It has been my good fortune to serve as one of the Electric Light Commissioners for a Municipal Lighting Plant for the last eight years and watch its growth.
Eight years ago the street lighting system consisted of 250 arc lamps of the enclosed type, which lighted the town very poorly, due, no doubt, to the inefficiency of the arc lamp, and the large number of trees along the streets.
Today the town is lighted by 1500 WESTINGHOUSE Street Series Lamps, ranging in candlepower from 80-600, and the town is considered to be one of the best lighted in the East.
The new street lighting was brought about by cooperating with the citizens. Each customer was notified by a printed circular that the Electric Light Department was ready to discuss with the citizens the advisability of installing new street light. This circular was usually sent out two months before the annual town meeting and gave the citizens ample time to put their proposition before the Department, and get it listed in the town warrant.
For the last three years it has been very gratifying to the Department in not having a single request for new street light.
This same town formerly held a $300.00 lamp contract which has grown to $2500.00, and is a real booster for WESTINGHOUSE Street Series Lamps, which cannot be beaten when it comes to light and service.