The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1894-09-10

L. the Beard Of Puhifs works In Cen
sempte

sempss
T.coxA, SEPT. 8. - Special - Judge
PritIhard's order citing tbs board OF pubic
works to show cause shy u should net %
held in eontemps has started afrssn fns
electric light discussion, regarding WHICH
the following has been written oJ TO
sponslb.s authority:
Cnder the headline. 'sThe Electric Light
Business" tina Daily Ledger OF Tuesday.
September 4 makes very feease psotest
against the Posr-Ix7ELL1GEscER article en-
titled. ..Complasnts From Tacoma and
even taking the stand that unless the sa-
prene court reverses tbs order the city
viii &c unable 10 compete with the ton-
merciag company IN furnishing lights 20
private consumers. lie furthermore claims
that IL has always taken tais view OF the
case, totally ignoring the fact faat the day
after Judge Priichard rendered his oecl-
sion the Ledger, on August IA. published
different opinion under the following
headline:
1.-THE CITY CAN SELL LIGHTS.
"JUDeE rRrrcHARp DECIDES AGAINST THE
COMMERCIAL KIEcTRIc COMPANY"
If this would not give at least the I'M
preston that the cits bad won their suit.
then the writer Is very much mistaken
with regard 10 the average intesIlgence OF
those few who read the Ledger editorials
Ii the Ledger is not gagged" whv did II
refuse 10 publszh the Commercial Electric
Light and Power Company's" plea which
was assnredly an efninently fair one.
Namely: That the council should APP
point an advisory committee who should
havs II In their power 20 call IN the ser
vices OF an expert TO determine what the
rates ought TO be, and then establish the
same. and the Commercial agreed TO MAIN
tain such rates" The Ledger would not
publish this, but on the other hand in its
editorial column urges the city council TO
act directly in contempt OF court. VIE;
s'Ihe council need be IN no haste TO flx
rates under this decision. In fact il should
delay doing so until the case Is decided In
the higher court. and the appeals should
be prosecuted, and prosecuted with yigor."
What Judge Pritchard thinks OF this
gratueitous editorial advice may be judged
BY his proposed arraignment of the board
for contempt.
In their last editorial the Ledger shows
clearly the anifnus which controls The
paper. Ii openly acknowledges that IL Is
IN favor OF the board Of public works run
ming the Commercial Electric Light and
Power Company out of the field. In other
words, il advocates that prominent citi-
zens, ike Mr.. Chester Ihorne, Mr.. w. b.
Bushnell. BAR. John ). BAKER, Mr.. NJ. A.
Denton. and Others who nave invested
sum aggregating about 5000 IN legiti-
II
granted by the city of Tacoma. should
simply be mulcted not only out of the in
terest, but also out OF the entire capital in
vested, thus using the taxpayers money
to connscate the property owned by cor
poration working under . franchise
granted by the city, aud this Is the pre-
sumaDly unbiased criticism of the leading
newspaper - of the city of Tacoma. VIII
the editorial spirit OF justice which incites
such q procedure also advocate the re-
moval of the wires running from the Ia
coma hotel electrical plant. owned by Mr..
Bennett. to light the Ledger building.
owned by Mr.. Bennett, and extending
down Pacific avenue as far as w. Brad
ley's, 70I Pacific avenue (saloonl. and TAX
ing in EN- route +. Siyak, 500 Pacific av-
enue (saloon) 5. ID. Evans, Ill Pacific av-
enue lsaloon). w. Thompson, SIT Pacific
avenue tsaloon). Stolfe & Co.. SO Pacific
avenue tsaloonl Thatcher & Knox, sl3
Pacific avenue. Manley Bros, corner
Ninth and Pacific avenue. Stewart Il
Holmes, 9l0 Pacific avenue, Tur-
reli Bros. e22 Pacific avenue. and
othersl 10 whom light IL being
furnished for day and night service at 81
month for each lamp. or at rates with
which no legitimate electrical concern
could compele7 The hotel company,
however, has to run its machines. and
consequently until they are filed up the
rate is no ouject, for whatever is taken in
Ia just so much profit. Certainly, If the
city council do their duty they will stop
all isolated plants from running wires
across the streets and furnishing light
without first obtaining a franchise. In
conclusion, let il be here understood that
the Commercial Electric Light and Power
Company would never have cut rates If
the board OF public works had not at
tempted to exterminate them In q city
the size of Tacoma there is room for two
companies. and, if the rates are made so
that living profit can be earned, the
Commercial Electric Light and Power
Company would be the last to make a cut.
providing the isolated plants. which are
the greatest pirates in the business, be en-
joined from crossing the streets and were
confined simply TO their own premises
When the purchase of the light and water
plant by the city was under consider
alton Mr.. Bennett. who was at that time
in the East. telegraphed to q member of
the special water committee of the coun-
Gil, advocating that the said deal be carried
through, but no mention has ever been
made that the Commercial Electric Light
and Power Company be included in the
purchase. The Commercial
Electric Light and Power Company Is
simply lighting for its rights, and pro-
poses, despite the Ledger and the board of
public works, to establish their claim TO
sell light to the citizens OF Tacoma and
not to be driyen out Of the field.