Semi=weekly graphic., 1897-12-18

1 tHt D1RlJlC VI IO make the franchise valuable should rectfeve a share of benefits and the municipality in which the institu- ti0n is located should receive an ade- quate share Of the profits.
 Water. gas. electricity. alL in solar as the public is concerned, is iuvaria- bly, in the form of monopoly The very nature of the ease makes this q necessity, and if there is to be a mo- uopoly in these lines is it not emiz ueutly fair and iust chat the people who create and foster this exclusive poss zsst9n should share iuz the pgof- Iits2
 The ownership of water works and light plants by cities is rapidly passing beyond the experimental stages. Al cities, wish WbomT have had the opportunity 10 confer. own ing their own water works and light plants are satisfied with their e0nd1- tfon. while those who do not own them. like Pine Blur. are 8ut0f sorts and eussiag some water and light company. As evidence 6fthe success with which the cities of this and oth- eE countries are meeting through the ownership ofp1bTie fraaebies. will sight the readers of the GRAPHIC to once instance, tand there are many Of the same kindl, which have had occasion of late to look into. In 1>76, some twenty odd years ago. Marshalltown, Ia., a city about the size Of Pine Bluff decided to put in a municipal system of water works. fu due time the work was satifacto- rily completed. The last report of their water commissioners show that the plant has paid aiI expenses and interest on the debt as welIas all costs for extensions and repairs, and in addition to the use of 100 fire hy- drants free of cost. has placed in the city treasury several thousand dol lars as net profits. At q subsequent date the question of municipal own er-bip ot lighting plants was agitat- ed The city at the time was under contract with a private lightcompa- ny for tho use of sixteen arc lights for which they were paying the eDor- nous sum of S1S00 per aunum. Fi- nally on January 1887, after more than two years of agitation, the city decided to put in it's own light ing plant. Already owning the wa ter plant. the same boilers that sup piled the pump engines with steam were used for supplying the engine to run the dynamos, thus saving con siderable expense to the new plant. The total cost of the light plant when ready for operation was s1G.000 and has a capacity Of I50 are lights. The city has paid out since the electric light plant began opera tions, April 1SSS, S29, ,122.0S; of this amount S16,000 has been for original material and cost of constructing. leaving only Sll.12207 for running expenses and repairs covering peri cd of ten years. or about Sll22 per year for running expenses. added to which is interest on bonds, salaries and coal, Sl,Gl3, making q total of g. .S35.
 Thus 1t will be seen that the city Of Marshalltown has had the use of ninety-eight I200 candle power lights at cost of 2.S35. per annum. or S29. 50 per light per annum. For fear some one may doubt the figures I will state that they come to me certified to from the City Clerk of Marshalltown, Ia. who states that the records are open to any one for inspection.
 The experience of AIarshalltown ought to make every. citizen of Pine Bluff believer in municipal owner ship of both water and light iran chises, and influence them as well to reach out and get the good things of this world, which sometimes can be had for the asking.
 Respectfully,
 D. C. BELL.