The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1895-07-12
ELECTRIC LIGHT IN BLOOMSBURY.
THE VOTE THEREON.
To tie Editor of tie, Colum6ia1:

do oluild1Ce NO. o4, Oh the town
council, is Immediately impending.
1t seems that but little interest has
been felt or exhibited on the subject,
and nothing has been said editorially
by the newspapers thereon. Now, on
so important question as that of in
creasing the debt of the town $4,000
or upwards for Il new electric plant,
there ought to be full information and
due consideration given to the sub
ject. And besides, we ought to un.
derstand whether the popular vote, as
proposed to be taken, will be lawful
and fair vote.
BY the Act Of Assembly Of 1891,
p. l.. 90, boroughs are authorized to
manufacture electric light for COM
merclal purposes, but upon the ex-
press condition that in case of an
existing electric light company in the
borough, authorized to furnish and
already furnishing electric lights to
such borough or the public" the bor-
ough shall purchase the works of such
electric light company upon agree
ment, if practicable, otherwise upon
assessment, with the right of appeal
by either party to the proper court.
This is the present law upon this sub
ject and it will be seen that in the
case Of any borough where an electric
light company was in operation at the
date of the Act, it could not manu-
facture and sell electricity to the in
habitants of the borough or for pri-
vate use therein, without taking and
paying for the works of the existing
electric company.
Now, the "Bloomsburg Electric
Light and Power Company" was in
corporated by letters patent from the
Governor Of the Commonwealth, on
the nth of December, 1880, and was
at the date of the Act of 1891, en-
gagged in furnishing electricity to the
inhabitants of the town. So that il
the Act of 1891 applies to Blooms.
burg, the town authorities cannot fur
nish electricity to the inhabitants upon
rates of charge, or as the Act ex.
presses it, for commercial purposes,
without taking and paying for the
works or property of the Electric
Light Company.
AS the Light Company claims to
have expended $50, 900 for their prop
erty, tits plain that an appropriation
of their works would be costly to the
town, and would require another pop
ular vote to authorize it to be made
II follows that the establishment o.
electric light works by the town vii
not cheaper electric light to the bust
ness men and other citizens of the
town, but the operation of such work:
will be confined to the street lamps
and town hall. There would then bt
three costly establishments or works
for lighting in Bloomsbury, viz: The
works Of the gas company with un
derground pipes extending to all parts
of the town, the electric light works
with poles and wires for the exclusive
supply Of electricity to the inhabitants
and business places of the town, anC
lastly the town works with seconc
set of poles and wire threading all o
the principal streets and some of thu
by-ways Of the town. We assume
that neither the authorities of tn,
town nor the people thereof woulC
ever agree to buy the works of tn,
existing electric company at cost O
$4,000 or upwards, or submit to al
assessment therefor by jury at al
extravagant rate such as comhonl
prevails in damage cases against town
and corporations.
BY the Constitution Of Pennsylvs
MIA, Art. TX, Sec. 8, it is provide,
that no municipality (Which would in
clude Bloomsbury shall incur indebt
edness exceeding seven per cent. ur
on the assessed value oftaxable proper
therein, nor shall it incur any ne'
debt or increase its Indebtedness t
an amount exceeding two per centur
without the assent of the electol
thereof at a public election, in sue
manner as shall be provided by Law
BY the Act of April aoth, 1874, SEE
S, P. l.. 6S, relating to municipal il
debtedness and the increase of tn
same, it is provided that "The wor
Indebtedness, used in this Act, sha
be deemed, held and taken to includ
all and all manner of debt, as we
floating as funded, of the said munic
pality and the net amount Of sue
Indebtedness shall be ascertained |
deducting from the gross amour
thereof, the moneys in the treasury, a
outstanding solvent debts, and a
revenues applicable, within one yea
to the payment of the same" I'll
3rd Sec. Of the same Act which pr
vided that when the corporate autho
tiles propose to increase the debt tw