\ ~.
; Q If you want the best
goods for the least money
read the advertiser'nents
in thecaze‘tte. ' ' ..
Ven in
Q Recognized as, thgiig f
familyp'aper the Gazette's,
.Sadvprtising columns’wlll .
pg'oveits'value tolyou. \ i
u
,vOL.VII. NO. 1728. vNQBMTALK, CONN.,' TUESDAY EVENING, OCTOBER 26.1897. -‘ \PRICE ONE CENT.
. CHEAP ELECTRICLIGHTS!
\
Q .
HOW THE SOUTH HORWILK ELECTRIC lIOIIT OOHHIS-
.SIORERS MAKE OF THEIR REPORTS.
THEIR METHOD OF BOOKKEEPING EXPOSED
CHARGE UP THE EXPENSES OF THE PLANT TO LEGAL,
SEWER AND OTHER DEPARTMENTS AND THUS
CLAIM THE LIGHTS ARE CHEAP.
Ever since the city of South N orwalk
began to furnishits'own electric light, .
the Electric Light Commissioners have
been claiming that the city has been
getting electric light under municipal
ownership at about half the price it
costs private companies to produce the
same light. .
The GAZETTE has all along contend ed
that the tax payers were being fooled,
and that some day the small darkie
would expose himself from under the
woodpile.
The secret of those cheap lights is
out, and Mr. M. J. Francisco, an elec-
trical expert, exposes in the Electrical
World, the system of bookkeeping ..
adopted by the Electric Light Commis-
sioners as follows:
Is it beneficial to the taxpayers ? Is
‘there a valid reason for adopting it,
except for politicalipurposes ‘9 Is there
a- single plant that has saved money for
g the taxpayers, when all the facts are
shown ?
Advocates of municipal ownership
state that lights under this system cost
about half the priceucharged by private
companies, but they do not prove it, and
never have.
’claims, but another thing to sustain
evidence. It is claimed that the South
Norwalk, Conn., plant is an illustration
of what can be done under municipal
ownership. The question is whether
the reports sent out. regarding this
plant are sustained by the facts. There
are many reasons for believing that
they are made for the purpose of bol-
stering up the enterprise. February 28,
1893, the Lighting Commission report-
. ed that theyhad expended $22,452.97
of the $22,500 appropriated and had on
hand $48.03. They claimed that they
had not only installed the plant, but
had operated it to that date with the
money that the city had appropriated
for its installation, and in addition
they had on hand a stock of working
materials and supplies sufficient for
months. In this report they credit
themselves with paying $1040.50 for
labor; on October 12, 1893, they made
another 'report in which they state
i that the wages paid between October
13, 1892, and February 28, 1893, were
$895, notwithstanding that they, claimed
in their firstreport that they had paid
$1040.50 fOr this same period. In. the
second report is an item of $412.99 paid
an electric company and charged to
construction, but the inventory does
not show any new apparatus installed.
Why was it necessary to expend
$412. 99'for reconstruction in the station
after running only six months? Did
they not burn out an armature and
adopt the usual plan of charging, to
construction ? To reduce operating
expenses they deducted supplies on
hand. If they had used supplies during
the year in running the lights, what-
ever amount had been used during that
time should be added to the other ex-
penses, but the idea of deducting sup-
plies on hand which had not been
‘ 1 charged to that account, or used, in or-
der to make the cost of lights appear
less, is certainly an original one‘with
this committee. In the report of Feb-
ruary, 1893, they state that, the lamps
are 1600 cp, in one made October, 1893,
they say they are 1400 cp, ‘while the
G
It is easy to make such .
October, 1896, reports claim they are
1200 cp. Which of these reports is cor-
rect? In the 1896 report they claim
that there was unexpended at the start-
ing up of the plant $2500, while the
February, 1893, report says . they only
had $48.03 unexpended. If, as they
claimed, they only expended $1657.46
operating the plant, and had $2500 on
hand when they completed the installa-
tion, what was done with the balance
of $842.54.
