The herald., 1897-05-13
PASADENA

PASADENA
PASADENA, May 12.-(Regular Core.
spondence.) It is pretty generally under
stood that the Pasadena and Los Angeles
company have renewed their proposition to
light the streets of the city in return for a
monopoly of the transportation facilities,
with the understanding that the council
will not insist on the condition named by
the city attorney as a guarantee that the
company will fulfill 1t obligations. namely.
that the stock of the road be deposited with
a trustee as security to the city. 1t is to
be hoped that this is not true, yet 1t seems
to rest upon good evidence and is very gen
orally believed. the trustees themselves i'm
plying as much. although they will not
make a definite statement to that effect.
or course 1t goes without saying that the
people have the same opinion as ever, If
anything considerably strengthened by this
latest move. In a canvass made this after
noon The Herald found but one man who
had changed his mind after signing the
petition asking that the Terminal be adj
nitted to the city over the route asked for,
and 1t is safe to say there are not more
than five or six out of the 1900 signers of
that petition who have changed their minds
since signing 1t. If 1t turns out to be true
that the trustees have backed down and
are now willing to do the bidding of the re
organization committee of the electric
road. the people will not be in a very pleas
ant frame of mind over it, especially since
the recent developments in electricity by
means OF water power have shown that
1t will be very greatly cheapened soon and
that Pasadena can profit by this If left free
m pf 10 Mr nf ba
Terminal ths morning and the terms of
the proposed franchise were arranged, with
the prOviso that If the matter is fixed up
with the Pasadena and Los Angeles COM
pany, as now seems probable, there would
be no opportunity allowed for the Terminal
to bid on the franchise at all.
The terms of the proposed franchise were
gone over in detail, and radical changes
were required by the board, through the
city attorney. One was that the franchise
be given for twenty instead of fifty years,
and another that iron covered cutters be
constructed by the Terminal at every inter-
section of paved streets over which it
proposes to run.
All of the changes and conditions were
agreed to by the Terminal through its
representative. That gentleman regards
the conditions as onerous, but waived OBJ
lection to them.
lHdI tHe pOSitiOIl OI ne f1eTdIu Is SuS-
tanned Is evidenced by the following inter-
views taken at random from among the
business men. The local papers have the
following editorials:
THINK 1T OVER"
"This mornings Herald contains a sug-
gestion in regard to the matter of street
lighting that Pasadena citizens might well
consider. The town of Riverside pur-
chases electric power from the Redlands
company at the rate of So per horse power
for night and day service. The town put
In distributing system and furnishes
lights to private residences at such low
rate that competition has been shut off
and yet the city makes enough profit to
pay all it's street lighting bills. Thus pub
lie lighting costs nothing. Capital is now
being directed to the development of the
water powers as never before in Southern
California. There is a lesson here for Pas
adena.'-Star.
"MUNICIPAL LIGHTING'
1.-THE attention of the readers of the News
10 called to the article headed A Chance for
Pasadena in another column. 1t shows
what immense power is being developed
I'm the mountain streams to the east of us.
Science and capital are Harvesting these
powers Wise will be the municipality that
grasps its opportunity.
'As shown in this article, Pasadena now
has the opportunity of taking a step for
ward by doing it's own lighting to the
great profit of its citizens. 1t might not be
best to do this at once, but now is good
time to open negotiations with these power
companies. Riverside has set the example
and rejoices in the change. Every other
city which will follow will also rejoice.
''If the council would advertise for bids
for ten to a twenty years contract for
electric power there would probably be of :.
fers from these power companies that
would surprise even the most conservative
or course the city would need its own plant
but as the power house would be left out
the plant would be comparatively cheap
to the perpetual tribute now being paid
to private interests. Read and consider the
Herald article."-News.
A. X. Dodworth-I regard the proposition
OF giving monopoly to the Los Angeles
and Pasadena electric road, or any other
road as simply absurd and think the only
consistent course Is to let all come in on
an even basis, In the same way that other
lines of business are carried on The Her
AIDS suggestion in regard to the city doing
its own lighting is an excellent one.
Henry Finck-There is enough business
for two electric roads, or soon will be, for
Pasadena is not going to stand still. and
lighting done by the Los Angeles and Pasa-
dena company, 1t would not be anything to
compare with the present cost owing to
development Of cheap electric power now
going on.
H. G. Bennett-I signed the petition to
let the Terminal into Pasadena and see
no reason for changing my mind.
James Smith, favor the Terminal or
any other road coming in on an even basis
vryifh t1< Il N1,o
struck the keynote of the whole matter,
and has shown the true solution of the
electric lighting matter.
g. Weight-There should be no opposi-
ton to any'road coming in. Free competi-
tion Is the best safeguard to the peoples
interests. The Herald's suggestion is most
opportune and should be acted upon at
once. Within few years electricity will
be much cheaper from the developments
now going on.