iii . . . itoi‘rptuci’ci rcparta‘ of, municipal elec-
a‘a on cit. ‘tri‘ct lighting plh‘nts‘ without a blush.
" and "load manual:
~80 up ‘to.makc losses; apparent whom
I .
mm on or male
111ml ”win no u ha
. - “.10.“, ‘. ii
_p livid 'hwghmdbiih for , its
‘pl'l to ,nccda ever since civ»
" ’ rbaboia Nature'a arms.
, lath“; organizatio‘ufiia, one
' OY.;,WQW01 ‘ nip n-
ail pply froth ihh '.“t1‘uié§in"t e
,, ‘ , "tit prompt day, with. a
, ‘ anthem.“ ‘A pretty long.
‘ ‘ u experiment; and, rather
for crud. ;
out, with the, demand for wa«
:a“‘.deuire for light at night:
, 11011113 ever been the crypt,
‘ a, man; so tho pcoplo by
lion-t that. this common nccd
‘ boy could. Flt-at hoamn
_ wars and ccuvcnibnt’
1th the gloom; lntcr
‘ era suspended by the
. communities at highway
' 3‘01)ng tho, soptlnels of.
fill Withblhsing fax-
1 iii antic latitemp;
1; artificial alumina-
or . recount by
, private cor-
, allzinx. sense
money la public utili-
.; doorman-two cons
mdgrtook public lighti
be 511011 a good thing,
a the last 011911011“
@113 time . practically
nun " industry of
it
until bewd oi
fifércorhmunl-
tv tuildlpully own»
maintained a run-
110 glut that will
, ,‘ , . glam-ii, European
ngfar'ahead in numbers of
‘ , liquidate. Afcw dcv-
hpwcv‘ r, several Ameri-
an toucquire this plants
‘apddn 1881 one of the.
, , furious placid that came
: iii 11 if?! ditlilcohutlt‘ymdurlax
' m a, so 91 t_ic new art
: id u’lfiunidlpal p ant. At firm may
1:19.11 low ', but more, rigidly as
fill-'71 Holdall oppositlo 'bog'ah
, lug hard 610116! about them,
l‘cb‘y.:unintentionally, but nirvci‘thc-
miiiit cilia-lively, advertising tho
popularity of revived municipal owncr-
a, “it!“ iproof of which the following
,uiatllititit-glciincd from that unltcd
Wales no nuuu'rcpih't to .1uno;l,"1902,
8110.}? w .‘llull.li‘li”ll owncrship in the
x lnduuiry has grown
was 1 'nuiuiripnl clcc-J
‘ 8133 there were «i muni~
A, 4 ‘ . plants; 11! 1883 there \vcrc
, 11151881. 105 in 1885.10; in 18156, 30;
in‘ l I, 60; in 1830. 08; in 1880. 105;
.
a
this, , 1117:1111 1801, 17.9; in 1892,2313:
in 1, _ chili; 101801.313; in 1395,3116:
1111 .450: in 1897, 508; in 1898, 590;
,inl , .1141); in 1000, 710; in 1001, 7’15:
‘lnl 3,0815 (iridium 1‘); in 1902. 8535
(anti “ ted tol- yum-i; in 1903, 910 (cu-
tiraated for your); in 1001, 1.000 (rati-
mated for your).
,Alinopt from the first, our munici-
palltled 1h cabibliuhlng-cloctric light-
ing: plants of (hair own, have had to
, face a local. diuhoartcblng firo of crit-
icism. ridicule, licatrd opposition and
: sometimes abuse, from these liitcrnuiv
_ 1» 43111111 private planta, but with iilll‘lll‘lii'
. lusty. ew cmptionu, lighting plants
under tihicipal ownrrahip have gli‘oll
,auchv‘flatity‘iag results in croaoiay.
‘ :gaod service and incliicntiilly as n
mt disaplpolni‘iucut to their Madden
.. or ., .~ , army compensate for tho
5.101501%: thouc who brought thoui
ditto oxiutancc. ('onurqurutly illi‘l‘tt is
now hardly a city or village- in thin
landeunieau it already polio-alum such
arjplanhthat in not wither building one
«urban. the subject undor coimiilcrutioii.
’ ’ . ’l‘hooxceptioaa arc ii nuinbcr of for-
. tnmimaululpalitim that have in their
mldat. wall cqulpprd prlvutc lighting
. continuum, conducted on broad princi-
plan, as fair to thc poopls 0a to main:
,; aciiaa,‘tmt do not take command 01'
, 1 aphid? rciiabic aorvico at reamiably
invciitcd in equipment and
” at lira not drownotl in
bi j
Md in urcry way, but thoy are,
, (it. i-
1‘ of tho o actrical Journals
'1“ .
, l. t how man arc thorn of them.
m4 _ macaw
i .—
thdir ‘ opal, 911.th from pinicy or
beam or wire chartor iimitationa, but
103V tale- tliat am rmubla berauao
r amniotic arc the product. or capi-
,Y
fibroid iii
tom! clock. Such pinata are a
to any city and should be luv
'10) til i in plot al ,i'ittlla‘ai-o the
up all 3 Municipal
uuillciaa 1 independent and
not to tiliioiini projects at this
up; Ht dyfillWoBiioflalv
Alia?
' co and too ultra luv the
W ‘
frosting an.» immuta-
\
, t‘
‘ltwmip thr
.. I! r
‘ *fiivitll. well all»
logic c are uccmiagi'
” 0 loop cilia-ruin.
