The San Francisco call., 1896-04-15
City Fathers Make Revela-
tionS in the Matter of
Economy.
MUNICIPAL LEAGUE FORMED.
A Convincing Report of the Expense
of One Hunired Months of
0wnersh p.

their hands, and they and their sup
porters look on the Oakland Gas, Light
and Heat Company as their bugbear.
Ten wears ago the Jenney Electric Light
ing Company entered into business here,
received franchise and supplied the light
for fifty-two arc lamps to the city at a
cost of 1923 per month The city eventu-
ally bought out the company and its pant
for $4,000, which is claimed was at least
twice its actual value, and in February of
this year were running 100 arc lights,
2G00-Candle power, at cost of slightly
over So per month, and 1885 incandescent
lights to private consumers, for which
they received over $3.50 per month.
The electrician in charge, G. a. Wiese,
has no less than 800 applications for 1000
new incandescent lights, and the Trustees
are anxious TO erect more arc lights. To
do this more power and electricity is re-
quired.
After considering the difficulty, the City
Trustees decided on enlarging the city IS
electric lighting plant and at the same
time ueaIing with another large expense
that confronted them monthly, viz. the
payment on the average OF $1,000 per month
for eight. months Of the year for street
sprinking. They determined on sinking
q well on their sections a the south end OF
Park street, where the electric works are
installed, using salt water instead of fresh
for sprinking the streets. and utilizing
the engines that generate the electricity at
night to pump the water in the day time.
Accordingly bids were advertised for,
and on February it was decided to pro-
cure new engines and boilers at a cost Of
Sl5,502, and sink well for which the CITY
Urea the nf SiQ-
Later on In the month a new go kilo-
watt incandescent dynamo was purchased
for the sum OF $7463. This dynamo is
guaranteed to be able to furnish electricity
for 1000 incandescent lights OF 16-candle
power. The old dynamo, which originally
$500, and other old stocks and fittings
sold, reducing the total Indebtedness in
Cured from $25, 432 to $2I, 732.
Mr.. Britain, secretary of the Oakland
Gas Light and Heat Company, con,ended
publicly that his company could supply
light much cheaper than the city could
This started the agitation and though Mr.
Britain failed TO materialize at the meet
ing OF the City Trustees to discuss his
claims as arranged the agitation still kept
up, famed in some measure bv the atti-
tude ofthe local press toward the project.
The opponents Of the scheme then
sought the aid of the courts and at the in
EdtIOAl VI JOIlll l6luliR, dIl attorney III
San Francisco but G resident of Alameda,
an injunction was served upon the City
Trustees to restrain them from improving
the city electric light plant. The iniunc-
Iion was dismissed three weeks after on
the motion of the City Attorney, Z. K.
Taylor. The Trustees Immediately held a
meeting and approved of bills to the
amount of $3300-part payment for housing
and erecting plant-but the City Treasurer
has not paid the same, inasmuch as a
second in njunction was at once served upon
the board and again proceedings were at
a standstill.
A new factor has also appeared in the
statement that cities of the fifth class,
such as Alameda, have no right under their
citizens, and one gentleman. f. Delaney,
bookReepeT for the Sterling Electric Sup
ply Company, San Francisco, applied tC
the city for franchise to test the point.
To further the interests of Alameda city
and other cities similarly situated a mu-
nicipal league was formed, preliminary
meeting arranged for and the Municipal
League of Alameda, No. l, was instituted
The statement of principles, to which no
less than $50 signatures have been already
obtained, and which constitute the mem
bership in the league, is as follows:
1 believe in the maintenance of municipal
ownership and operation of an electric light
! indorse the proposition to enlarge said
plant from time to time, as public necessity
may demand, so as TO provide for the lighting
OF our streets and public buildings in such a
manner as may be pride to our citizens, who
wish the same, with electric lighting at mini-
mum cost.
l indorse the policy of city ownership OF
water supply and means of distribution, and
favor the acquisition thereof by the city of A /
ameda as soon as practicable.
Some of the most respectable, wealthy
and conservative citizens of the town have
become members thereof.
Tbere are now nearly 400 names on the
mem hership roll aud the numberis steadily
increasing. The management is in the
hands of an executive committee of seven,
whose names are a guarantee that the or
ganization is controlled by preventative
business men. They are the following
Frank H. Mccormick, Pacific Coast agent
OF the Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific
Railway, president; DR.. E. S. Clark
oCulist and aurist, ce-president; Her,
man Krusi, vice president and manager oil
the San Francisco Bridge Company Green
Ma jors, attorney George +. Plum
mer, wealthy ship grocer; Colonel J. j.
Tobin, deputy Internal Revenue Collector
and Captain Z. A. Won Schmidt, practical
dredging man. The secretary is b. c.
Brown, official stenographer TO the Master
in Chancefy OF the United States Circuit
Court.
The league contends that municipal
ownership OF light and water is right,
Just ana proper, is cheaper and more
economical 10 the taxpayer, is at all times
valuable asset, and properly managed,
Is mach TO be preferred to having these
pubNc necessities OF life ladeIed out by
private corporations when, where and how
they choose, and at the expense of the tax
payer.
To still further this idea q public meet
ing was helu IN the council cham Der of the
City Trustees Saturday night. Carl Con
ping Plehn, professor of political economy
OF the University of California who has
made special study. of the question OF
municipal ownership, made the principal
speech of the evening. The meeting was
presided over by Frank ii. Mccormick,
president of the league. Charles E.
Naylor, the expert employed by the
league, also read his report. 1t was
shown by figures that instead of the citv
PARTING with all its lighting property in
1873 TOR the sum OF $325 as contended by
one of the local naperS ~ r.a1l,, bod .