The Evening Tribune August, 1891

   Location of new electric street lights. Not shown is one light just north of the bridge across South channel on Seventh st.

   We are informed by the gentlemen who are to build the Electric Light and Power Plant in the city that they are now in position to push the work with rapidity and if nothing unforeseen shall happen they will be able to light the streets of our city before Oct. 1st. The gentlemen speaking said in explanation of delay : "When we arrived last week with our attorney we found that owing to recent laws passed by your legislature, it had become necessary to re-enact the ordinance, putting in such form as to comply with the letters of the new law. We found the city officials very courteous and indulgent and after the matter was explained to him, Mayor Cutler immediately called a special meeting of the Council for last evening." At this meeting the ordinance was unanimously passed and location of lights fixed."

   "When in Boston more than three weeks ago, our Mr. Rich purchased a fine Corliss engine of 180 horse power, boilers, dynamos and other such machinery as is necessary for a first class plant. All this machinery will now come forward at once and we shall be ready to place it in position as soon as it arrives. You can assure your readers that there is no finer plant in Michigan than Grand Haven will have.

   In regard to the electric railroad, our informant said : "Its success depends much upon the interest shown by the citizens in the light, summer, but we could hardly afford to keep our engine running during the remaining eight or nine months for the sole purpose of running street cars. If, however, we can contract to furnish sufficient power to warrant us in keeping the machinery running during the day we shall certainly build and equip a first class electric street railroad in your city."

8/17

   The citizens of Grand Haven will endorse the mayor and common council in their action in regard to electricity.

   The City council think it advisable to submit the question of electric lights to the property holding tax payers at their meeting tomorrow evening and will probably call a special election for that purpose, as provided for in Section 11 of the City Charter.

   In an interview with a gentleman connected with the Electric construction Co., we gather the following information:

   The company do not intend to charge more than 76 cents per month for 16 candle power incandescent lights in stores and business places, where three or more are needed and where a large number are taken the price will be proportionately less. For residences and churches the price will be governed by the number of lights taken and probable number of hours they are to burn. For instance a light for a sleeping room which is lighted only a short time in the evening will not cost as much as one in a parlor that is lighted all evening.

   The Company are in hopes to be able to furnish 1000 candle power arc lights in business places where they are not burned later than midnight, for one dollar per week. From our knowledge of such things we believe these prices are very reasonable and will put the light within the reach of any of our citizens who may wish to use it.

   Ground for the location of the Electric Light Plant was broken yesterday.

    The Electric Light Company are laying the foundation for their building.

   Work on the Grand Haven Electric Light & Power Co.’s plant is progressing finely. About 17 men are employed on the grounds.

   It is hoped that our tax paying citizens will show their appreciation of city electric lighting by a generous turnout to the meeting called for Tuesday afternoon, 25th inst.

8/24

   If you are in favor of electric lights do not fail to be on hand at the opera house tomorrow afternoon at 2 o’clock sharp, to vote "yes."

   While the electric light people say very little, if anything about the electric street railroad, a visit to their lot, corner of Clinton and Water streets, discloses the fact that they are putting in machinery of sufficient power to run the road, and are also erecting a building for the storing of cars. All this looks as though they really intend to build the road. We hope they will.

   The electric light meeting of five or six hundred of the representative tax paying citizens of the city at the Opera House this 2 p.m. was not only unanimously in favor of electric lighting. but enthusiastically so.

   We say unanimous, there were two dissenting votes, or rather one and a half as the second man who started to say "no" changed his mind when about half through and ended in an inglorious squeak. There was never any doubt as to the out-come of this meeting, but the form of having one has been gone through with, and the coast made clear for another notable public progression.

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