.. Wm avmf'pabliiili
aloud , than broaiimt. it
4 ‘ to not theta up:
my: the might?»
r tantalum my din-'1
, tor no or cabana-voodoo against them.
his aubjact, it is too macaroni
”go
,0; prob. ‘
tiara bit
‘gains tr‘diy exist nudctl’icrwisc ninth
data about Bil-11100111101013“)? berm a,
“doublo l‘i‘hrrclcil purpoccpu scurccrowu
to frighten: municipalities from tho
lixhtlug field» und‘to ,niiotho tho troub-
lcd‘ spiritd of certain private lighting
,pluntowuc’ra who may burn falcon. Just
‘u little tau much advantage or the put»
.llc'a carry way, and conutulucntly with
iviulohs of the municipality-as a coar-
potitor, bug to Lhdr hcarta anything
with. or without reason condcmiidtory
of municipal electric lighting piantu.
Do we hear any complaints because
our.‘ highways and bridges are now at-
most without oxacptlou owned by the
public? Who would go back to the
days whorl turnpllics and bridgos wcrc
‘gcncrally owu‘cd by private corpora-
tions, and, toll was collected for the
privilcgo'nf Jourhoylng ovoi- dusty or
muddy turf roads and across bridgcu
beautiful with moss and neglect, but.
of doubtful autety?l_ Yet. these vital
noceuditics' to our ideal andnatiounl
corporal-cc were on y‘ surrendered to
public owiiorshlp in, this country wit-bin
a century. Our high’vra‘ysof'ilic prou-
cm are far from perfect, but in com.
pavilion with the toll roads of the good
old long ago, they may be contrasted
with old road systciu as the gasllght
of, our time "comparoawith the cahdlc
of the pits and may compare with the
electric 1ig,‘t’bye and byc.
How about our pubiilc schools? Do
tvro hour 01‘ any sorrowilug because they
are not under privntcowncrshlp?
Would any private corporation takc
a mossagc from our door and deliver it
{anywboro in this, country, in lands that
border upon it, or in our distant pou-
sesalims, for No cents? Our publicly
owned po'stal system has done It 1701
years; duo is doing it better allithr
time, in dplbc oi' the rascals that nt‘iw
'and‘ thou clip iii—and“ get caught. it
it were not for our oh p, reliable. and
Isncody public post, ma who condcmn
public ownership could; not do busi-
ness. 'l‘hcn'wliy wt we not supply out
lighting publicly from mailer centers
with equal 5001:0211! and. barium? Wc
can: and. tho timc is running when this
and all utility direct public utilities
will be duppiled by the public with it
degree 6! satisfaction for in ndvnncc of
the methods now predominating: thcn
tho question .will be asked. How could
they be snppllod otlicrwiso?
tary walla“ and sowcr syateiuu today
and of least burilcn on tho taxpayor—~~
those tuutnrc owned and maintained
by municipalitlila. or llic low aiiii bc
longing to private corporations? Which
is tho most. dcsimblo rity to live in.
tho ono that suppliou the most honoilis
froiniho gr'llfl‘lll tax, or tho can that
hires its biisluous out to pi-ivuin mn-
ccrnu and forccs its tnzoplc to pay root
for public ulllllics ill :1 cost not only
grcatur than what it aiiiilcicnt tax would
provide under public owucrahlp, but
with nothing to show for it aitcr llll.‘
money has boon stunt?
The most pronounced iliutinriion bo‘
tween thaw who honestly advocati-
munit‘ipal ownership and its opponmitp
is marked by the- gciiiiiui- tiuuclilalinosu
of the (armor. ll‘ro‘tu tin-1r urguliionts
the opponents acorn to think of 111011?
sclvvs so much that thcri- is vr-ry lit-
11o limo loft in syinpiiihim: with “11‘
public. which in lookcd upon too much
as a worm: of l'm‘i‘ilim which uhouid
ha content with tho Joust l‘i‘llli‘ll at
their handr, iiistomi ol‘ 11w grout llllwi'l‘
that it is wlioui- fi'lcniluliip should nov-
cr lN,‘ risked. At any rate. hurt «in»,
up tllquo who put up, or back up, 1hr
Ommbillllln’lil‘fi'iillll'illi-i. ’i‘bcy ran. all»
Ways bo. found, at a natural l'lllli'it"
opinion among slorltlioltir'rs and cm-
ployoi-u ol‘ pi‘lvulc roam-ma or iilliml
interests, that llvu by uupplylnlz pub
lic utilities. which flu-y must know.
could hit fiiruluiued undvr public own-
orahip with in: good if not honor uni
infliction and at, low: rout than may
run. lint not brim: capruriitlly ruling»
cd in promoting public economy. tlicit
opihionu on curb a "tailor "that ho uiu
ccptcil with i-bui'iinblc mum-d for tho
itiotlvcn that iiiupii-o thciu. Oil thi
othcr ha.liii.. thouo who cariiaatly advo-
cate public owucrahlp for tho maul of
all. huvo only tho boiioriumil. of public
conditions at. heart. with tho «rpm-tin
lion of enjoying merely an cqunl abort:
of the common indium. Man of thin
clans arc found in artery walk of life
and they cannot bc nullified of selfish
minimal nor confounded with llama
rampant anilatylcd monarch—horn tu-
ilay, but oi? hcforo tho duct riotira
awaywwhoao higiiciitaibu in topiaiic
chm of oxittlux condition so tut to
rave-11a tho mild. .Neithor public nor
private; tantrum are safe in chair graup
and both, aide: clumld malty} common
.. 011111100 of those directly momentu-
tivu of privatoly owned phbhc acrvirc
corporation. in an important claimant
to ho amuldcmd, computed of cashi-
oorii. lawyers. lmliltm, broiwru. cm»
ptilllc politicians sand lloliioi‘iiwllli
that tho last two of undoa lad goal in-
:ouflotitmlii‘mc ulacinhiu :1 ligament
, . p owaomh coa-
addrablc. hut in mail (‘41:; a llttlu
in will. disclaim into am that
, can opinion iii; ahapud by
mo: mi windimt
t the cpporitica. w“ ”W
,, . . _ h ‘19 GM?
