Proposition to place lamp posts at the corners of our principal streets will be introduced at the next meeting of the council. This, a much-needed improvement, would give our city a fine appearance. A committee has the matter in hand.
Southern Oregon Transcript, Medford, March 13, 1888, page 3


    Ed. Worman, our enterprising liveryman, is always making improvements. He has ornamented his premises with a neat street lamp.
"Medford Squibs," Democratic Times, Jacksonville, October 25, 1888, page 3


    It is proposed [by the Westinghouse Electrical Company] to light both towns at figures little if any in excess of the present coal-oil lamp system.
"In the Swim at Last," Democratic Times, Jacksonville, September 26, 1889, page 3


    The new street lamps at Adkins & Webb's corner and in front of the express office aid materially in lighting the town these dark nights.
"Medford Squibs," Democratic Times, Jacksonville, December 19, 1889, page 3


    It is certainly just that the city streets should be well lighted during the winter season, especially, and nothing gives a stranger a more unfavorable impression of a town at any time than to view it brooding in gloom and darkness, while other places in the vicinity are ablaze with light. Let there be light!
"Medford Squibs," Democratic Times, Jacksonville, November 6, 1891, page 2


    Bright moonlight nights are the order now, but what will the harvest be when the moon is on the wane and the inky blackness of the night is intensified by the sickly glare of our street lamps. Give us light.
"Local News," Medford Mail, January 14, 1892, page 3


"The Town Talker," Southern Oregon Mail, January 27, 1893, page 3


    "The moon makes a good light for our town after old Sol has retired for the night," said one of our citizens to another on the street last night. "Yes," said the other, "but the moon is unreliable--she goes out sometimes. We are going to have an electric light system and then the moon won't be in it."
"The Town Talker," Medford Mail, February 24, 1893, page 3


    Medford people, these cloudy nights, are in about the same fix Moses was when his candle went out. However, we have that promise of electric lights inside of f[illegible--four or five] months.
"All the Local News," Medford Mail, October 6, 1893, page 3


    There will be no street lights for a few weeks. Mr. Proudfoot's contract with the city expired last night, and a new one will not be made at present. The board has under consideration a plan for harnessing up some one of the streams in the adjoining mountains and transmitting power to the city by wire. Should this project seem feasible an electric light plant will undoubtedly be put in by the city and the power for running it and the pumping plant secured as above stated.
"City Happenings," Medford Mail, February 16, 1900, page 7


    The city council has contracted with R. A. Proudfoot to supply the town with street lights for a few weeks until an electric light plant can be purchased. The council has under consideration two sources of power both on Rogue River, one near Tolo and the other near the Bybee Bridge.
"Medford Squibs," Democratic Times, Jacksonville, March 5, 1900, page 3


    "The work of replacing the old electric light poles with new ones and preparing for the change from five arc lights to fifty incandescent lights is progressing rapidly and will soon be finished. The change promises to be a very desirable improvement and satisfactory to all."--Klamath Falls Republican. Report says the Medford city council is contemplating a change in its street light system from incandescent to arc lights. If this be true it might be well for them to communicate with officials in Klamath Falls and ascertain why the change from arc to incandescent lights is being made there. The same conditions might exist here, and we might be able to profit by their experience. The Mail is of the opinion that more satisfactory results to a greater number of people would come from incandescent than arc lights. If the same amount of power necessary to operate the required number of arc lights was used to supply incandescent lights, and these placed at the dark street corners of the town, there would be more people benefited and there would be fewer expressions of dissatisfaction. The lone 16-candlepower light at the intersection of C and Sixth Street lights the sidewalks each way for two blocks, and there is a boom to travelers in that direction on dark nights. A few more of them on other streets, back from Seventh and C, would be of material benefit to a great many people.
"City Happenings," Medford Mail, November 30, 1900, page 7


    The city council has caused the street lights on Seventh and C streets to be taken down, and electrician Gurnea has newly painted and enameled them and they are now being put up again in various parts of the city. There were forty in number formerly in use, but only twenty will be re-established, but they will be so located about the city as to be of greater service to the people than formerly were the whole forty. It is the intention to establish the new lights at street corners in some of the more remote resident portions of the city, as well as placing a sufficient number for all practical needs on the principal streets. This is a good move, and the council is entitled to credit for the proposed improvement.
"City Happenings," Medford Mail, November 1, 1901, page 7


