The evening herald. [volume] (Shenandoah, Pa.) 1891-1966, 1895-02-09
PUBLIC ILLUMINATION.
Strong Argument Produced FavOring
Borough COntrOllment.

I
to be derived from such movement in
increased revenue for the borough aud
reduced rate to private consumers. All
this, however, has so far come to naught.
The Borough Council has failed tc take
the initiative steps and that may be the
reason the citizens have not acted upon
the suggestion. When the water works
project first came before the people for
ratification in the shape of increased
Indebtedness, many citizens who were
| favorable to the undertaking advanced
the theory that the borough could make
| a much better investment, with far less
| Indebtedness, by purchasing the old
water company's plant and erecting an
electric light station. This was sound
| argument, and perhaps had the plan been
adopted the indebtedness of the town
would to-day have been far less than it is.
The borough, believe, pays at the rate
of sos for each light now furnished, and
while this sum may appear exorbitant,
| yet it is 81 less than what Ashland is
paying. Besides, there are hundreds of
families in the town that would use the
system if the rate was lower With the
dissatisfaction that exists in town in re
gard to the illuminating power furnished
by the two electric light and gas COM
panies, the people would be ripe for the
| borough to procure itA own plant.
There are to day in the neigh borhood of
| forty Pennsylvania towns which operate
their own electric light plants, and in each
case it has proved to be paying invest
ment The reduction in each case from
! the price paid to private companies has
been fully one-half. These are facts that
can be substantiated very easily by
investigation, and no stronger argument
| could be produced in favor of similar
/ movement here. The business men would
| be unanimous in its favor, while the
private individual would derive as much
| be nefit in a reduced rate for their resi-.
| dences.
The slow town of Tamaqua is awaken
ing from its Rip Van Winkle sleeprand
/ is at present engaged in the discussion
whether or not it would be wise to erect
its own plant. They will vote on the
question on February 10th, with strong
sentiment in favor of the movement.
Chambersburg is another progressive
town that has decided to control its own
plant, while Shenandoah, with H. 900 in.
habitants, still fingers in the clutches of
grasping monopoly.
When l say the plant will be selfsus-
tanning, l have only TO point your readers
to the town of Wsatherly, which sus-
tains plant of it's own. Notwithstanding
| fo IL feha ho
cent light to the homes and business
places cheaper than it is furnished in any
other town or city in the state, sufficient
revenue is derived to enable the borough
to furnish arc lights for street illumina-
tion free of all cost, with balance in the
borough's favor. 1 submit here a letter
written by the editor of the Weatherly
Herald upon the subject, and which will
give our citizens food for careful thought.
He says;
The arc and incandescent lights were
put in at the same time. They cost in the
first place about $4,000. / think the
bond issue was to that amount. Since
that time improvements, extra wiring for
incandescent lighting, lamps, converters,
etc, have brought the plants worth to
$50 00s. The rental for incandescent
lights pays the running expenses for both
arc and incandescent, and more. Last
year there was a small surplus over. This
year-'94-the balance will be consider.
able larger, as more lights have been
rented. We have "a arc lights. The
Thomson Houston system is used, and we
claim to have as good light, bright and
steady, as any town or city in the United
States. This is fact, and all strangers
, coming into our town marvel at its
excellency. Incandescent lights are in
almost every house, They are cheaper
than any other. Sixteen candle lights art
put in private dwellings, at 25c per light
per month; business places, 35ci clut
rooms, hotels, SOC. These rates are cheaper
than any town in the country. We dom
pay anything but small tax levied tt
, pay for the bonded Indebtedness. In
; few years the debt will be paid off anC
2 we will have an arc light for nothing
2 You see the rental of the incandescen
? pays for running both. We used to pa,
S65 10 per month for AZ sickly gasolin
lamps, rented from the Pennsylvania
= Globe Gas Light Company. Two mel
! and a boy are employed on the entir
plant. They do the running, wiring
repairing and have full charge of tn
entire plant"
l simply give these facts and argument
/ for the benefit of your readers, with tn
e hope that those who have had occasion
e recently to criticise large gas bills for al
inferior light may see their way clear t.
( boom the project to a successful termina
tion.
INDEX