Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1894-11-01
THE ELECTRIO LIGHT MONOPOLY'I
PLEA FOR WRITAKER.


rally comes out in the THt6lHgeRcer in a
/ lengthy mis-statement 10 defense Of Mr..
I n. E WHITLKER's work and vote against
the interests OF Wheeling in behalf Of
this private corporation in the matter
OF the Wheeling electric light bill. As
TO the astouIshingly incorrect figures
and INSCRIPTIONS assertions made 10
this statement OF the monopoly, they
are completely and effectualiy disposed
Of in an article in our local
columns this morniag, which goes
into the subject 10 detail, Civ
ing the facts aud figures from
the records Of the gas Office and Couu-
! Gil. completely dispOsing Of the IN
blusbing Measurements and claims of
the monopoly 10 behalf Of It's supporter
as against the peoples interests, Mr.. n.
/ f. WHITAREE.
To begin with, this corporation has
powerful amount Of pure gall to open
It's mouth az all 10 this matter. Every
member Of Council at the time the cor
poration was asking for the privileges
OF the streets will remember that the
objection on The part Of members
/ 70 granting the right was
made that the city as soon as the
electric light was perfected and came
into general use would want TO adopt
the new light and furnish it to her citi-
zens, herself, as she did gas Il was plainly
ioreseen that il would never do to allow
the privilege Of furnishing light TO the
citizens 10 go ont OF the city's hands,as
was threatened by the change from gas
to electricity and the granting Of the
right asked by this private corporation.
And 10 was expressly stated to said cor
Uoration and fully understood when the
right was granted, that the city was to
90 into the manufacture and sale to her
citizens OF electric light as soon
as the then new light was
perfected. The company sIgnlHsd its
entire willingness to abide by that
agreement that the city should add
an electric light plant TO its gas works
wheuevsr il chose 10 do so, declaring
boldly tbatit feared no competition from
the city or anyone else. And, now, be-
hold, this same company, when that
time came aud the city saw that its gas
plant might become an expensive en-
cumbraucs instead of a splendid and |.
safe source Of increasing revenue, If it
were not we're not allowed 10 add .
to it an electric plant, behold, We |
say, this same company that feared no
competition and was willing at any /
, me to yield TO the city, now claiming |
that the city was attempting, TO quote |
the corporations organ, "a piece of /
lsgalized robbery" and was Overstep-
ping the right of private citizens who
bad engaged tn this business A more
bare-faced piece Of hypocrisy than this
complete change Of front on the part
Of the corporation, as soon as it had
obtained the rights il sought, could not
be imag ned. The CITY had gratuitousIy
granted 10 q right Uwuvu ana euyvyev-
by the city in the manufacture and sale
OF gas. with the distinct understanding
that the city also reserved this right as
il applied TO electricity, aud would use
n whenever deemed advisable, and then,
behold, this former humble corporation,
assuming the attitude OF dictator and
declaring the city without any rights
whatsoever I'm the matter, and, despite
the practically unanimous plea Of the |
taxpayers. getting its servant in the /
LEGISLATURE. Mr.. n. Z. WHITAKER, to !
defeat the will Of the people, 70 nulliiy /
the rights Of the city aud to grossly be-
tray his constituents, all to enable |
this monopoly TO hold on TO /
the Fat thing 1t is making at
the expense not only Of the |
consumers OF its poor and dear light |
but Of every taxpayer in the city by the |
practical transfer Of the lighting -ave-
nues that should GO TO the city TO the |
pockets Of this corporation.
The claim that that concern is fur /
nisbing light cheaper than the city |
could or anything like as cheap, is alb |
surd. II it we're true the corporation
would not have tried to shut the city
out. It's offer TO furnish arc light for
the streets at SO per lamp, included a
ten year contract with privilege Of re-
newing and exemption from t0ration the
whole Of the time, while its claim that
the city is now paying 500 per light is
untrue, the official figures referred
20 In our local columns showing that the
lights are costing the city less than
Sol, a figure the corporation could not
under any conditions begin to touch.
The same plea, it will be remembered,
was raised by the old gas company, to
whom the citizens were paying $3.50
for gas. But the city took hold and
the people are now paying IS cents for
better gas.
When the city put in its present arc
light plant extra arrangements we're
made in the way Of engine and founda-
tons for the putting in OF an incande-
scent plant aud though Mr.. WHIT
AMER had once succeeded in de-
feating the city, no one ever dreamed
that the city would again be refused