“W in joupardlu; that tho
@511; :Mfillmmmaahgh momma
. ‘ ’1 « r
, I Will for iii ultimatum“
. tho halluci- hoidli panda and occur-
,, m,.waua. {119110 ,mmblp
in toil curtail thoir acomo Iii 1W0
theirnaucijubiu value to an mili‘thlt
1
hip a
would not. look wall on tho lt’ii ihi
of audits: that... , arctic: punch
for 131110 or hit or ’cpocalailoa that
would quickly dciodoratcxioratlw ,
manna; that tho corraptuhic politic
”humanity room his temporary
W
« 0W
‘iiltou
, so out hand
' coagtshipiilmi
Whit! ii are 11m iliiost and most anal"
or bill will
:15ng
in. What: of homo mac
0 ‘ .
‘ a!
naturals, reform or. no a crap-
taikrcmdiiis hr
, a. for .. i’ruptloii
, , lent maul, 11 11'9”
municipalibwuc‘r ip and ,oiiafltlon‘ht’
nilbllv. bulimia . but. why ourudiiudp ‘
id incrcas‘o the opportu-
9b then-la no hurdutoiboui.’
, a. it. iii-to helluva thorallcuati ,
All ,ocpauiooul cxwuui‘oulcstifr. 30011
rcpuitii roan hardly bo- expected to con».
aeolian with dither, public: or privatu
outcrpiiscs that allow incompetent or
diabolical mon to- hold multicultural
trout and responsibility. [But in all
instant... of mismanagement. is not the
organization :at fault, inufcad of tho
principle? Any cuicrprlce that loan
poorly looiiod after as to allow corv
rupiablo lnicn’lo manage its attain,
will sulfur and dcucrvc to. Bad men
are dangcrou aiiywlnirc, inst noun-
safc in private busincuu as in public
attire, with only this difference, the
people can rid themselves of improp-
er public officials at will, but they can-
not choos‘o who they shall deal with
when pi-lvuic corporations are in coir
trol of public utilities.
No less an authority than Dr, Allie
Shaw, in'an article by Otto 11. Lunar
hereinafter i-cfcrrcd to, guys. “tho cor-
ruption 'cauuod by corporations , has
givcn as the weak flabby State and
city glvcnuncutc that we haVo utility;
and tho pressure: brought to bear on,
the government to produce cul‘t‘llpv
ill)“ under municipal ownership is in-
comparably lcaadhair under private-
Tu giro a practical'cxumpio thatthe
L , tr. Would”?
it hcarmuclij
c M011 opportun
aiti over ”an o
play no \part, in the managemoui." at
public plants, a roport of tho Detroit
municipal lighting plant tcllu tho fol-
lowing: The number of ompioyod’o
there instead of being increaacd has
been reduced from 112 to 105, although
the output has been doubled in, the
clghl. yours of its existence. and it).
per cent. of the present staff havc
been employed since 1805.” Thin lit-
stance bi referred to because the De
troll. municipal plant, a shining cxanb
pic of splendid manugciucat.c has been
grossly niisrcprcscntcd by the 'oppoai:
lliiu. '
.L‘orruption! who is it that. tempts
public olllcinlu with bribes and in.
dunes wcoliilngs to sell their could?
in thcro any rccorii of a public works
department brlblng‘its way into exis-
uace? Some private corporation,
however, Wants a valuable franchiuo,
a Special permit or some unusual con.
sideration prociu'ubic through ii cerv
taln garcrnmcntal or municipal board;
.hci'c may be some question about it,
perhaps only mic or two vows may be
necessary to push it. through. it’s an
old story, the corporation usually acts
.rhat ll payd for 11.1. 118 own price. when
the pubiii‘ «isn’t looking; porcibi a
right. that the public abould never live
broil parted from. Some one lulu
merrily i'oi'aaki-ii honor for a money
coiluidcralion and the novelty of it may
.vorr; him a little if he has not been
tlici'o brforig, but standing in with u
urniofnl corporation iii fur uwootoi'
.\'llll\,‘ tlir swiwtnoua lliuia than serving
an lllllllilil‘llliilflh’r' public 1th for glory.
Sometime-s it 50631113 to pay, then again
for a. illllv; tho Hlulo 111111 to pay his
board, but only occasionally, in which
ratio the corporation that lnducod llllil
to betray his trust choiccu in being
woil rid of out: foolish enough to mil.
i'illllllll-wi‘i)l‘llfii'llllilliii hover go to Jail,
some of them might though, if it'll wry.-
..lcssod with loss law and more Justicc.
l‘iiis illustration, iii fairucua to some
uniloiihtcdly llUllUl‘lllJlt‘ pi'ivuii- corpor-
ations that drill in public utilities.
.ucrely poinia in ii. rortain rial-id. oxala-
pics of which each of no probaly linvo
.n mind.
11 cactus from what thcy tall 11:4 that
t is not unusual for a portion of tlic
«lock of i-lootric coinpnnios. during the
incubation siiiuc, lo lm tllfilrllllllt‘il in
small alloiinvuis iitliuuu peoplv oi" lini-
iird nicuns, upon tho lllVlilt‘llilH of
which, no am told, poor widows and
orohunu may him.- in dcpciid to help
hot-p ilw wolf from tho doorwlvn don't
hear this from tho widowa through. and
it. would in» inlvrcuiing to Know Wllt‘l‘i‘
thry come to whom lllo bond holders
bcgln inaiiipuiaiimz lln- aimik. or win-u
laud inunauonicnt send» tho company
up llm upoui iiiitiicr rouiiil uluui 1.1111141!
t.tt)llt-lltlt.‘l‘lilllu culturing. but tho luticr
.1; probably tho moat human», an it
.illill'ltillii tho anxii-ly. ’l'bn widows
and orphnnu rci’crrml lo. arc probably
iliouo in, wlioac licliulf clmpioni. and
touching itppculu am Home tlinca ntudo
by privato corporations when trying to
lllflllll concouuionu from common cooli-
cila—~~ainl to main public uyiuputhy.