    Sunday night the street lights were turned on for the first time this fall, and parties living on C Street from Fourth Street on the north to Twelfth on the south, and those living on Seventh as far out as the school house, could get home without the danger of breaking their necks in the darkness.
"City Happenings," Medford Mail, December 6, 1901, page 9




    Mail Office Devil:--"'Say, I'm goin' to be good, from this on. I was a-chasin' around over at the S.P. depot the other night, when the train came in late, and I tell you it was fierce. I turned the corner of the depot just as No. 16 pulled in, and honest, it was as dark as a stack of black cats. Yes, the lights wuz a-burnin', but, shucks, two little lamps ain't goin' to light that platform, especially when there's a whole lot o' people buttin' around on it. I got in a mixup. There wuz me an' some other fellers in a bunch, and one feller he wuz comin' down one side with the wagon, and another feller, he wuz a-rattlin' along on the other side with a truckload of drummer's trunks 'steen feet high. Besides that der wuz brakies a-flashin' der lanterns around an' fellers a-gittin' off de train, an' all in darkness. If it had been daylight it wouldn't been so bad, but a feller couldn't see which way to go. I got out [of] the wreck finally, but the first ting I did was to butt into a 250-pound drummer, who was carryin' a big grip. That grip struck me 'bout midships, and, say I wuz paralyzed for a minute. I thought that merchant what made de spiel here a week or so ago 'bout the Southern Pacific not a-lightin' its depot was a-talkin' through his millinery, but now I know he wuz dead right. This yer man's town ships more freight dan a whole lots of places what looks bigger on de map an' de census reports, and Mister Harriman could light that depot wid 'lectricity for what he pays for oil to fill lamps, that, when dey is burnin' good, a feller has to strike a match to help 'em out, so's he can see what time it is."
"Street Echoes," Medford Mail, December 4, 1903, page 1


    Dr. Pickel was mayor [1904-05] in the days when we drank Bear Creek "liquid." It was generally liquid. In those days if we wished to leave our homes at night we equipped ourselves with rubber boots, procured a lantern, and with fear and trembling sallied forth into utter blackness. If we reached our destination without stepping on the end of a board whose other end was not nailed down we felt that we were under the protection of a special providence.
Minnie (Mrs. Harry C.) Stoddard, "Medford's Hall of Fame," Medford Mail Tribune, December 18, 1912, page 4


    The citizens of Medford have been waiting patiently for many months for street lights, and still we have them not. The streets are dark as the proverbial "stack of black cats" after nightfall, after you get away from the main business portion of the town, and the impression on strangers coming in on any of the night trains is not a favorable one to say the least. The dozen arc lights talked of a few months ago would be too expensive, but we could stand three or four of them. We should also have several incandescent lights.
"City Happenings," Medford Mail, March 31, 1905, page 5


    Many inquiries are being made as to when the street lights are going to be put in. The Mail has learned this week that the material necessary for installing the system is now here, and just as soon as the force of workmen employed by the city can possibly find time to pick up the installation work they will get at it. If the force employed by the city is inadequate to meet the demands more help should be secured and this work of putting in the street lights pushed to an early completion. A dark night on the streets in dry weather is pretty bad, but when we get our dark rainy nights, which we will soon have, travelers by night will experience no little inconvenience. With these conditions ahead of us it would seem that an extra effort should be put forth to get those lights to doing business.
"City Happenings," Medford Mail, September 15, 1905, page 5


    A Citizen:--"Strikes me that it wouldn't be a bad idea for those street lights to be lighted in the morning from 5 o'clock to 6:30. There are quite a number of people whose business requires them to come down, or up, town--as the case may be--at that time in the morning, and at this time of year it is frequently as dark as the proverbial stack of black cats. I am not kicking very hard, for I know that the city council has 'troubles of its own,' but we can't disguise the fact that the street lights are entirely inadequate, and strangers notice and complain of the situation quite frequently. In everything else this city is equal to any city of its size in Oregon, but the street lights are a farce, to say the least. A man ought to carry an accident policy when he traverses the streets of Medford after dark, or before daylight."
"Street Echoes," Medford Mail, December 8, 1905, page 1


