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William D. Williams, William J. Bailey.

Williams & Bailey,
Counsellors and Attorneys at Law,
Bell Building,
Fort Worth, Texas

Dec., 21st, 1899.

To the Hon. Mayor and City Council,
Fort Worth, Texas.

Gentlemen:-

At your regular meeting Nov. 3rd 1899, you by resolution in-
structed the City Attorney to investigate the matter of lighting city
streets by the electrical companies occupying the same and the right of
the city to require by law said companies to furnish the lighting of the
streets they occupy free of charge to the city.

The resolution evidently contemplates that the lighting of streets
done by the companies named therein shall be in compensation for the use
made by said companies of the streets occupied by them and that the in-
inquiry is directed to the legal right of the city to demand and compel
such compensation.

Upon investigation I find electrical companies of many different
kinds are using the city streets or parts thereof under rights vested in
them by ordinances of the City Council. As a general rule such ordinances
were passed many years ago when the city struggling form obscurity felt
the need of such enterprises as were proposed by these companies. It
naturally follows that the ordinances are liberal and calculated in en-
courage and promote the investment of money by such companies in a way
which it was believed would not only serve the public but add to the grow-
th of the city.

The granting ordinances differ widely in their terms but with only