How in it. with tho municipal plant
i! it actually grow out 01' implnrau, is
not. tho loua utiaiiilliod culiroly by a
largo porpmuul community rather
cloutit'i'mv individuals? 'l‘htid no one
«afford ilircciiy uxcwi. from tho loan of
tho aorvico, and thou pcrhapa only
iciiiluirariiy. No onc la loft dcatiiulc
and ovary body iu worth that about no
much an bcforo tho plant wan oilinb~
lislicil. lint ouch a Hill!“ as a "limb
ripai blot-trio plant bocohiiau a dead
bum in hardly to bc imwuiai. ,
ll municipal cicctrlo lighting plants
arc dangerous uiidcrtaitinuauand par.
hapa only are to Lliolm who have 1005'
on to iiroail tilt-in. why iii tidbit though
tho am can in lhimoualry was only
started in liliil. my havc today about
1.000 in oparaiiou and antler continuo-
llon, and many more in contemplation
Elilwr the municipal plant .failum
that, tho opponent» tall no no much
about hallo not materialized to their
ratification or also tho. rallied , has
been hoodlum of iotuliy minimal
warnings and in rapidly pausing to
Vita doom. th this came public mm
main own undrua this “catapult:
i.ry--wilh duo monopole) tho ll’biitiiw
and has made it thus “Milli“, nitrous»
ust. and nationhood patina. in tho
U. . .
who are . _
for thoaiory that ‘aliachca‘to ,oiiice,
and. without thought otpccualary; rc-
upolls' uystcnt and machine politics ,
01! bar can
“b: Winlommlqumm,
Willing to servo the people
ward. “ Meditate civil larvlcc.9hy
, . subordinate amcohiiidera
uro‘auuuroil of. lilo tenured of their
pocltlopq. , .0119 .clhniua‘tioa ‘01, 1116
‘ «incorporation in the construction
unbllcwaritu and tho management
tho, public ucrvicc. Thanh tlircc
clometita‘ icpreaoutia gradual growth,
and; it would die unfair ‘to, contract
Abierican numiclpalltlcs with those of
finzland that enjoy these ailvuntagco.
1, «on are too young! on'thip side»: the
Atlantic to be cxptwted to have advan-
tages that comb only with aetilcd‘coiuo
mllual life. But the cflccin of them:
advantage-a are very positive."
if municipal electric plants arc as
0011 for the public as Homo private
plunia. advocates twacrtpwhy is it that
there arc inorc municipal than private
electric lighting pianos lit a country
so mature and rouscrvutirc as Eng-
land? in uofnc English cltlcu in con-
acqucuco of owning all or eithcr of
Such public utilities as. water, light,
transit. etc, the much are nicrcly
noihilinlmit is said that one city ‘is
without any inuniripul tux. 13y 11m
sumo lotion, tho opposition in just now
vigorously attacking English munirb
pal ownership. Crying wolf on both
sdcu of the Atlantic mus: liccp thorn
busy, “evc‘u‘ if' it‘ docs thciii no goml.
‘Aiuiordinlg to some reports thatpi-oh-
«my escaped the cousin-u of tho oppoai-
gti‘on his-fore. applyiring in public print.
‘i‘uic critics boom to be enjoying ox—
‘celient and low-cost sci-vice from their
niunlclpaliacd public utllltlcswand
they ought to know.
A very lntorcsting and highly iii-
utructivc artlcio, by (lilo 11. Labor, A.
13.. outitlcd "Owacruhip of Municipal
Monopolie‘u,“ in tho July, 1904. number
,of the Municipal‘douruul and Engineer.
quoteu an expert engineer as saying
“that the city of Now i’ork alone could
Harri. $947,000 a year, if it made its. own
cloatrlcirllsht." Thin seems romgrk-
able lb one Who iinows‘hdu- ‘woll arid
oiflciently that grout city's lighting-
.probloln is handled by the great hhiison
corporation). But in thc Rillllf’ ariirlc
.Mr. 11.. B. Ellicott, the noted city cloc-
triclan of Chicago, the largest Amer-
ican city to operate a public lighting
syiitem of its own. says that "rooted
camera for 11': years would have cost
38.530.875.50; building, operating and
maintaining, operating aiid'w tiunwcr
maintaining the service has cost $3,-
400,603.05; actual cxpciullturc unveil.
$135,212.45. This means nothing loss
than that, after fifteen years of service,
the city has saved over $135,000. pow
season as a valuable asset one of the
most efficient of plants} and furihcr-
more, has the incairulu’blo advantagc
of being able to render good service
and great satisfaction to its citizens."
This sumo itrtiric mentions-tit run-
ilotn ii number of rxccllcnt examples
of ulicccasfiii municipal lighting plan!»
of which scvcriil arc quoted or roi’cr-
red to with others in thorn remarks.
Detroit, 311011., opcrutos what is bo-
licved in hi? the ground lui‘izcui publicly
owned electric lighting syutcm in thin
country and before itwniartcti, the ar-
“(‘li‘ status that the private plant, in
that city “charged annually 3132 por
arr. {Tudor public ownorublp tho price
has steadily docrmucii from $100 in tho
brginiilng to $03.82 in 1902. Ml‘. J. 19.
inuiliwooil has also figurcii out the roc-
oi‘d of this plant, but on tho basis of
an nupgcially low oilur ol‘ the privato
i-Ulnpnliy “'llf'll tliriuiioned with the al-
tcrnallycs of public operation, but cvcn
n“. this figuring tlic saving repreuents
almost half a million. At the mascot
rain of earning ihislplnnt will luivc
paid for iiuclf within the maxi three
ycars." "'i‘ho city of Ailcghcuy, l'n..
was payim.v $1110 per arc bcl‘oro public
olwi-uiion iwuau: tho total cost to tho
viiy now iii but $75!“ “Jacksonville.