A test made by an expert of their
boilers disclosed the-fact that only 37
percent. of the heat of the coal was
utilized, that is, they were, losing 63
per cent., of all the coal burned under
With their boilers giv-
ing an efficiency of only 37 per cent.,
they pretend that they can furnish
lights at about half the price it costs
private companies to produce the same
light. The chairman of the Lighting
Committee published a statement that
the cost of lights under municipal owli-
their boilers.
ership was 202 cents per night, while
the private company charged for 81
8004cp lamps, burned on moonlight
schedule, 22 cents per night. If burn-
ed as he says, 311 nights, at 22 cents
per lamp, for eighty one lights, the
By
reference to the City Clerk’s report
for that year we find that the total
amount paid out for lights to the pri-
vate company was $4903.72, being a lit-
tle over 19 cents per night if burned as
cost would be $5542.02 per year.
he claimed. Why in this comparison
did he suppress the fact that the pri-
vate company furnished the 800-cp
lamps from dusk until 1 A. M. during
twenty-six nights each month for four
and one-half months of the year, and
during the remaining ‘seven and one-
half months burned them from dusk
until 5 in the morning every night, -
giving about 80,000 hours of service
which he has not shown or credited to
the private company in this comparison4
—-a fair sample of the comparison us-
ually made by advocates of municipal
ownership. If he had given the facts
he would have shown by his own com-
parison that the price paid the private
company was less than it cost the city
to produce them in their own plant.
This committee state that lamps only
cost $58.96, including interest and de-
preciation. Upon an examination of
their business for the year 1896 we find
that the operating expenses were
' $4382.82
Interest at 4 per cent. 900.00
Depreciation at 8 per cent. ' 1800.00
Insurance 150.00
Taxes 150.00
Total $7382.83
being $74.57 per lamp for a 1200 cp
burning on moonlight schedule. In
the above calculation the following
items were not considered as partof
the cost oflights: $488.96, which they
added to their real estate after a year’s
use and without any increase in their
property; $359.56 increase in value of
tools in the same way; $414.24 for sta-
tion sewer, which was charged to the
sewer account of the city, instead of
lighting account, and the expense of a
cable under the river to replace one
supposed to have'been burned out and.
the cost of which was charged to ex-'
0,
tension of plant instead of repairs
Where it belonged. Neither does it
show the $842.54 which has disappeared
if their statement in the 1896 report is
correct or the costs and attorney’s fees
in the two suits of about $20,000, which
the city have upon their hands over
this electric light plant, and which
even if they should win both are mak-
ing and will continue to make, thous-
ands of dollars expense for the tax‘pay- '
ers. Charging the expenses up to
legal, sewer, and other departments
does not relieve the taxpayers. It
simply gives the committee an oppor-
tunity for claiming that the lights are
cheap.
—Photographi73 supplies at Riggs
Drug store. . 014 tf
er
EARLY MORNING FIRE.
Houseand Barn Burned, and Occupants
Have a Narrow Escape.
At 3 o’clock this morning Officer
Kennev discovered a bright light which
looked to him as ‘ though there was a
fire on the Green. He hurried up Mill
Hill to the C. O. C. Betts place where
he found the blaze was towards West-
port. _
The fire, however, was in Bridgeport
and destroyed the' house and barn of
James Tisdale, a half mile above the
jail. Tisdale with his wife and two
children occupied the barn. The house
was as yet unfinished and stood along-
. side of it.
Tisdale was awakened at 3 o’clock by
noises at the house and arose. He
found the new house enveloped in
flames. He ran to the nearest box and
rang in an alarm. The fire department
responded and laid 2,500 feet of hose,
but could not reach the blazing build-
ing. The barn where the family re:
sided caught from the flying sparks and
the strenuous efforts of the firemen and
neighbors were unavailing. Tisdale
got his wife and children out of the
building and a part of their effects, but
the greater part of his furniture and
clothing was burned. The loss is esti-
mated at something like $3,000; par:
tially insured,
Several persons who have been em-
ployed on the building have not been
paid and there is a well refined rumor
that threats to set fire to the buildings
have been made. '
BURGLARS AT GREEN WICH.
They Enter the House of the Misses Mead
on Elm Street.
Burglar-s. have again appeared in
Greenwich, and as a consequence the
citizens there have begun an era 0
watchfulness. ‘ ' I
These intruders pay their respects to
the residents of the village every year
and generally during the still hours of
night, but on Saturday the home of
the Misses Mead on East Elm street
was visited, and it is thought that the
intruders got in their work there while
the family were at breakfast.
When one of the ladies
went up-
stairs during the day 'she found the
'rooms in disorder
ladder reaching from the ground to a
rear window. A glance about cons
and discovered a
vinced her that burglars had been
there, but a hurried' investigation did
not reveal any great loss, some small
articles being taken. It is thought
that the thieves were frightened off
before they had secured much bOoty.
