Town Warrant on Electric Lighting-This Day in Norwood History-October 27, 1891

At the town meeting Tuesday, Oct. 27, 1891, the following article appeared in the warrant, “To see what action the town will take in regard to electric lighting. A committee was appointed to investigate the matter and report at some future meeting. The committee consisted of Francis Doane, Irving S. Fogg, James M. Folan, William C. Fisher, George B. Taylor. At the town meeting on April 19, 1892, the committee presented the following report which was placed on file.

We have made an investigation into this subject and find that a complete Arc plant for street lighting, including land, buildings, engines, boilers, dynamos, etc., can be installed for from $17,000 to $22,000. For a complete Incandescent plant for street lighting, from $16,000 to $20,000. For a complete Arc plant for street lighting, and a plant for power and house lighting, from $25,000 to $30,000, according to the size of the plant.

COST OF OPERATING ARC SYSTEM STREET LIGHTS.

COST OF OPERATING ARC SYSTEM AND INCANDESCENT SYSTEM FOR HOUSE LIGHTING

Let us consider the income derived from such a plant. The capacity would be 750 lights, and the class of lighting we find in Norwood is such ! that twice that number could be connected with the main wires. The income from 750 lights would be upwards of $7,000 per annum, selling the current by meter at one cent per hour for 16 c. p. lamps. Many citizens are anxious to know whether the town will furnish lights for commercial purposes. This is a question every citizen should carefully consider. Commercial lighting being an unknown quality, your committee believes that everyone will give this feature its due consideration before establishing a plant for street lighting. One fixture in each house and store in town, paid for at the rate of percent per hour, would pay the whole expense of running the plant.

The statute provides that individual consumers shall not be charged less than cost, nor more than is sufficient to pay a profit of 8 percent above the cost of operation. The statute also provides for a sinking fund for the maturing of bonds issued for payment of an Electric Light plant, and further provides that there shall be added to such a sinking fund enough to retire the entire indebtedness created in thirty years; the amount for sinking fund to be in addition to the annual expenses of the town.

We are not prepared to recommend any particular location for a station, but can secure several at reasonable prices.

The committee makes the following recommendation:—

That the town establish an Electric Light Plant, and raise and appropriate 330,000 to build and equip the same, with 7-1 six ampere twelve hundred candle power nominal Arc lights, and in connection furnish a 750 light plant for house lighting, and that the town sell for commercial purposes any surplus Arc and Incandescent lighting it may have.

We are of the opinion that Norwood must soon be lighted by electricity and that it can be done by the town at a much lower price than by a private corporation.

We also recommend that a committee of five be appointed with full power to carry out the recommendation and that the town authorize them to set poles and string wires in the streets and do all other acts necessary in the premises.

That the town treasurer be authorized, with the approval of the selectmen, to borrow for the purpose the sum of $30,000 is as follows:

$2,000 for 1st year, and so on for the fifteen successive years, and to issue notes or bonds of the town therefor, and that sufficient money be raised each year by taxation to pay the sum until the indebtedness is canceled.

Signed by the Committee,

Francis Doane.
Irving S. Fogg.
James M. Folan.
William C. Fisher.
Geo. B. Talbot.