Fla, which also furnishes light for
commercial purposes, pays for strcct
arc lights lcss‘ than onc-ouaricr of 11m
forinoi‘ pi'lvilio ruins, whilo the corn-
moi-rial rates llii\'u boon l'vtllitwil to
our-half uiiii uvcn oiimliiurlcr of 1110
previous onus." Again i'cgnrillng Chl-
cugo. Mr. idillcoil in tho Municipal
Journal and EllKllli‘i'l‘ of August. 1001.
is quoted as saying, “Wo arc now 1111‘
ing in tho stratus 0,000 are liglili-i.
uhlch Wo opvraic nut-acivou at an ant
until coat of 351.50 it light. We also
null 071 an: lights for which \vo pay
$i03. it your colour."
if iiiunicipai cicririr lighting plants
have given Hflllb‘rul‘lltill in inn-(r t-llli'a,
what can bi». uni-l oi‘ lllti anuilior onus
that. have cinburiiwi upon a \’(‘llllli't’
so liazurdoini that priviito corpomtious
itro illlrit'llllilll)‘ striving lo lisuulnc all
the: risk tlihhiaoirua (loco upon a
”1111' u vory good boy win-n uukril
why hr ate up all the jam. rcpiicd that
an lilo hull was no rich. bi- Willi afraid
it would Itnuko liiu broliirr uiclt.
Sonic yearn alto \‘i’lilliuuforll. (innit,
did not burn any cloclric light, though
It wanlcil ii vory much inilood, but. tho
local and company which it bi under-
aiooil hold an clcctvic lighting ciiiirtrr.
did not acorn to 111' inclluod to moot
lilo popular dciiiiiud; taiilucuiiouliy
though it. lricd hard when too into to
provcnt it, a iiiunicipni electric light-
lug plant wait the rmili.‘ Thai .1105
plum iii lili well oouippod and carefully
managed no any lighting plant. of its
chip to hp found anywhere. in admit-
ted 'cvch by oppouontu. iioih direct
arc and cotiimcri-lnl inrwdcaccnt
lighting arc uuppiiol by it with ruiniitii
that ithuuld saiiaiy the most (startling
critic. Iii fact no 11111111 iii tho demand
for its comincrciul acrvlcc that its on»
pacify in hiring largely turmoil. in
million» in the lighting ucrvicc, it ill-
no'oporatcsi and maintains tho munici-
pal lira alarm aystum.‘. ’l‘hc report of
this plant for the yep:- culling duly iii.
.1003. stays: "The profit ofthc your
in 34.00046, our locum: bolas $10,607?
an harbour operating‘oxpcum 011.841..
all; charging oil it not com. for deprec-
11111011111190 5 pm- chat. for profit. on
I
gratuity of maukladwwc will. all m
mtg l .1 w. 0‘ .
111}th both out adiabatic; that
municipal Journal “charm-r it a
couvlactlt aittcic on “Man cipal furl»
ty in an and.“ by ficbcrt flaccid, bill:
tor of the moduli Dally (implicit: The
Mania 1, Journal and the Municipal
Your 'li.‘ in. humid lo. tho roc-
cpaim . , 'siiahaatbotity camaalcia.
titration and in» min . "an
.... court.“ r “r
l era-r. , 0”?th
abipda'dailailtritlm Thogabciitioa
. v
by our llllillilfili‘ttli'lllx“10011111.". Thin
recall mu vaccouullighcd, during the
your of thy-t lainouii coal tradition. when
all high an $11.12 our tun had to ho paid
by thin platitjor cold of inferior quail-
ur and hard to at It that. othcrwuic
lilo pmdimo patrolman even smith
or. v'i'harébort, at this plant for this
”armadillo: did 31,, 11104, album, a
profit of 10.801. ,lieariy $1,900.00 ov-
criiic moduli-roar. . \
lino-gal titupioaccr municipal ciao.
“ bolas: ‘ as!
still , homo bulimic; of $20.41. corned.
iv 01
, ‘, it! ,r ,
till/bani! baton v‘ ,
hltuthowpoonlcncu‘ono cam t 1
mt opposition on the othcr by, tho lo:
cal company, whose unsaiiutuutoi'll‘,
uarricc and apparent indiffcronpc .tol
thopubllc’a Just demands thread the
people to take tiiwo problem lain thclri
own hands. This catcrpriuc has boon
an .uudoubtabicuucceas from the start
and for iyours baa been widely quoted ;
crap opponents of municipal owaeiv
chip, many having motto ‘pcruonal vis-
us‘ or,” investigation to ~ unitary. thum-
calves; frankly admit it an an excep-
tion to ilioir theories. _'l‘hough' thor-
oughly a municipal institution. it is,
(lolltliltitflilatllmlt ilucu idailtipalgto thouo‘
coinithc only, iiiiicrencohoing that its 1
operation is entirely controlled by an
independent non-partition Board of hit-
1116- local government, instead of a
Board of Directors. » 'i‘hc _CUillilllri~
Sionoru havo succeeded ,lllelllBDlVOS
icrm. uitcr Lorin during: the ppm. twelve
years, with ouli’ one cxceptiou, when
a. member resigned ailmuliavinu been
continuously in office nearly ten years,
to give. his whoic time to tho plant as
its General Superintendent. All cin-
ploycos of this plant, of which there
um iiinc. arc selected with regard to
their cluiracicr and iiincuu ulonc, poll-
tics, Doing strictly barred from the oil-
oration and policy of tho plant. has no
voice in any appointments cithci‘ on
"Ulll Board of Connoisuloiioi'u or their
ope-rating stuff. it supplicu not only
all the siroct lighting of the city bl’
arc lumps, but over 00 nor ccnl. of tho
coinmurclal oloclric lighting. in. ad:
(111.1011 .10 this a largo number of tho
local manufacturing industries are on.
ilroly operated by in: electric powcr
ucrvicc. 'i‘lii'ough illlliilillliai‘ agoncy
valuable industries have been attract.
