Weekly Commercial Herald

The Electric Lights.

A. C. H. reporter had the honor at six o'clock last evening of touching off the electric flow which ignited the carbons in the electric lamps in the commercial circuit of the city for the first time. The light is a steady bright one, and is in every respect just what it was represented by Capt. Mattingly to be. Mr. Bates, the electrician, sent here by the Thompson-Houston Company to start the works, announced in the first of the week that he would turn on the lights last evening and promptly at a quarter to six he telephoned for the C. H. reporter, announced that he was ready and asked the reporter to make the connection which sent the fluid instantaneously throughout the circuit, upon which are located thirty-five lamps. A trip throughout the circuit was made by the reporter and he found each of the subscribers well pleased and the stores filled with admiring spectators. The following houses on Washington street have lights: Weimar's barber shop, Washington Hotel, Baer & Bro. dry goods store, F. M. McRae's drug store, Bloomenstiel's confectionary, Rae & Jackson's "Fair" nickle store, Switzer, Newwitter & Co's dry goods store (three lights), Hibou & Feiser's saloon, Woodbine saloon, W. B. Sword's "Mikado" confectionery, Wachenheim & Herman's saloon, Clarke & Co's book store, A. G. Tillman's book store, Rubman's cigar store, Peter Guscio's saloon, Joseph Fox's dry goods store, First National Bank; St. Charles saloon and C. C. Reynolds & Co's. drugstore. The most attractive place on the circuit was Messrs. Switzer, Newwitter & Co's. drygoods store, which was brilliantly lighted and with the advantageous display of goods, presented a grand spectacle. Messrs. Baer & Bro. were so well pleased with their light that they ordered four more lights to be placed in their store.

The city circuit will be connected as soon as the poles can be erected, many of them are now in place and the others will be ready in a few days. There is one point in this connection which it will not be amiss to refer to. It is apparent to our citizens that twenty lights will not suffice to light the city and public sentiment favors the placing of additional lights at advantageous points where they will do most good. The council should do this now before the circuit is closed, as it will save Mr. Bates and Capt. Mattingly much trouble.