The Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Or.) 1862-1899, 1891-07-24
WHAT Is TO Be DONE.
Corvallis. ORpnou I,,v *

e~~"JeSoo VI PupIc INTEREST. some
time last spring, if mistake not, noticed
something in the local papers relative to the
municipal ownership of public works, or
works in their nature public, such al else4
trio light, water works; etc.
Being somewhat impressed With the ides
OF the city owning its own water and slec-
trio plants took OCCASION to mention II to
several of The Council and also to sou1s of
the leading citizens of Corvallis:
l was at that time. like sonte other citi-
zens' inclined to trge immediate action on
part OF the Cddncil and have the question
of city ownership, or not, submitted to /.
vote OF the people at once; but the sulgass.
tion was made, and I confess that its wiz.
dom weighed SO heavily>on me as to cause
me to Immediately yield my own inclination
TO 1t; the suggestion was made thas owing
to the approaching election and the prob.
able changes in the conncil which would res
suit, that the whole question of the nunici.
pal ownership of public works should be
postponed until after the election. And
the suggestion was quite generally adopted
and we have heard very little on the SUBJ
ject since.
Now we have new council, q new char.
ter, and. think, progressive spirit on the
part of the citizens of Corvallis, notwith.
standing the fact that this is the 10Th of
July and nothing done yet in the wav of
public improvements, aud what is the city
going to do about it?
II am correct the city pays Something
over eight hundred dollars pef auuum fof
electric light. That ,s interest at ten pef
cent ON more than half the cost of the
whole plant. l am authoratatively inform.
ed that the commercial FOIL. Or the private
lighting, now yields revenue of about terf
per cent. ON the whole cost of the plant:
The meter rate for inside light is one and
one-half cents per hour per lamp u sixteen
candle power.
Now supposing the city owned the cleo:
trio light plant at cost of Sl5,O 900 think
it could be bought for some less. but say
$4,000. The purchase itio1eey would bs
raised by issuing city bonds for the amount
which would probably sell at par and draw
6 per cent. interest which would amount to
$500 interest annually. That is less thsr
500 more than what the city Is now psyind
for electrict light each year. And the nun.
Der OF street lights seems to be gradually
The cost of maintaining the
electric light plant and operating It. I AMI
informed is considerably less than the
amount derived frem the commercial rotf or
private lighting. Now if be correct in alt
this, would it not be to the interest of the
city to own its own electric light plantf
That is buy out the prescott owners. Tho
franchise is becoming more valuable each
year and the business is Increasing and with
proper management it ought to pay for it.
self before the bonds, which would be issu-
I'd to buy it, would mature.
If the city owned its own electric plant
it could reduce the price of light ons.ttirf
and according to data within the reach Of
Ill, still derive sufficient profit to pay the
bonds at maturity. know Of quite good
many persons who have sfgnfiied resdinsss
20 use electric highs. who now use OH ~
soon as the price is reduced. Probably the
increased number of consumers would moro
han counter-balance the difference in reve.
iue caused by the reduction in the price.
Another thing which might be mentioned
Il this connection is suggested by the pres:
nee of an arc. light on Main street. The
present street lights cost So per light per
month. The arc light world cost $l2 or
,.ore. But the incandescent light which
We now have is of 25 candle power
whilst the arc is 200 candle power. Obvil
usly it weuld reqttire lesser number Of
rc than incandescent lights. Which would
'e the more economical for the city? Twill
onfess 1 don't know. But if the city
we're the owner of its own plant it cottM
xercise it's own discretion perhaps n8
asily than now as the cost of producingt
re light is said not to be relatively IA,
xcess OF the cost of producing the inEap
ent
The general impression which /
altered frori the urwritten history
ecent city election, seem to be
ltizens OF Corvallis selected tffei
nen with view OF getting progff
nto the city government who
heir wisdom, give proper after
ETC., which so
roperty owners are demshd
vas the dominent idea on the
lectors would it not be
onncil to act. The suntfn
one.