Hi to the oily, thereby increasing both
lllo-[lnplllallilll and wealth of the com-
inuniiy. Connnc'rciui lighting and
power arc furnished lid hours per day
and the street. lights are burned all
ulglit-‘mxccpt. during the hours of
bright inoonllgiuwat $00 our year each.
which the city pays to the plant inst
air it. wouidiundcr contract. to a pri-
vatc corporation~only thi- tariff is
loss. its commercial service is sold
by motor on a sliding scale proportion-
cd to the amount used in a given time,
ranging from 10 cents down to ti cents
por kilowalibour for lighting and from
.3 coins down to 3 cents for power, all
of which charges arc subject to a re-
halo. of 10 per cont. for prompt pay-
ment. These rates for the service
supplied arc not only the iowrot in
the. state, but rank among the mlnl‘
mum rates of the whole country.
This plant also operates and maintains
the municipal fire alarm system at an
average annual cost undcr $4.00. The
onllro incmno is under the control oi’
1119 Commissioners who use it 10 op-
erate the plant, keep it in repair. ox-
tcud the service and pay the interest.
on its autos and bonds. The conuld.
oritblo surplus than remaining is do
ward to paying off its ilrbt' at the.
mic of several thousand dollars a.
your. Each January, the Conimlo
sioners render a complete report. to
Illa Common Council, of the pact year's
results, which is afterwards printed
for distribution, for copies of which
applications are received from all ovcr
the country. in 11w Mom of atroci,
lighting alone during lwclvo years
i‘lltllllg January 1, 1005. 11 South Nor-
wiilli llllfl iii-vii (Illllgt‘il'lu pay $113.71,
11m avorugii yearly rule pcr arc lamp
of the slain, it would have. cost 1hr-
.city. “00.70834. Bill. as it Only coat
for the scrvlce from HR own plant. 370,-
070.01.
taxpayers has boon, $30,127.03.
total cost. to establish 1hc slrccl light-
ing system was $22,500.00. ’l‘lnia iiic
saving in ail-cot lighting has not. only
paid for its part of tho plant. but
li-avcs it balance to tho gland of $7.027.»
ilii, 'l‘llt‘ iolnl Investment in tho i-ii-
iii-c plant aggregating 700 horse-pmrcr
capacity, covrrlnu iim $22,500 as tin-
rost to establish iii» aircci lighting
part and $117,000 in round numbi-i‘u for
11w (‘iillllllf'l'l‘lill addition, oniiirgonwnis.
i-xil-nuloos ad iinprovcnirls. manuals
to about 380.1300, of which 25 por cont.
has lli‘t‘ll paid from uariilngu slut-p iiic
coiiiinorriul service was llilill‘ll 111 1801i.
Yul. tho high value All which 118 clii»
min ownoru hold it may bc bi‘llt'i‘ un-
doraiood whoa It Is stated that on of-
frr from a coinpciltivo company to
least" or buy it at u prim.- aimiit dou~
bio llii coal bcfoi'o 11 was enlarged ii
fuw yearn ago. was. unaniinouniy puss-
ml ovor withor action by thopcoplu
iii aispociul I'll, meeting hold to roll-
Milo? tho blatlor, who instead, voted
in douhic its caparliy.
llm plant liliii boon fll’tiitlly oiilargod a
third iiuir and no lilo dcinitiui for iiu
corvlr.» routiiiiicu unubatmi. it will
intro to undcruo the calm-glut: procouu
for lilo fourth llinc in tho ncnr l'uturo.
iiurliig lta curly alt-ugulrw, tbia littlc
plant with liiirilcnod for many ycuru
with heavy damagc HI tains itulad 11' a
computing private corporatiouwnow a
purl of ouc of tho grout lruata coin-
i’llOil to ibruc limos, that by thoir
alrorhulxhioil aggrimulvo policy in dual-
liig with the public are doing more to
lirimr about municipal and govormnoni
ownorahip in this country than por-
iuipu any othcr uiuirlc factor. but not-
wltlliiiiilltllfllt thin unnatural atmin, it.
11ch bully locating tlic iiicri-iiiiiau do»
[111111le of tho public and tilt patrons,
growing bigxrr and mom prosperous
all liiu time. as though ihrmicacd la-
iuuciious ! and viuious of colic for
cradliiup dainaltrri warc rathor clima-
latiiu; to it. Today with all outta
again-it ll. wiped from the calendar“
wiilulrawu by those who product! them
«and on Moadiy “warmth it» and
limo manly, it. is true lo cnvcr lot hold.
:fl’hc total coat oi ita;cight ycaru' lith
nation that mind an lovarobiy to it
trait lulu. than 011.000 and is included in
the $103,000 invented. an a precious in»
artsrcprciiuntiug who! it cost to 110.04er
its rim to lira. now much this right
when it. is remcinborcii that (induced.
out iii a state whom electric and glut
lighting pinata cunbhiy halal undor
municipal owacruhip, by complying
with most discouraging and discrimi—
natory provincial of a seminal)! on-
fair and peculiar law uncut: oui on»
was,» for hulnpuiuat bu that it ill phat
into the diatom. at tho intimation of
tho oppououhi of, municipal olociric
pin in which the apiioidara of public
rig , in biblioudd. to ho, 100100th otlr
or war, or audio their may haw, been
conveniently absorbed in this plot and”.
of a carefully managed tutti/110i, ‘00!" easier to uplvc.
ccii'lrai Commissioners appointed byi
'l‘licrcfore 11w saving to the.
