Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1897-06-20
\ QUESTION
 IF INTEREST.
SHALL WE HAVE 4 COMPETING
 ELEcTalC LIGHT PLANT.
Such an Enterprise Would Save the Citizens Over $23, ,ooo Annually.

by our citizens in the success of tie Pine Bluff Power and Transit Com pany in it's efforts to obtain from the city council, charter f9r the purpose Of erecting and operating an electric lighting plant and street railway. sonae mouths q g5. Messi.s. N Fl. Langford, j.. E, York, W. L. DeUoodv. B N. Galhraith, NJ. A Austin. N. E. Trulack. simon Bloom and Dr. j W. Nithers. realizing the necessity 4f q competing electric light plant in our city. got together and organized I calEpany with an earnest purpose to buili and opsratp at the earliest possible moment an eleettic lighting plant. Cur oitizeDs Were elated over the prospect as- snred by the gentlemen composing this company. Everyone realized that for once in he history of the progress af our city, its aNi- wors thy, eiefgeeie and capable citizens had aroused themselves To meet the crying needs of the city and its in- hahitants. and to reliese them from the grinding. eXasbitant nnl arhi- trarY rules ahd charges af the com pang which. at present. has d eoln= piefe monopoly in that fell
 fhis company having completed its organization, and each and evert
 member feeling determined to carry
 to slscess t!Ie obj 'ct of it's iacorpo
 ration. caused ] charter to be araft- ed asking tue city council to grant
 if the privilege to erect and operate
 aH electric lighting plant ana an
 electric street railway. Prom some
 efllise which is not satisfactory ta
 the majority of our citizens, these
 ordinances have remained under
 consideration by the council fve af
 six months without final action In
 the meantime. tile present monopoly
 has gone on charging the city and
 it's inhabitants the usual eyhorhi-
 tant rates for lights and power fur nished.
 Jus as this company was matur- ing it's plans and feeling most as
 sured of it's abiity to carry out ifs
 phrpose it was met unexpectedly by
 opposition from the council in it's hesitancy and, maybe refusal, to grant the franefise as asked by the calnpany. We learn that the coun-
 cilnlen have nu objections to the terms of the franchise sought, but
 want tosconpel forfeiture of tie electric lighling franchise if the com- pany shall fail to construct and opp crate an electric street car line. The
 objections urged by the councilnen
 are feasible and would be frought with conclusive force if we were not situated as We are. The need of T complete electric lighting plant ins our city is SD apparent that almost any sacrifice should be made to se- cure it. It is earnestly believed by the promoters of this corporation that it can. be niide self-sistaining, not withstainlip2 he sevare test in competition to which it will be put bv the present company. In proof of their conviction. 1 hey are willing fo invest their nieans to this end While, on the other hand. if they are required to iaopar1ize the heavy in- vestnents that would be necessary to establish this electric ligh. ing plant in the face of the competition and obstacles the, will meet from the present company. and in addi- ton to that, are required to build and operate Il street ear line af Il time when they are most severely tested by this competition. the bur- den wonli be too much for them to 1 carry and theeilterpri-e would have r, be abandoned.
 .fhe encorporaturs of this coiu- 1 pany are all representative citizens I and large real estate owners of the city. and are ;is much Il part of our 'lty and us deeply interested in its | future prosperity as any body of ! men in 1t canlJ be brought together | or granted q franchise from the city. | II cannot be successfully urged by ihe cenncil that this colnpa ywoull | not build and operate street car lineat as early a day as it would he practical for anyone tt ao 50. The present company was granted and [ is now operating its electric lighting plant under ! charter which does is,t require il |, ib,iiiii iii,si s'I,sTsi, Il street car line. Then. to require the new company to enter the field against the already well established plant. with hp burden of establishing f