The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1921-06-14
.ARCLIGHTSN
FURNISHEDCIIY
lSCHARGE MADE
City Commissioners Make Com.
plant Against Electric
Light, Service
MATTER TO BE PROBED
Anti.Sand Pit> Ordinance Is
Passed by the City Com.
+! mission a,.E.-s
MATTER TO BE PRoBED

~O~ ~ SssO ~e~S
T. mission .-.
Declarations that the Hughes Elec-
trio company had broken its contract
with the city by substituting q .chea;,
street light while collecting pay for a
costly arc light were made in the city
commission last night.
The matter was taken up after the
city auditor was instructed to get a
rebate Of $443.S3 from the city audi
tor for alleged illegal charges for elec-
tric light for the city hall.
THE question of arc lights was left
open for investigation. Commission
or Thompson declared there was not
an arc light In the city. while the city
was paying for them a: the rate Of
$50 = year. II $s93.5 I. .s95 4. ,t! II
.I'isss,, Dsl.. ,s.tesI,. Ru,hl.
Commissioner Henzier declared that
In checking over the bills he had found
that the 6S arc lights at street inter-
sections, for which the city paid a con-
tract price, cost more than all other
city lights together, including the
White Way system of over 200 lights.
He said that the Hughes Electric COM
pany had removed the arc lights years
ago ana substituted 4oO cahdte-power
+ lamps: A dozen OF these would not
Darn the current OF one arc lignt' IN
MS Opinion, ne sald.
Wnetner the Guys investigation VIII
e4tend over perlod OF years and seek
reoate covering the entlre perlod
ior wnlcn tne company Is ahesed 70
nave suostituted cneap iisnts IN Vio-
.atlon Oh contract Is . mater Ior 1u-
lure actlon;
4 hoosto OFaorce' z
The rebate Of .$443.33 which the city
asked was because Of charges for
lights at the city hall for q period of
months, the franchise providing that
the city hall lights should be furnished
the city free Of chargel !.
=. B. Cox, attorney for the company,
said that the railroad commission had
ordered charges made for the city
hall lights on the theory that to ca
empt the city from such a payment
was to throw greater burden of cost
OF the city government on one class
Of citizens, those who use electricity,
The supreme court had since held, in
. Jamestown case, that provision
for free lights for city in q fran
chfse constituted a consideration for
the franchise. He said that the COM
pany was glad to make the rebate.
The new rates provided by the rail-
road commission in the city, making
substantial decreases In electric light
and power rates. were accepted by the
company and decreases will be made
on June bills, he said. .,.
Regarding the arc lights. when the
subject was brought up. Mr.. Cox said
that he would take the matter up with
the management.
Antl.Sand Pit Law.
= An ordinance declaring the open
ing up or excavation and removal OF
gravel and sand from gravel, or sand
pits Rih1n the city limits Of the city
of Bismarck. n. D., public nuisance,
and providing for the abatement and
removal Of gravel and sand pits, or
the safeguarding thereof, for the pro-
lection Of the public. and providing
penalty for the violation thereof" 1as
given final passage, Commissioner
French dissentingi
The ordinance Provides that no one
shall excavate or dig pits for the re-
moval of sand or gravel within the
city limits. It also provides that with
in six months after the passage of the
ordinance, owners of such pits now in
operation shall abate or safeguard the
same by either filling in such pit with
earth to within height of three feet
OF the surrounding sides or walls theret
Of, or BY building and constructing
and surrounding said pit with a tight
,six-foot board fence.
The penalty is nhe up to $50 or
30 days imprisonment, or both. The
ordinance is effective Immediately aft
er publication.
Costs CITY Thousands.
Commissioners declared that it
would cost the city, thousands of dol
lars to repair streets damaged by be-
ing dug into for the removal of SAND
or gravel. ....