Thai
Slurp, thou I
mm may he realized more fully "
old thin , ,
‘ iii of «juntbow 50"th
we can only satanic: prom noun
lug corporations probably: know all
it appears to bc customary to trot
out utatlsticu those days as a sort of
an accompaniment to all debatable
questions ;lliei'eforo just. to keep in
fashion with the times and lncidenlah
ly to show how private and municipal.
electric plant‘s compare, the following
statistics are submitted, which have
been gleaned from , acknowledged-
authorities, pcraonal‘obscrvation and
such unbiased sources of information
as ihe United States Census returns.
the Municipal Jogirnal and Engineer,
the General Electric Company‘s Light-
ing Statistics and the Central Station
List.
Average cost of street lighting per
your pm arc 111111) in the United Slates.
covering both private and municipal
plums, by states and territories from
General Electric 1901 Statistics. with
iiilor (111111. for 1001 by A. E. Winchesio
Ilia
‘ aware. ,
to 00) um
arm.
Georgia,
bib. V ‘
abbot ll.‘ i'l‘hey weir-o onto theirlob an i w it Tor. 1
usual give them credit football; not 11.11%“: ’ 3
lithe pcoploiiad thalrroprmuiliivufi lllinois, ‘ 2
were half as careful in providing lawgf ‘ludiana. .p
for auto-guarding ‘tbc. public, auataot. Indian Ten. ._.
, privato corporations an crofthc private, ‘lowa, 50
corporations in tbclr busihcaalikeob Kaunas, 17
forth to have low [lauded topiotoct Kentucky, 1..
them agaluut» being obligoddo dovtlioir Louisiana, 12
~ whole duty by iiicpubiic. from be: Maine, , 3
in: rcquirod. to giro adequate return .Maryland. .. 4
to the pubmllc for valuable public ulv- . Mamachiiaetiu, 20
on grant»; possibly this problem 01‘ Michigan, 95
,omtcrshlp of public utilitios would ho Mln’neuoia,‘ 50
The public 111 cntiro- Mlsalaslppi. 21
1y, at fault, but unlike thalndlvidual, Mummy-t, 46
lurcspouuiblc to illicit aloud. and has Montana, .1
a rumour. for every mlatake it makes. Nebraska, p;
in its power to undo anddo over again, Nevada, -—..
I Any ldcu that municipal ligating Newuumpgmm 3
plant» are buds of roses for those who New Jamey. 5
run. them in a mistake» - it. takes New. Mcxlm. ..
something bouillon the people's voted New York. 32
to make born a success, the diilicuit North Carolina, 19
part 0011100 after they take chops and North Dakota. 9
stays as long as they exiat. it is all on“), . 9.;
iii the iiiuuagcmcntwhich including Oklahoma Tan, 3
tho cutli-o operating staff is too often Oregon, 7
both nuwiaciy selected and under paid. Pcnnsylvaiiiii, 33
but of 11m many hundreds of such Rhodc island, 2
plants now under operation in this South. Carolina, 11.
cotlllit'ywsome of which areimt “5 Smith Dakota, 8
well bulli. or managed all intelligently Tennessee, 20
as ihcy might bo—eit is doubtful if a Texas, 6
single» instance can the found that math. 4
does not allow a gain to the public” Vermont, 11
some raving-~ovcr the private con~ Virginia, 10
"ML Sl'Ste'm. ' ‘ Washington, 11
A large number of municipal cicc- WeSt Virginia. " t
lric lighting pluntspcéttimated at 75 Wisconsin. :11
per cent. ciao supply Commercial light. Wyoming, ~~
log at rules about all much below --
those-of private plants as they. do Total no, nccordcd in Central Slu-
strcet lighting, often enabling people. tlon 1.131,. 9'27
of iliultod mcunu'to enjoy therluxury Estimate of plants not reported
of electric lighting. who otherwise for 1004,, , 53
would have to content themselvou with Estimate of probable increase for
tho glimmer of oil lamps or candles. 1904. , - ’ ‘ 20
if private clccirlc and gas plants were ., , -—«
the only other sources of artificial il~ Total as above, ’ 1.000
luminnilohathaad. . ‘ Avg. per state, 19.2
In comparison wiih',thelr big' brotiu
thcrs, the great private‘ plants, the little
fellow on the, municipal side of the
fence scorn to show up pretty wen,
don't they? Even lathe fact of all
we hear about municipalpmnt failures.
corruption and mismanagement. it
appears that municipal electric light-
ing plants are able to charge low rates
and yet. average over 7 per cent. profit
on their» invostmeutu, while the private
plants though they command higher
rates don’t quite reach an average of
4 per cent; who knows why. The
contrast between '1 per cent. and 4 per
cent. means just this, in one case the
public gets back 7 per cent. on its own
investment. whereas on tho other
hand it pays not only the l per cent.
into the pockets of certlau individuals.