Medford Mail, December 29, 1909, page 1


    "All same Portland"--this will be the comment when Weeks & McGowan Co. get their new five-cluster electric light stands erected in front of the store on West Main Street. A visitor to Portland is struck with the beautiful effect of the five-cluster light stands erected on the edge of the walks in front of the stores and on both sides of the principal streets. Weeks & McGowan have decided to place the same kind in front of their store, and in a day or two one store in Medford will have the same effect as is produced in the largest city of the state.
    Nothing like keeping abreast of the times. Medford stores show as fine goods as can be seen in the cities--Medford merchants have as fine windows as those found in any city--Medford merchants advertise equal to most cities twice the size, and now the latest lighting innovation has been installed. Medford merchants will not be outdone.
Medford Mail Tribune, August 10, 1910, page 5


Medford Sun, December 23, 1910, page 1


    The new cluster lights are being installed along the walk to the depot, six in number, and when they are finished it will be a great improvement to the appearance of the town.
"In Medford's Social Realm," Medford Mail Tribune, December 25, 1910, page B1






Excerpt, Medford Mail Tribune, January 9, 1911, page 1


Medford Sun, February 19, 1911, page 1


"Cluster Lights Soon To Shine," Medford Sun, February 22, 1911, page 1   The lights installed had three lights to a cluster instead of five.



Medford Sun, March 11, 1911, page 1






    "During the month of November, 1915," says the report [of the city electrical inspector], "a new street lighting contract was entered into by the city and the California-Oregon Power Company whereby the present arc-lighting system will be discontinued and replaced by the more modern series Mazda system, using type 'C' nitrogen lamps of 200 and 400 candlepower, the city to make all replacements and renewals of burned-out lamps. Beginning with December 1, 1915, this department assumed the task of making the renewals and replacements on the cluster lighting system and upon the completion of the series Mazda system will attend to replacements and renewals thereon."
"New Buildings in Medford 1915 Totaled $146,415," Medford Mail Tribune, March 8, 1916, page 4


