated that if he or any other en-
gineer working for a private concern
pulled the switch as often as the
Monmouth Lighting Company, his
/. job wouldn't be worth much. Mr..
Van Dusen stated that the Mon
mouth Lighting Company was no
more lax than the Fisher Company
or the Public Service Company. Mr..
Shuey stated that records in Perth
Amboy show that the power was off
for but ten minutes during the past
year, while in South Amboy it is
often off for hours at a time.
Councilman Shuey pointed out that
the current was not only used for
lighting purposes. but for furnish
ing power for the numerous small
factories in this city. Mr.. Van Du-
sen assured the councilman from the
first ward that if at any time the
power was off, they would call the
Keyport Office, an explanation would
be given.
Councilman Stanton made the
most heated attack of the evening.
He told of his twelve year experience
in the council-of the numerous
such conferences held with different
representatives of the Monmouth
Lighting Company and the poor SER
vice. He told of a conference held
with Mr.. Hitchcock at which time
the council IA informed if they
would call the Keyport office when
ever the light was out they would i'm
mediately be replaced. He main
tanned that the city would receive
better service and assured the gem
tlemen of the council that he would
conduct a personal investigation to
hurry along street and house install
lations.