but the 7 per cent. in addltloii-con-
sidcring both aides on even terms, for
91':
Alabama, 3 811.01
Alaska Tutu. -—-—-‘
Arizona, 112.00
Arkansas, 111.82
California. 91.50
Colorado, 115.138
lCounoclicut, ‘ 83.58
Delaware, " 02.33
. Dist. of i‘oliimblil, 72.00
‘ Florida, 117.00
{ ficoi‘glu. 78.011
filllwull Tor” 113.08
1 idalio, 116.00
i llllnoiu. 67.57
{ lmlinnii. 611.72
,Iniliaa Ton, 120.00
Iowa, 68.34
Kansas. 84.09
1 Kentucky, 77.10
lAllllSlanu. 114.83
Malnc. up.“
Maryland, 118.50
Muusarhusci l a, 85.80
Michigan. 106.41
Minnesota, “‘ 75.51
Mlssiaaippl, 81.00
.‘llh‘lillul’l. 113.59
. Montana, 126.00
- Niihrauka, 92.08
Novnila, 148.00
Now llainpuhlro. 72.82
i.\'vw .li’l‘iii‘y, 89.42
Now Mcxico, 102.00
Now York, 75.90
North l'urolina, 70.00
North Dakota. 90.00
Ohio, "' 70.00
(lkluhotillt Tina. 101.33
()rogon. 103.513
i’onnayivania, 1 00.59
lthmlti lhlalltl. 105.04
lithium Carolina, “11.311
‘Suuill Dakota, 121.111;
'l‘cnncasco. 79.18
'l‘oxas. 102.011
Utah. 80.00
Vcrlnoiii, 70.30
Virginia 04.00
Washington, 00.00
Wont Virginia, 66.83
Wiuconuin. “" 00.1.5
Wyoming, 1] 184.“
the sake of comparison-mud has hath.
ing in tho end to show for it. A (116
(crouch, without taking into account
,thn saving in street lighting and low
{mixes for all, of say, 11 per cent. at;
:least to the credit of municipal owner-
ishlp lighting.
{ Asset-lions are all right in the ab-
iscncc of nothing better—«thin applies
.10 those herein and to the 011101‘ fel-
ilow’s equally, but “money tailta." so
1110 results, and if municipal ownership
iii) the lighting business is a good
thing., no amount of howling, war-
dancc exhibitions or scare-crows will
prevent municipal ownership lighting
from coining to town. nor does it. need
a brass band or hroworku to annouce
its corals; its service 11113 the bill. in
other .words if under municipal own-
orahip it is possible for two or three
lights to shine where onely one light
could shine before at equal or less
cost, nothing can stem the tide- of
popular utvor for it.
if you are interested in thc subject
of municipal ownership lighting and
are earnest in a desire to know the
facts about it. don't swallow what any
one says on the Siibjec1.~—presciit com-
pany laciuiicdw—crcate your own opio.
ionu, accept none that are ready made
on olihor allio. Just so unbiased with
u ilxcd purpose to believe what you
doc. and thoroughly invostigato thrco
innnicipaliticu. selected-n1 random by
youraclf, that own such piantu: note
all coliilllllinu favorable or unfavora.
bio. then visit. three tuber municipali-
iii-u acioctcd with'oqual impartiality.
that depend omireimivuptm privatu
plants. Be fair in comparing the ad-
vuningca and disadvantaged in each
case and note thov'diffemnco.
'i‘hc rioulls rcptoaeutinman exporio
coco in thin country irrithoolcctrlc
lighting business uildcrh. municipal
owncruhip of loss thaniiifiyeai-a, show
that the wind is blowing. neatly. 11cc—
lmpa. but utoadily in ilta favor, arch
in tho abuoncc of any organized effort.
but why a country mnpmgrcaaivo on
cars ahould have alidwod its public
UNITED B'l‘A'l‘lCS 011114151
19011. with deductions
“taken from ii. 8. caucus Report.
1 Minimum 800.50: ” Average 391.00%
1 Maximum 1164.54; Municipal arm“
1th0 catimatcd at, 364.00; ii Estimated
for liouamlirut by h. E. W. (or 1004
$10.33: ii“ (1. 11!. error corrected by
.1. to. W.
Numhcr of municipal cicctric light-
ing pinata la the United States by
«late: and landowner. doe Control
Station Lint of Member 1901‘.
Mutation. .
,Aiasiht Tea.
Aroma. = ._
’ Arum,
FINANCIAL B'I'A'I'IS'PICS RELATING TO 151.190’1‘1110 LIGHTING l’llAN'l‘B
FROM THE REPORT ()1“ THE 11111161“ S'l‘A'l‘lH'l‘lUlAN W 'l‘lllil
Iii BUREAU '1‘0 JUNE 1,
by A. 11.. Wihrheutcr.
limo Total plmuu. i'rivato pluntu. Municipal plants.
‘Numhor of plum. 3.020 2,800 8111
"flail. 300i.7lil,iibli $482,710,870 . 322020.173
‘i'irouu 11100111". all accrues, [88,700,600 "8.730.500 $0,906,105
"I‘olni capo-nun, 808.081.1170 $02,835,388 - $5,246,987
Profit. $17,010,230 $10,900,112 $1,719,116
“’i‘oiul lioruc-powcr, 1,810,413 1,000,177 1611.238
1w condor pinata to total. 100 77 3%
Manage coat per plant, "119.1131 $178,093 "7.0”
.tvrraxo laconic per plant. 828.871 520.069 “,5“
Moran: oxpcnuc per plant, 018.807 022.101 00.436
Moran profit our plant. 01.807 00.0% 82.100 ,
A‘Icragc homc‘powcr our plant. 502 Bill m
Mango cool pcr horn-pow”. $877 $290 8139
Average laconic par horwpower, 817 047 Ml
Average cxpctm per hom~powcn m m
Avcrairo prom poi- homo-power. $10 010 .10
111001110 .pcr 3i of cool. 3.111979 0.101110 8.3111801
lcxpcmo .r it of cont, 0.13188 “8010 3.23m
l’miil he 31 of coat. $03191 0.032 t 0.07807
....
utilities to hominid no largely manom-
iiiicd by private corporation. iii a
nitration t at wc cohort) «bloc of tho
argument must ark curacivca. Purim
tho vcry<£act of: lip downrnmnd t a
basic wit which it'll“ hitch mailing
protocol: in 111110011 it"l'flil'flml as any.
Wu haven‘t had mulled" have hum
tor) bully rowing gratitv'axul oxpamiioa.
too burr undid; up 11111110111411; down.
organising and reorganizing; to aim
ca muchwhmichi aluminum! snatch
War—pa
bottom in ,
ti
Norwalk Chronicler