    Previous to December 1, 1915, the street lighting system of the city of Medford was under the control and maintenance of the local power company supplying service in this territory. At that time the system consisted of 117 arc lamps, 90 of which were of the 4-ampere, series, magnetite type, and 27 110-volt, 6-ampere, multiple arcs, at a flat rate of $6 per arc per month; 7 250-watt Mazda lamps (overhead) at $4 each per month; 32 32-C.P. carbon lights (overhead) at $2 each per month; an ornamental cluster lighting system consisting of 69 posts carrying 3 40-watt lamps and 14 posts carrying 5 40-watt lamps, for which we paid $138.60 monthly.
    The terms of the contract provided that the city should be allowed a certain number of free lights based on each 9,000 of population: 23 arc lamps at $6 per month and 67 32-C.P. lamps at $2 per month, amounting to a total discount of $272 per month. The contract also provided that each arc should be of 2,000 C.P., unfortunately not stating whether that rating was the actual or the commercial rating of the lamp.
    Controversy frequently arose between the municipality and the utility over the number of free lights to be allowed, based on such a variable as population, and from time to time some alderman, desirous of showing his constituents that he was "on the job," would discover that the contract called for arcs of 2,000 C.P. each, and upon learning that that output was not being delivered, would proceed to protest payment of the bill. Many complaints came in because of lamp outages, due to the lamp mechanism sticking and the resultant failure of the lamp to burn. Then there was the ever-present objection that the amount charged was exorbitant and out of all proportion to the service rendered, all of which finally resulted in the writer's consulting with the utility officials and engineers on behalf of the city, in an effort to find means of overcoming such frequent objections.
    It was finally decided to substitute for the arc lamps, with their attendant high maintenance charges such as rectifier tubes, carbons, trimming, cleaning, etc., the new high-efficiency type "C," or nitrogen Mazda, lamps on series circuit. It was determined that the largest unit used should be the 400-C.P., 6.6-ampere, street-series lamp, and the smallest unit, to be installed over less important street intersections and between larger units, should be the l00-C.P. lamp. The 400-C. P. lamp, equipped with radial wave reflector, compares very favorably with the luminous arc lamp, giving approximately the same mean hemispherical candlepower at the same angle below the horizontal as the luminous magnetite arc. The Mazda lamp has the further great advantage of steady light without the accumulation of dust and slag which occurs in the arc lamp with its attendant decrease of effective candlepower.
    Accordingly, all arc lamps and carbon incandescent lamps were replaced with the new type "C," 6.6-amp series Mazda lamps with header equipment as shown in Fig. I. The only change made in line equipment was the removal of the arc lamp header and the substitution of the new header in its place on the messenger cable. The cable reels on the poles were removed and sold, and the lamp cable was held in place by means of a rope snap in a screw-eye in the pole about six feet above the ground. The only change made in substation control equipment was removing the series, mercury-arc rectifiers entirely and replacing the 4-ampere coils in the constant-current transformers with coils wound for 6.6 amperes. No other work was required. Fig. 2 shows the control panel with ammeters, pilot lamps and primary and secondary circuit plugs, and directly back of the panel are located the constant-current transformers. At the left of the panel is an electrically wound, automatic time switch with oil break, to control the turning on and off of the circuits at a predetermined time. The lamp is easily lowered to the pavement, entirely disconnected from the circuit and is readily inspected or replaced. Fig. 3 shows the method of suspension over street car trolley.
    The new contract drawn and ratified by both utility and municipality embodied the installation of the new system, the expense of which was to be borne by the utility; the abolition of all free lights, and the giving to the city 3 percent of the company's gross receipts derived from business inside of said city's limits (exclusive of city light bill) during the remaining 16½ years of the company's franchise; the company to rebate the city 25 percent of the gross receipts derived from the ornamental cluster lighting system, for a period of ten years; the company to give the city a flat meter rate of 4 cents per Kw. Hr. for lighting in all municipal buildings, no minimum required; the company to make additional extensions to the overhead street lighting system at its own expense provided the company should not have to build over 300 feet of line to install it; the city to accept the new lighting system with rates as shown on page 46, for the remaining period of 16½ years of the company's franchise; the city to assume making all lamp renewals on all street lights for a period of one year from date, and to receive therefor a credit of 15 percent of the city's bill for street lighting. At the expiration of the year, the city was to have the option of discontinuing the maintenance of renewals, or renewing this feature of the contract for the full remaining term of the contract--15½ years. If the city should not renew the maintenance, then the company was to assume it and charge the full rates as given in the schedule.
    The Electrical Department of the city assumed actual maintenance of all lamp renewals on December 1, 1915, and at the end of the first year of our maintenance had made a net saving to the city in street lighting costs of $4,583.26 over the year previous. The Council then accepted this maintenance clause for the period of the contract.
    Table I shows the comparative number and cost per month of the lighting units installed under the old and the new contract.
    Table II shows the comparative costs of street lighting for the years 1915, 1916, and 1917. The year 1915 shows costs before the city assumed maintenance, and 1916 and 1917 show costs under city maintenance.
    Under "Rebates & Discounts," the item "Net saving account city maintenance" is shown in Table III.
    As the record below shows, the first year of our maintenance made a net saving to the city of $4,583.26 and the second year, 1917, has made a net saving of $5,762.88. It is interesting to note that the sum of the savings made the last two years exceeds by over $2,000 the actual cost of street lighting for the year preceding the time when the city assumed charge of this work.
    This saving has not been made at the expense of the efficiency of the lighting units used nor of the number of lamps installed, but, on the contrary, the efficiency of the system has been increased fully 20 percent, and we now have 19 more lighting units on the overhead system than were on the system January 1, 1915. So, while we have added 19 more street lights and increased the efficiency of the system fully 20 percent, we have reduced the cost of street lighting an average of 64 percent over the last two years below what it cost before the city assumed maintenance.
    The change has been highly satisfactory from every standpoint and in fact has accomplished more than had been expected. Our streets are far better lighted than ever before, while the costs have decreased greatly and the number of lamps not burning during any night has become an almost negligible quantity. The life of the lamps has far exceeded their nominal rated life of 1,000 hours. The average life of all lamps on the overhead series system has exceeded 5,000 burning hours. Citizens, city officials, and the public utility are more than satisfied with the results attained under the city's management.
The American City, July 1918, page 44


    Among the Hallowe'en pranks of last night was the work of a group of youths in swiping an empty hay wagon someplace and depositing it on  the public library lawn. A number of street arc lights were broken by miscreants on Oakdale and Central avenues. No arrests were made.
"Local Briefs," Medford Mail Tribune, November 1, 1919, page 2