———,——fi<0.0>———
Pollte Manners and no Cash.
Word has been sent out from VVater-
‘bury warning hotel keepers to be .on
the lookout for a tea drummer who
travels under the name of Wright, and
who has been traveling through this
state for some time without anything
particular in view other than Working
hotels and. livery-stable keepers. The
fellow has succeeded in getting his
board free at, several hotels in the
vicinity of Waterbury, and besides has
helped himself to the teams that livery
stables afforded. He is described as a
smooth-spoken chap, with iron nerve
and a good supply of polite manners.
- Hr. Ferris Declines.
'The Rev. David Lincoln Ferris, has
declined a call to the rectorship of St.
Luke’s Memorial church, Utica, N. Y.,
and will remain at St. John’s, Stam;
ford. Since it became known that
there was a possibility that Mr. Ferris
might leave Stamford, his many friends
and parishioners have been successful
in inducing him to remain there.
. Iii-coma .
Harry Gage "succeeds William H.
Hamilton at the W. M Terry & 'Co. '
beef house. Hamiltgn, has goneweast,
forafew days. * ' --'
{DENIES Till; CHARGE.
w. r. Benedict Cited to Ap-
pear in the Town Court.
Since their Separation.
0
W. F. Benedict was yesterday after-
noon cited to appear before the. Town
Court thisAmorning on the charge of
non-support.
A few months since it is alleged, Mr.
Benedict and his wife agreed to dis-
agree, and separated, she going with
her child to the heme of her parents,
Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Allen at Bull
Run, so called. .
Previous to the separation, however,
they both visited a lawyer, who drew
up an agreement which was duly signed
by both expressing the voluntary separ-
ation on the part of both, but with the,
proviso attached that Mr. Benedict was
to contribute the sum of $4 per week
towards the: support of his wife and
child. I
, This contract Mr. Benedict claims
he has faithfully fulfilled by mailing to
his wife every week, the sum specified.
For some reason, either through neg-
ligence or carelessness on her part,
Mrs. Benedict failed to receive one of
the letters, which was later located at
the post-office by her husband.
,_;;Why the present suit is brought is a
pfi’zzler, but the matter will probably
be fully explained in the court to-day.
‘Mr. Benedict emphatically denies
that he has failed to live up to the
agreement between himself and wife.
.‘A‘
PERSENEnorEs.
Miss Rita Tandy of Brooklyn, is visit-
ing Mr. and Mrs. Daniel Dunlop.
Mr. and Mrs. Elisha Comstock of
Buffalo, are stopping with the Misses
Benedict of West avenue. -
Miss Clara Smith of Quintard ave-
nue is visiting in New York. ' .
Miss Edith Eggleston of Simsbury,
~Mass, is visiting Joseph Dunning of
South N orwalk. 7
Mr. and Mrs. ‘William Tice of Willi-
mantic are stopping at the Mahackemo.
Miss Lida Farrell of Elwood place,
South Norwalk is a guest of Bristol
friends. * ’
Charles R. Helmer has been visiting
friends in town.
Felix Simons of New York has been
visiting South Norwalk friends.
Miss Lavina M. Scoville and Harry
of Mrs. Frances Scoville, of 'Elmwood
avenue.
R. Manning Decker of New York has
been stopping with his mother, Mrs. J.
A. Decker, for a few days.
Mrs. Daniel Gilman of New York,
who has been visiting at GeneralFrost’s
has returned home.
Miss Whitlock the bright lady re-
porter of the Sentinel hasjust returned
from a week’s vacation, and is again
print. . .
Mr. and Mrs. W. C.. Baur have re-
turned home from their wedding tour.
Mrs. Ray and daughter of Middle-
town,.were in town yesterday.
, M. G. Cohen of Pittsburg, A. H.
Bromley of New York, Edwin S. Ross
of Boston, P..B. Stratton of Trenton
and W. C. Folant of. Newark, were in
town yesterday. . .
Mr. and Mrs. George W. Selleck of
Merwin street, left yesterday for Ca-
naan from where they will take a team
and enjoy a short vacation driving
through the Berkshires.
AAA
Town‘CourtWOrde‘r.
