Electric Light Talk

New York, 1895

THE COMPANY ASKS FOR A CONTRACT FOR FIVE YEARS MORE.

Admitting that it Never Lived Up to Its Agreement and that Its Plant Has Not been Improved Since the Arbitrators Fixed the Power or the Light.

The village Trustees held a special meeting Tuesday evening. President J. Tyler Watts presided. Trustee Mills was absent, as usual. President Watts said he had called the meeting at the request of John N. Williamson, superintendent of the electric light company. Mr. Williamson and Mr. Schwencke, secretary of the company, were present. The latter said the ultimatum of the company was that they would like to furnish the light for the balance of the two years' contract with the village at $80 per light. If the village would make the contract for five years more the company would furnish the light for $75 per lamp. At the expiration of the contract the village, if it wished, could purchase the plant at an appraised value. The company, with its present plant, could not give any better light than they were giving at present.

Trustee Downing said that when the trustees made a contract with the company, it was for an 800 candle power light. Now the company confesses that it has not and cannot give such a light. Mr. Williamson said that if the company did not furnish lights of 800 candle power under a new contract, they would not ask pay for 800 candle power. Nevertheless, the company was still putting forth the light as of 800 candle power. It was a fraud on the village.

Mr. Williamson replied that some experts declare that they are 800 candle power lights, while others say they are not. The manufacturers, from whom the company purchased the machinery, still claim that the lights are of 800 candle power. Whether they are 300 or 800 it costs the same to produce it. The lamps are run up to their full power.

President Watts remarked that the company contracted to give the village 800 candle power lights, but had not done so, and therefore could not expect pay for 800 candle power.

Trustee Wyckoff—"You come here now (to Mr. Williamson) and say that you cannot fulfil the contract. Have the Amphere meters recommended by the arbitrators been placed in the engine house of the electric light company?"

President Watts said they had not.

Trustee Wyckoff—"Then we do not know whether the company are living up to their contract or not. We have not done as the arbitrators told us to do. The matter was submitted by both the Trustees and the company to arbitrators in good faith. This board has not tried to revoke the company's contract. I must confess that I do not see what we are here for."

Mr. Williamson—"Mr. Watts asked me what the company was going to do in the matter, and I asked him to call a meeting and have the matter talked over."

Trustee Wyckoff—"The company are entitled to their full pay under their contract until the board says that they are not fulfilling their contract."

Trustee Twombly—"I am satisfied with the light now."

Trustee Higgins—"The lights are much better than they were."

Trusteee Downing—"I will admit that the lights are much better now than they were three months ago. I do not want to take one cent from this company, but I do expect the company to live up to the contract. If the Ball electric light company sell this company a plant for 800 candle power lights, and it is not what they represent, their redress is with the Ball company."

President Watts—"Mr. Williamson, has anything been done with the plant to bring it up to the requirements of the arbitrators?"

Mr. Williamson—"I don't know as I should answer that question."

Trustee Twombly—"We are wasting good time here. This thing has been in contention long enough. It should be settled now. I will vote to annul the contract. Let's have it settled."

The following resolution, offered by Trustee Wyckoff, was adopted, Trustee Twombly voting no:

Resolved, That the recommendation of the arbitrators to place two Amphire meters, or testers, in the engine house of the electric light company, be complied with, and that President Watts be a committee of one to attend to the matter.

Trustee Twombly—"We have but one Ampere meter. It will cost $60 or more to buy another. I shall never vote to pay for it. We don't want it."

In the matter of the assessment of church property for the Shelton avenue improvement, on motion of Trustee Wyckoff, Counselor Monfort was requested to give an opinion whether or not church property within the assessment district was liable to pay its share of the assessment.

The bill boards of Charles Wood, on the Duryea property on Fulton street, were reported to be in a dangerous condition.

A communication was received from President Hart, of the Long Island electric railway company, asking that their franchise be amended so as to permit them to use cobblestones instead of granite blocks; to put in a switch on Washington street; have a stand at the corner of Washington and Fulton streets, and lay a single track on New York avenue.

When the communication was read, Trustee Wyckoff said that he was an interested party, and could not act in the matter as a trustee. He was excused and left the room.

Trustee Downing—"It is my opinion that this railroad company have not acted in good faith with us."

Trustee Twombly moved that the communication be laid over until the next meeting, and it was so ordered.

—The Long Island Farmer, Jamaica, NY, Feb. 1, 1895, p. 1.