The Portland daily press., 1896-11-03

at all times. Attention may here proper
ly be asked to tho nature of the current
proposed for inoandescent lighting py
this bidder. His current for the propos ed
supply OF these lamps il an alternat Ing
current which is OF exceedingly high
voltage and dangerous to life, the current
indeed selected for the execution OF
criminals in New York and other states.
The current used by this company Is the
continuous current which 1t Is we'll
known, Is not capable of fatal injuries.
The same bidder in making his propo-
sal has referred to this company as a
monopoly in view of the provisions OF
chapter 1902 of the Public Laws of Maine
of 1895. | cannot regard these provisions
as comforting monopoly upon the COM
panies existing at tie date of the ap-
prevail of the act. Their effect is simpl y
to guard one artificial person constituted
by legislative authority against IN
reasonable competition and an unjust ex-
ercise of the power OF eminent domain by
another such artificial person. Corpora
tions as is well known owe their ex
istence solely to the legislature and the
creator may reasonably impose such con-
ditions upon its creatures as may seem
best. The act in question was not hastily
passed, but was drafted by COMMITTEES
appointed at the suggestion of our
present governor, was the deliberate act
of the legislature and received in due
course the approval of the executive.
These provisions are harmonious with
and an expression.of the unwritten law
of the legislature in dealing with the
question of water supply. In no case,
believe, has a charter been granted to a
corporation to furnish water to terri
tory which was already being supplied
by an older corporation. unless provision
was made for the purchase of the works
of the lattsr. A similar provision is,
am informed, in force in Massachusetts.
Any other course would not be produc-
tive of good either to the corporation or
municipality.
In the absence of such provision,
company might be organized to compe te
with an existing company for the sole
purpose of compelling the latter to pur-
chase it's property and rights, cutting of
rates follows and either the bankruptcy
of both companies or the purchase by one
of the other which continues the bust
ness with increased rates or impaired SER
vice, or bot b. In either event neither
private takers nor the municipalities
have been benefited.
Certainly the rates charged by this
company are quite as low, in proportion
to tho price Of coal as they are in other
localities, as Is shown In the committees
report.
This company Whose stockholders are
almost wholly citizens of PortIand) has
nothing to conceal or withhold, either
from the city or its citizens. Six years
ago 1t afforded the chairman of the COM
mittes on street lighting every facility
for the examination of it's books and
affairs. In the same spirit 1t has entered
upon the present discussion and seeks
only just and fair arrangement which
shall give the city its product on the
most libelal terms consistent with it's
own existence, the renewal Of its plant
with devices suited to hest generate ard
distribute it's product with the greatest
safety. and a fair return upon Its capital.
AS purely business matter. therefore
this company urges the adoption of the
ten year contract. 1t urges 1T because 1T
believes that under it the city and
private takers would obtain the best and
most economical service. or to adopt the
words Of Mr.. Milliken, the president of
the company:
"The reason for naming SO much lower
rate for ten year contract than for one
year, is that 1t would enable the company
to make extensive changes in their
station, both in kind and arrangements
which would economics in the cost of
operating and thereby produce large
saving, which the company could not
afford to make unless they were assured
of along contract"
Mr.. e. G. Jordan said he ha been en-
gagged in making the surveys for the
Gorhara plan. He was pleased to see the
fair way in which the Consolidated Com
pnny had met the situation, and tho ex-
cellent proposition which they had made.
He wished also to commend the fulness
and exhaustiveness of the report But
he thought that word should be said
in favor OF lighting by water power. The
statements made by the Frank Ridlon
Company that an auxiliary steam power
was necessary for every water electric
lighting system, was altogether too
strong. 1t was ridiculous letter and
simply an attack upon MIR. Peterson g
scheme.
As to the home company, If the light
ing can be done at the figures which it
makes, he would be In favor of the city
accepting the offer. The offer to have
the poles and wires appraised was an
eminently fair one. The home company
said nothing about commercial lighting,
but neither did Mr.. Peterson. As citi
zen of Portland he favored thar the COM
pany should give the city lighting at
he'd rock prices, taking the profits from
commercial business. However. he
thought the CITY should take the one year
contract, even though more costly, for
the reason that the strides in electrical
development are very rapid and the city
should be in position to take advantage
of them.
He did not think the law of the legis-
lature already referred to was so harmless
as had been urged. He did not know
why the state should keep competition
away from an electric light company any
more than. from survey ors. lawyers or
doctors.
The question came up whether the
Consolidated Company in it's offer to sell
it's poles to the city, meant TO stipulate
that at the end of the ten years, 1t
should continue to furnish the power for
light or whether the city at the end of
that time could use the poles for power
from other sources.
Mr.. Jordan said he supposed the latter
was the INTERPRETATION INIT ha +ovor.d