Mr. Frederick A. Hill, clerk of the
Town Court, has by order bf Judge
Frost promulgated the following order,
which mayhap will be nettles to some:
The following rule is made and es-
tablished by this court; -
The attorneys bills for fees collecti-
ble by the clerk must be paid during
the same month, at which they become
due, and all bills for such fees now due
must be paid on or before the 1st day
of December, 1897. No attorney who
V shall' neglect the payment of his clerk’s
bill, as aforesaid, will be permitted to
enter his name on the-docket, or appear
as an attorney or counsellor for any
arty at a subsequent time until such
bills shall be paid.
‘ FREDERICK A. HILL.
Clerk Town Court.
A A
‘vv
Evening Schools.
The evening schools will open next
Monday night at 7:30 o’clock in the
the Over River school building, Nor-
walk, and at the.Franklin street school
building in South Norwalk, and will
be in Session four evenings each week.
As will be seen by an adv. in another
column, sufficient opportunity will be
' given for registration. ’ 7 .
Has Faithfully Paid His Wife $4 per Week '-
Young of New'York have been guests
hustling after bits of information for
SENT HIMROSSES.
A: Saugatuck Barber’s Love
Letters Fall Into Wife’s
"Hands.
ANon-Support Casi: Which Brought Out
Some interesting Evidence.
.5
Charles Leppert, a well known bar-
ber, who recently moved from Sauga-
tuck to Danbury, was on trial in the
Danbury city court yesterday on com-
plaint of his wife who asked the court
to compel Leppert to support herself
and her child. '
Mrs. Leppert told the court of the
various family troubles which led to her
separation from her husband and there
was introduced in evidence a. letter
which caused a part of the domestic
unhappiness. Mr. Leppert went away
for a week’s trip a short time ago and
while he was away his employer handed
to Mrs. Leppert a letter addressed to
her husband. It was apparently from
a woman and M~rs.,Leppert opened it. .
The writer asked Leppert to meet
her at the East N orwalk railroad sta-
tion on a certain evening and concluded
with five crosses beneath which was
written "these are for you and I will
give you more when I see you.”
The crosses were innocent looking
things but when Prosecuting Attorney
Booth reached that portion of the let-
ter the defendant blushed perceptibl y
and the audience smiled.
Judge Scott continued the case for
two weeks in order to give Leppert a
chance td take care of his family.
EAST NORWALK.
Work is now in progress on the pro-
posed new house for Ernest Morgan on
Prospect street. David M. Finch has
the contract for the mason work. ‘
A foot-and-inch supper will be given
by the young ladies of'the Methodist
church, to-morrow evening, in the
church parlors. The affair is to be
similar to that which was held in the
Norwalk Methodist church, one even-
_ing early in the summer, the only dif-
ference being that it is in charge of the
ladies instead of the gentlemen. We
hope they will make as great a success
of it; they certainly cannot make it
more enjoyable. The Twin City Man-
dolin club will furnish the music.
A horse belonging to “Al” Hafner
pslippedandfell on the Washington
street bridge early this morning wreck-
ing the harness and breaking one of
the shafts of the buggy to which he
was hitched.
The Epworth League prayer meet-
ing was led last evening by Frank
Merriam with a large attendance. ‘
Edward Godfrey of East avenue has
been ill.
The official board of the M. E.church
met last, night.
George Britton of Maple avenue, has
purchased another lot ajoining his
present property. '
Thomas Keogh has resumed his
duties after a short illness.
Hiram J. Lawrence and family, have
moved from Henry street to Franklin
avenue Norwalk.
The marriage of George H. Hirst
and Miss Eva, the daughter of Chester
Hunt of Cove street, has just been an-
nounced. The young couple have been
married several months but the news
has been a surprise to their friends.
To Work the Third.
St. John’s Lodge, N o. 6, A. F. and
A. M. will on Thursday evening, Nov.
4th, confer the third degree.
pected that several of the grand lodge
officers and Masters and associate offi-
cers from lodges in ”Bridgeport, Strat-
ford, Westport, South Norwalk, New
Canaan, Stamford and Greenwich will
be present. ‘
New CANAAN.
Horace Fischer cf East Norwalk has
severed his connection at‘x‘the Fancher
& Co. shoe manufactory and secured a
similiar situation. that of edge . cutter,
at Benedict & Co’s. '
Business is rushing at Fancher &
Co’s. shoe manufactory, and some of
the employees are working until 8
o’clock in the evening, in order to keep
pace with the orders.
‘ V .
