The herald., 1897-05-24
PASADENA

PASADENA. May 23.-Regular Core
spondence) The discussion of electric
railway matters by the citizens Of Pasa-
dena which has been in progress for sew
eral months, has now broadened out 10 a
considerable extent along the lire suS-
gested in The Herald some time ago,
wherein the experience of the city of River
side was given an example of the bene-
fits of municipal ownership of electric
lighting plants, with the advice to the
city of Pasadena to acquire ana operate
her own lighting system. That it would be
a great benefit to the city in every way
p. there is little doubt, in view of the fact that
of the many progressive cities which have
acquired control of such works of public
utility nearly all are perfectly satisfied
with the results. There is an article in
the Independent of New York which is of
peculiar interest to Pasadena Just at the
present time, being a symposium on the
subject of municipal ownership from well
known people, and as evidence OF the I'M
portance attached to the subject by the
independent that paper has devoted ten
out of it's thirty-two pages to the discus
SION Many well known citizens of Pasa-
dena have announced their unqualified ap-
proval of the principle of municipal owner
ship after a careful study of the subject
and many have requested that some eX-
tracts be made from the Independent
symposium in support of The Herald's 5
suggestions.
The discussion is participated in by AL
bert Shaw, Phi. D., editor of the Review of
Reviews: Prof. j. Laurence Laughlin of
the University of Chicago; Prof Edwin r.
A. Seligman, Phi. d., of Columbia univer-
sty; Prof. Edwin w. Bemis of Chicago:
the Hon. Lee Merwether, Missouri COM
missioner of labor; James Patton. curator
of the Glasgow art galleries. and William,
Epps. secretary of the Australasan Ma
tional league. Two pages are occupied with
testimony of many cities in which muni-
cpal ownership has been tried, in only one
of which it has not been a success, name
.ly, Toledo, o., where the gas plant was
purchased by the city, and has been run
at a loss.
DR.. Shaw says in his article: 'Those
who are not in a position to be well in
termed would be surprised if they knew
how strong a sentiment there is through
out the country in favor of the acquisition
and direct operation by the United States
government of at least one transconti-
mental trunk line railroad Even more
extensive is the popular demand for the
absorption of the telegraph business into
the postal service, and for the establish
ment throughout the country of govern
mental savings banks as an adjunct Of the
the municipal field that the American ad-
vocates of the extension of public func-
t1ons are eSerting themselves most ac-
lively and gaining converts most rapidly
Prof. Bemis, in his article entitled
Municipal Lighting" speaks of the ex-
perence of some of the cities that have
tried municipal ownership. as follows:
The city of Richmond Va, is making
a fine profit by selling gas at ST. which
Is much lower than in any other cities
near it, other than those likewise enjoying
CITY ownership. 1t is no wonder
that the people of Richmond, through their
city council have lately refused another
oiler OF company to buy the works. and
peileVe that they are worth to the city, as
experts have testified, over 50 0o0.O
wheeling. w. Va. has long been famous
for its charge of only 10 cents per 1000 fee.
Tor gas. This is largely rendered possible
by the low price of coal, $1.50 per ton Ye.
J. Is bE no means certain that a private
plant would have sold gas as low as -
cents. The Wheeling works were long
since paid for and the CITY ba :
net profit of several thousand dollars per
year. The next city in size which has pub
lie gas works is Hamilton, o., (populatioo
ln555 in 1890, which had been forced to
pay 81 per 1000 feet for many years prior
10 1871. Since then, under city ownership
the price has been 81, and has yielded
enough to cover interest and depreciation.
"hlle the people are almost unanimously
convinced of the wisdom of the change
from private ownership.
with regard to the other cities. vary
ing in population from 1000 to Is. 600 in 1850.
IL may be said that success has attended
CITY ownership in all Mistakes have, OF
course, been made in these as well as in
the larger cities in the selection of an
paratus, etc, but on the whole, honesty,
einciency and the absence of the spoil,
system nave characterized all of these
slnaiier places. Philadelphia and Wheel
ing, and especially the former. are the
only cities that have had much trouble
with the spoils system in their gas works -
lanes Patton. who has published a work
Oh the municipality of Glasgow-iustlv
celebrated for its economical and salts.
factory city Sovernment-afters stating the
well known fact that the gas water and
street railway plants, which are all owned
by the city, are carried on with great salts
faction to the public in every way. saws.
For little more than shilling per head
per annum the inha abitants Of Glasgow on.
JOY a practically unlimited supply of the
purest water in the world" Gas costs
shillinss and pence per 1000 feet. and not.
Withstanding the continual reduction ir
price, Whlch has now reached this figure
the revenue from the gas plant has in.
cicdSeu III twenty-five years from G2a1, co.
TO 4605,O00, or So, OPS, 600 of our money. This
increase in revenue is partly due to in.
crease in population and partly to de.
crease in price of coal. The city is nos,
saved G3O00o0. With regard to the street
car system. Mr.. Patton states that fare,
have been reduced to the very low rate o.
Il penny for a short distance, and that a
man can ride for over two miles in Glas
gov for only l penny; yet the revenue from
the street car system is about &17,000 per