The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1922-11-01
THIRD LIGHTING
BIDDER WELCOME,
SAY CITY HEADS
Officials Claim They See At
tempts to Block Future Utility
Competition in City.
GRONINGER ENTERS FIELD
Large Power Users Favor Per-
hitting T. H.. !. & E. Traction
Co. to Furnish Current.

Although the present contract Of the
Merchants Heat and Light Company
for street lighting has two years and
five months yet to run, the battle to
sell the city current for the next ten
year period is on.
City officials prOfessed to see in ef-
forts being made by certain interests
TO prevent the Terre Haute, Indian
apols & Eastern Traction Company
from obtaining a permit from the
public service commission 10 enlarge
their plant, enabling 1t to surplus
electric power I'm Indianapolis. move
to prevent a third bidder from enter
ing the contest. The traction COM
pany's plant is in the west part Of
The city. Il makes current to operate
rs interurbans and supplies much OF
the power Of the Indianapolis Street
: Railway Company.
3 Both the Merchants Heat and Light
Company and the Indianapolis Light
and Heat Company. have indicated TO
city officials they VIII bid for the next
street lighting contract A political
agent of the former has been a fire.
quent visitor to the city Hall and
Statehouse. Both companies have
openly opposed the traction company's
petition before the commission.
An organization Of big local electric
power users is understood 10 favor
permitting the third company to enter
the field. These manufacturers at
tempted to get electric power rates Of
the two old companies reduced several
months ago when rates Of domestic
consumers were cut. but failed
The power users are understood to
believe they can get cheaper power II
the third company is permitted TO
compete. Il is said the traction com
pany has advantages in location and
equipment of It's plant which will per
mis- It TO produce current cheaper
than the others
Corporation Counsel Taylor E.
Groninger on behalf Of the city has
asked the commission 10 grant the
traction company's petition. Mayor
Shank expressed himself in favor OF II.
The city pays about S25O.000 a year
for street lighting under the present
contract. a third or more OF this
sum represents surcharge granted the
Merchants Heat and Light Company
b. the commission during the war.
The contract provides a rate of $40
a year for each arc light and s27.71
FOR each 1OO-watt column light. On
Sept. I. 1917, the commission granted
Ia surcharge of ) mills on each kilO-
] watt hour Of current used. A year
later this was increased 20 1 cent,
which s-iu is I'm effect. Since the first
surcharge was established the city
has paid $3.50 003.99 more than the
contract called for.
Elliott estimated that with the sur
charge the city pays an average Of
SOS q year for arc lights and $3.50
for 10O-watt globes.
The contract was made April 1, 1915,
and expires April 1. 1925.
Elliott has started preliminary work
on specifications for the next contract,
which probably viii be awarded by
the board Of public works early in
1925.
He said the specifications will call
fer some changes which will modern
ize the street lighting system This
will call for extended research.