Went to New Canaan. °
The lucky ticket which captured the
last barrel of flour, on October 16th, at
the Boston Store, Norwalk, was held ,
by Mrs.’ Stanley Ogden of New Canaan.
.‘
trio to face the judge, and notwith-
standing he declaimed in a manner
worthy of a free silver Bryanite. he Was
found guilty of intoxication and breach
of the peace and' sent over the road for
60 days. V .
It is ex- _
day.
In THE Towu'coum.
Three Prisoners Brought Before Judge
Gregory This Morning.
When the town court opened this
morning three prisoners graced the.
bench, but not one of them appeared at
all anxious to make Judge Gregory’s-
acquaintance. _ .
James McCann was the first of the
.Michael Riley, of Salem, ‘Mass., ifol- I,
lowed and pleaded guilty of intoxica-
tion.
costs.
He received a sentence of $5 and
William Hamilton, better known as,
“Hambone,” was the last of the trio
and fared' the worst,
charged with assaulting his wife, Belle.
He pleaded guilty to slapping her face
and being the second offense, Judge,
Gregory fined him $15 and costs be-
sides throwing in a lecturer which will
probably be heeded by the pugnacious
William. ‘
“Ham” was
A-‘ -{
m sz'ru'ouo.
At Least That Seems to be the Case at
~ Present. .
No award for the building of the pro-
posed arch on the south side of Wall,
street bridge has yet been awarded.
It was understood yesterday that such
award would be made this morning,
and that the bidof P. W. Bates would
be accepted.
Messrs. Cain & Kinnear who it is
said were interested with Mr.. Bates in
the original bid action upon Which has
been long delayed, now refuse to have
anything to do with the matter, and
to all appearances the arch will not be
constructed this year, if indeed it is
commenced.
Mr. Kinnear told a reporter this
morning that he expected to have his
contract of brick laying completed
within a short time, perhaps by to-
morrow; " .
D'-
And the work on the arch remains
in statu quo.
‘
‘v'
HER conom'ou Invrnovso.
Dr. s. H. Huntington Reports Miss Kin-
sella’s Condition as Being Better.
The condition of Miss Jennie Kin~
sella, the young lady who was terribly
burned by vitriol throwu at her by Owen
Murphy, remains about the same.
attending physician, Dr. S. H. Hunt-
ington, says that she is more. comfort-
able and has a chance of recovery.
The_'
FRATERNAL NEWS.
Secretaries of fraternal, or secret so-
cieties are invited to send to the ‘.
GAZETTE, the elections of officers and
other news pertaining to their lodges
to be printed in this rolumn. The
names of. officers should be brought in
on the evening of their .election and
all other news with equal promptnoss. .
The supreme officers of the Anceint .
Order of Heptasophs were the guests
of the South Norwalk order last night
and were splendidly entertained.-
The Daughters of the King will meet
at the Berkeley street chapel this evenv
ing. .
The cobweb social of the D. of L.
which was to have been held at the
residence of Mrs. J amesH. Lincoln, on
Summer street, this evening, has been
postponed on account of Mrs, Lincoln’s
illness. '
A -‘
‘vr
The Weather. .
Probably fair to-night and Wednes
Emma Gertrude Kaesmann,
daughter of Stephen and Katie Kae‘ss
mann, aged 1 months and 27 days.
Levi K.~Wildman, aged 81 years. .
DEATHS.‘ ..
BIGHAM-—In Danbury, Oct. 25, Mrs.
Annie Bigham, aged 48 years.
DOLAN—ImBridgeport, Oct. 23, Peter .
Dolan, aged 40 years.
FRITH.—In Bridgeport, Oct. 24, Sam-
uel Frith, aged 50 years and 8 months. _
HALLOCK—In Stamford, Oct. 25,
William H. H. Hallock, aged 81 years.
KAESMANN—In Bridgeport, Oct. 24,
- infant
LYCETT.—In Norwalk, October 25th,
1897, 'Mary, widow of the' late John
Lycett, in the seventy-sixth year of
her age. '
Funeral on Wednesday, October 27th,
at 2 o’clock p. m. from the First Bap-
tist church, this city.
RYBURN—In Bridgeport, Oct. 23,
Ellen, infant daughter of James F. Ry-
fburn, aged 2 years. -
»'WILDMAN.——In Danbury, Oct. 22
) O
.1 '
Norwalk Chronicler