Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-02-11
AZ 4 MODEL CITY.



be Done In Washington.
10 the Editor Of The Evening Star:
In his able sermon Sunday night Dr..
Talmage advanced the thought that
Washington sheuld become the scene of q
powerful religious awakening, being. as it
is the fountain head Of government and
social life, cosmopolitan city. akin to
north and south, east and west. From
Washington should radiate to all quarters
Of the land the good influences of a re-
ligious uprising.
The Same idea applies with reference to
secular reforms. This city is the ideal
birthplace Of reform. It deserves to be-
come the great ideal school house Of prac-
teal government. This Is Of all others
the American city in which to winnow
us from the hastings year after year. For
the purposes of testing its merits and thus
creating an object lesson I would suggest
the wisdom of tnaugurating here the mu-
nicipal ownership Of an electric light sys-
tenn. The results of such test would
Grove beneficial to all the cities of the
land. A precedent for such action Is
found in our Department Of Agriculture.
which Is the pioneer in all agricultural re-
searches
Municipal government is a problem of
paramount Importance in every American
city. Why not make trial in this CAPT.
tai city OF municipal control Of electric
lighting?
For the benefit of those who doubt the
wisdom Of this plan will cite the case Of
has proven abundantly successful.
An Athens. Ca. letter says: The city
OF Athens has had three months expe-
r ,i in the city ownership of the electric
lights. Eighty-four lights have been
operated at cost of s3S per light per
annum. This expense will be slightly
reduced by the end of the year. Sixteen
date, in fact as soon as the necessary
poles arrive. There has been no accident
since the city assumed control of the
lights and good service has been given
also. The chance Of accident has been
reduced to minimum by the skillful at
tention paid to every detail of the sys-
TEN by the efficient manager, Mr.. p. j.
Voss. Under the old contract the city
under Its own management these lights
will cost s., 400 per annum. This repre-
sents saving to the city of 5000 per
annum. In two years the amount saved
will pay off the 5000 that was paid for
the arc light system when it was pur-
chased by the city.
With such water power as the Great
Falls at our door we should be able to
boast the most thorough as well as the
most economical system OF lighting in all
America.
The telephone service offers field for a
national object lesson. 1t is worth sug-
| costing, at least, that the government
| should own and operate central station
through which all companies doing tele-
phone business in the city be required to
operate. This plan would prevent COM
p!lcations and thus permit that free and
beneficial competition naturally resulting
from the presence Of more than one COM
| pany in the field. That tho service would
be better and cheaper goes without uues-
| tion. Such central station as suggested
| could be made self-sustaining through tolls
| charged the companies using it. II 1t is
| complained that damage and confusion re-
| suit from the too frequent tearing up of
the streets by rival companies l suggest
| that the proper remedy lies in the govern
| ment Cor municpaD ownership of com
| modious conduits under the streets through
| which wires of all kinds should be re.
! CURED TO extend. In the great ideal Amer.
| lean city every street should be equipped
( with conduit large enough to accommo.
date all the telegraph, telephone and cleo.
trie light wires. Such system would
| system of rentals for its use the Original
cost could be gradually wiped out
/ Ii the material interests OF this city were
! as closely guarded by the people as are the
! soclal and political features of our daily
| existence we would presently have a bill
| through Congress providing for commits
| sion or municipal government whose duty
1T should be to seek far and wide for Iigh1
on all topics entering into the life of the
| city Valuable object lessons lie all abou,
| US. Augusta, Ga, has harnessed the mag
| nihcent power in the Savannah river at 8
| cost OF over two millions. The power is
rented out to factories at the rate of s;
| per horse power per annum and from thi,
source sufficient revenue is derived to nav
OH tho interest on the debt and gradually
/ cut down the principal. The enterprise
| has brought over fifteen thousand add
| tional population to the city. The cottor
| mills using this water power employ near.
| ~ 1lVe thousand operatives and pay out ir
| wages about $4,000 per month. xxx