The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1895-09-08
IN SCOTTISH TOWNS
THEY AFFORD STRIKING LESSONS IN
MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENT.
Beautiful and well-Kept streets-City
Ownership OF Lighting Plants and
street-Raflway Systems.


American. 1 do not refer 10 the dignity. of
the architecture and to the picturesque re-
sources OF Edinburgh, with all fits historical
associations. nor to the scenic environment
OF Dundee and Glasgow; but TO practical
evidences OF efficient municipal administra-
tion and progressive government for pro-
noting the welfare of the masses. Tour
lists are ordinarily preoccupied with the
crowned tower of st. Giles, the somber
palace OF Ho1yrood. the rugged majesty of
Artnurs Seat, the quaint beauty Of the
Castle. the classic lines of the architecture.
the refined taste of the Scott monument,
and the loneliness OF the Princess Gardens:
but If they have leisure for a little stern
prose IN poetic. romantic Edinburgh, the
very paving stones in the streets will
preach for them a wholesome homily on
the modern art of municipal government.
How well paved and how clean are the
streets! Surely the glories of antiquity
and the charms OF r~adiantly beautiful see
merry ought not to blind intelligent
American eyes to so plain a proof that the
modern Athens, with all it's intellectual
pre-emlnence and the splendors Of It's his
torical associations, is one of the best gov
erned OF OWNS. Mr.. Bryce told the truth
when he declared that local government
was the weak point in the American svs-
tenn. and the condition of the streets in
nearly all the largest towns of England
and Scotland confirms his testimony. There
nave been. perhaps. a hundred thousand
americans In Europe this season; and few
OF tnem VIII return to their homes without
envyins the English people for their we'll
psrsbia "enrhept streets and their incom-
what is the secret of Matchmaking in a
scfd or an English town? 1t is a deep.
OAAu AUQt LrlGTIniQ hAt
Whether asphalt or blocks of granite or
wood be used the foundation Is always
twice or three times as thick as the ors
binary bed Of concrete in an American
street, Inc country, highways also have
and they are the best roads in the world
When the pavement or the road is finished
4 is not allowed to fall out of repair.
When there are the slightest signs of wear
SO that water collects in shallow hollows
AFTER a shower the pavement is not neg
original condition. The stitch in time that that
saves nine Is always taken Systematic
or a good roadway in town or country,
and this Is admirably managed by the
local authorities, especially in Scotland.
and Glasgow are sprinkled, the machine
sweepers are set In. motion. gangs of men
employed. and behind them are the carts
Tor the removal OF piles OF dirt. Ashes.
refuse and garbage are taken up from
1t Is systematic cleansing and scavengering,
and it is not confined to a few conspicuous
yard. lane and alley is sprinkied. e swept
and garnished. 1t is thorough work lone
with unbroken regularity. under a rigid
system of inspection.
DARKNESS AND DIRT EXERCISED.
The streets OF Glasgow. Edinburgh and
Dundee are brilliantly lighted at night, and
the houses as well, even in the poorest
quarters While electric lighting has been
introduced on a small scale in comparison
with American cities. the of
gas Is very large. and Is steadily increasing
in consequence of the general adoption of
the system OF municipal supply Darkness
and dirt are the twin ogres which are exor-
cised in a Scotch town by the science of
local government. Cheap gas has been pro-
vided by municipalization. Clean streets
ton.
Municipal ownership OF gas works has
been I'm England the natural corollary of
municipal control of the water supply. In
American cities one policy has not involved
the other. but experience in Great Britain
has shown that the business of manufactur-
ing and distributing gas can be most econ
omically and efficiently conducted by NUM-
cipalities- The experiment has been sue
cessfrl wherever it has been tried. The first
outlay in the purchase OF the rights of pri-
vate companies and the enlargement of the
plant Is large, but 1t Is covered by sinking
funds and interest charges extending over
long periods. The accepted method is to
pay off the indebtedness gradually. and to
enlarge the consumption by providing gas
OF good quality at rates so low that the
poorest families will be able to use it. Wis
most universal employment of gas in the
tenement districts. Occupants who can af-
ford to hire only a single living room have
nights of cheap gas. The municipality not
only lights the streets at public expense,
but also the 6ourtyards and common halls
md xfairUQ We nf Cr0W6a6 commandments
There Is not a Scotch town of any pre-
tensions that does not own its own gas
Iish cities outside London have adopted the
same policy The selling price of gas to
shs consumer nns .h is q Little Fec over S,rd two tb nng glnsi
favorable conditions-in Dundee it is three
shillings four pence-and the business of
nomicaliy that it is a source of profit to
the town even with the sinking funds in
oreration for the extinguishment of the
oebt incurred by purchase. In Birming-
ham the gas department now yields a sur
plus OF $4,000. which is applied TO the def
ments. In the Scotch towns gas is coming
into daily use for fuel. and efforts are
made every year TO take off a penny or two
from the consumers rate, so as TO- en-
courage this tendency. When the sinking
funds are rounded out and the gas debts
paid. there will be a material reduction
in the rates. Electric lighting In Glasgow,
Dundee and other towns is already con-
troIled by the town government. so that
llI III 1tAAN VI RAON 4ltAA6 1911 may
be converted into a municipal monopoly.
The system is working admirably wherever
it has been introduced in Great Britain.
Some communities are still tagging behind
tire most enterprising and best governed
owns, and remain dependent upon private
companies. which are compelled TO pro-
vide a cheap gas service from the fear OF
losing ultimately their franchises and
privileges. but municipal ownership of the
gas supply is now an established principle
of progressive local government in the
United Kingdom.
CITY OWNERSHIP OF TRAMWAYS.
So also is municipal ownership OF tram
ways. although the operation Of them by
departments of the local government is
still in a tentative stage. The Fundamental
principle which has governed the municipal
tiles in their relations with tramway COM
panies is absolute ownership of the streets.
When George Francis Train and his assoc
ciates undertook to introduce the street,
car system in Glasgow the town authori-
ties offered strenuous opposition TO the in
vasion OF the highways by a corporation.
They preferred 20 construct the first rail-
ways as municipal works. and to lease
them to corporations with the privilege
OF operating them for a term OF years