The record-union., 1897-07-29
MUNICIPAL MANAGEMENT.


All questions have two sides, that of
municipal ownership of public utilities
not excepted. Here, for instance, comes
J. NJ. Francisco with a paper read be-
fore the National Electric Light Asso-
citation, in which he combats the idea
that municipality can furnish its
lights as cheaply as it can rent them
or contract for them.
1t is set forth that numerous towns
and cities which have tried the ex
pertinent have failed for the reason
that political control is always extrav-
agant when it comes to operating an
industry. and because the item of de-
probation of tax-paying electric prop
erty offsets any possible gain by the
city, and thus affects widely other in
dustries, so that there is no real ben
The essayist, among other places.
cites the city Of Detroit, where they
We're to have cheap municipal lighting
under city ownership. The cost of
SS4 20 a lamp, according to the Off
cial reports at the end of the first year.
To this is added s per cent. deprecia-
ton, insurance and some other Incl
dentals, amounting to $27 80, so that
the cost jumps up to SIP a lamp.
Then he cites Springfields expert
ence, in the State of Illinois. There it
was held that the lights could be run
at $50 lamp a year. After eighteen
months trial experts were put at work
to ascertain how the city stood, and
their report shows that the plant cost
$99,379 instead of 100000. as esti-
mated, and the cost of operating per
lamp per year was S93 64, instead of
$50, as estimated. It will take the city
under its financial system fourteen
years to acquire full title from the
contractors, and in that time the ma
chinery will be worn out and have to
be renewed. Where lights are rented,
or had by contract, the cost of replac-
ing machinery IS avoided by the mu-
nicipality, Mr.. Francisco holds. Other
cases are cited at length, and the con-
clusion reached that a municipality
can rent cheaper than it can own light
ing plants.
The essayist replies to the answer
that Glasgow is so successful in her
municipal ownership. by pointing out
that tho conditions in GlacoroVx- ora NOT
American. For instance. he quotes the
Lord Provost as saying that the state
ment is untrue that the sale of fran
chises in Glasgow pays all city ex-
The Glasgow street railway is owned
by the city. 1t pays its motormen So
cents a day of ten hours work. and
charges the people 6 cents fare for
five and one-half miles Of ride, whereas
in America they may travel twice and
three times that distance for cents.
In Boston. for instance, the West End
road carries passengers sixteen miles
for five cents, and pays its motormen
81 % day of nine hours work
This is in part the other side of the
matter, and to all questions of this or
der there are two sides. Fairness. hon
esty and economy demand that there
shall be 'cool and dispassionate exam
inatfon of all such matters before form
ing judgments. In the case of the es-
sayist referred to. his point that po-
litical control is uneconomic is one that
unquestionably is very strong, but it
loses much of its force wherever it
can be shown that the people of a city
IN the conduct of their domestic af-
fairs involving expenditure for local
needs do business for the city as they
would for themselves.
This is by no means to be understood
as saying that in doing so it is neces-
sary to destroy political fealty or aban-
don party principle, for on strict po-
litical lines these can be fought over
without sacrificing business economy
to political gods or turning business
matters over to bosses to be made into
loayes and fishes.