The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1893-03-03

c. II. Riggs Presents Some Interest
ing Facts to the Social
Science Clubs
Cost of Lighting i'm Different Cities
where the Plants Are City
Property.

A largely attended meeting of the
Social Science Club was held Tuesday
night. The subject for the evening
was Municipal Industries" and G.
II. Higgs read an interesting paper
upon the subject, touching upon the
points Of municipal control of water
supply, lighting and transit. That
portion relating to the city owner
ship Of the lighting plant is Of inter
est to our people, as the matter is be-
ing discussed {: good deal in quiet
way. Believing that the question
should be considered thoroughly and
intelligently, the FREE PRRss would
be pleased TO give space to any signed
communications upon the subject,
bearing upon it pro or con, as upon
any other subject Of public interest.
Mr. Higgs in his paper says:
That municipal control Of water
supply, electric and gas light
ing, and transit lines cheapens the
cost is no longer a theory but dem
Onstrated fact.
The subject covers so much ground
that have not time ia the limits Of
this paper to give as extended and
complete proof and statistics as might
be given. | shall have TO cover the
ground as briefly as possible.
In the matter of the water supply
we have advanced farther than in the
other lines. Public control Of water
works is the rule now in this country
rather than the exception, and no ar
gument is needed to prove the rule or
its beneficial results.
In the matter of public ownership
and control Of electric light and gas
plants the American people have been
singularly slow, while in Great Brit
ain and Europe public lighting has
for years been taken as matter OF
course: state of affairs which Bel
lamy characteriZes asa striking Illus
tratiOn of the incomprehensible man
ner in which the United States has
Jagged behind monarchial and arts
tocratic states in the practical applica-
tion of it's own patented idea of popu-
lar government"
At the beginning Of the year 1891
Edward Bellamy states less than a
dozen American towns had tried pub
lie electric lighting, and but a few
people had heard of the experiment.
Before the close of the year Is towns
in Massashusetts,as many more inOhio
and scores of others all over the union
were owning and operating public
lighting plants and the increase in
1892 was greater than in 1891. The
number of cities owning electric light
and gas plants would be even greater
| than at present were it not that in
many states municipal corporations
are prohibited by their charters and
by constitutional provisions from in.
curing debt beyond small percent OF
the taxable basis of the community,
La several instances where relief was
sought from the state legislature
private generations have been able
to defeat the bills. Inability to issue
bonds prevented Milwaukee from eS
tablishing a plant; and it is reported
that at the present time the private
lighting companies of New York City
are making desperate fight to defeat
a city charter permitting the estab
lishment Of public plant.
Nevertheless the matter of public
lighting is making rapid strides and
the probability is thaG in very few
years private ownership of electric
and gas plants will be a thing Of the
past.
between public and private operation
of lighting plants has been SO otter
demonstrated, and in so many differ
ent sections of the country, and the
difference is so great, that in the mat
ter of economy there is no ground fol
contention.
In the current number Of the ReUaeu
Of ReUielCS there is an article which il
Illustrates this point fully. The tables
on electric lighting compiled by Mr.
Robt.J. Finley seem to have been very
carefully gotten up with a view tC
furnishing a fair and actual compar
iSOn of the relative economy of the
two methods. He has obtained re
ports from % cities and towns, in l;
different states from Maine to Arkan
Sas, which own and operate electric
light plants and gives for each towr
the number Of arc lights operated, O.
2000 candle power each, the period O.
Illumination, the total cost Of plants
and the actual cost per light per year
To make fair comparison he ha
selected from the government repOr
on gas and electric lighting compiled
; for the second session Of the 56th con
gress, 20 cities and towns lighted b.
= private companies, taking as near a
, possible plants Of the same size AM