    The boys and girls and those older ones of Medford who observe Hallowe'en recklessly must not tamper with the street lights, the city authorities and police have given out. The policemen will patrol the streets in autos looking for law violations, and it was announced at the city hall today that 25 extra guards will patrol the streets on the same errand.
    Chief of Police Timothy announced this noon that $10 reward will be given to anyone giving information leading to the arrest and conviction of any boy tampering with street lights. This holds good not only for tonight but other times as well.
    A street light was burned out last night at the corner of Quince and West Main Street through being let down by youths as a Hallowe'en prank. Besides, it is dangerous to crawl poles and tamper with high-powered wires.
    Also last night some boys let a street light down so that it hung over the middle of Ivy Street and several cars narrowly escaped running into it. There is a great danger of electrocuting occupants of cars by lowering street lights as well as of the poles falling on them should the car strike the supporting wires with sufficient force.
"Beware! Beware! For Tonight is Ye Halloween," Medford Mail Tribune, October 31, 1922






Medford Mail Tribune, September 29, 1928, page 3





    They say the moon is getting farther away, but maybe it just seems that way because moonshine doesn't brighten things up as it once did..
Medford Mail Tribune, November 24, 1930, page 2


    The building and light committee, D. R. Terrett, chairman, submitted a report, which was adopted, suggesting that a lighting district be created for a new system on Main Street, if the majority of property owners petition for the same, as recommended by the citizens' budget committee, the installation to be assessed against the property, and cost of operation and maintenance be taken from the city's general fund.
    According to the council building and light committee and the citizens' budget committee, the cost of current and maintaining string lights on Main Street is approximately $46.37 per month or $556.44 per year; cluster lights on Main Street approximately $131 per month or $1,572 per year--total cost annually $2,1218.44.
    Electric current for 50 new cluster lights on Main Street, from Oakdale Avenue to bridge, such as are now on Sixth Street, would cost the city approximately $4.75 per light per month, or $2,850 per year, or $721.56 more than the present lighting, but owing to the fact that within the next two years the rewiring of the string lights will be necessary at a cost of approximately $750, the opinion was expressed that now is the proper time to consider new lighting of main streets.
"New Light System Is Held Need," Medford Mail Tribune, March 18, 1931, page 3


    All 4000-lumen overhead street lamps [200-watt incandescent bulbs] were removed from Medford's lighting district and replaced with 2500-lumen lamps last month, according to report for January made by Frank Rogers, building and electrical inspector for the city. Seventy-seven 2500-lumen overhead street lamps were changed to 1000-lumen lamps in the economy program inaugurated by the city, and other changes made as follows:
    Disconnected 30 ornamental lamps on Sixth Street.
    Disconnected all stringer lights in the city with the exception of two strings on South Riverside.
    Finished installing additions to police alarm system, giving this city a very complete system and so designed that additions may be made at the minimum of expense.
    Various inspections incidental to building permits and re-inspections were made.
    One chimney condemned and ordered repaired.
    Incidental repairs were made to lighting system in the city hall and at the airport
Medford Mail Tribune, February 9, 1933, page 5


    Removal of the stringer lights over Main Street and the trolley poles was asked by City Building Inspector Frank Rogers, who was authorized by the council [last night] to proceed with the work.
"Liquor Control Problems Aired Before Council," Medford Mail Tribune, December 20, 1933, page 1


Medford News, June 17, 1938, page 1




Medford News, October 17, 1947, page 1


    The pioneer Main Stem concrete lamp posts have been uprooted. They stood the acid test of time in good shape. They were weather-beaten, also thumped by whippersnapper Fords, destructive kids and knocked askew by errant freight trucks. Pioneer citizens long ago gave up hope of leveling them by leaning against them. When mining flourished in these parts, samples of Blue Ledge ore was knocked from their sides by well-dressed miners, and woodpeckers whetted their beaks on their edges. At least one should be preserved for the museum.
Arthur Perry, "Ye Smudge Pot," Medford Mail Tribune, November 13, 1947, page 8




    There were other reports of boys shooting out street lights and damaging windows with air guns, breaking mailboxes, pouring ink on a front porch and slashing a car top. Police said vandals tore down numerous signs on the east side and carted some away. A large number of youths were brought to the police station and reprimanded for their actions.
"Many Senseless Halloween Pranks Keep Crews Busy," Medford Mail Tribune, November 1, 1949, page 1

    Twelve additional traffic signal lights and modern lighting on Sixth, Main, Central and Bartlett sts., through the cooperation of the State Highway Commission and lighting by the California Oregon Power Company were installed [in the last six years].
"Diamond L. Flynn Reviews Six Years in Office of Mayor," Medford Mail Tribune, January 2, 1955, page 1