The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1899-12-11

100 to render an opinion as to the
possibility of municipal ownership OF
n Carbondale water plant, addressed
a citizens meeting in the Academy OF
Music Saturday night The niue
theater was crowded to the doors win
enthsuiastiC taxpayers eager TO learn
how to proceed to shake off the gaining
woke of the Consolidated Water sup
ply company and establish municipal
plant which shall be an enduring
blessing to the industrial interests OF
the city
Mayor Kilpatrick introduced the
Judge, who prefaced mis- remarks by
saying that he had expected To baNe
Judge Lynch with him, but dinner
arranged by Mrs. Lynch prevented.
Then as an Introduction u me wafer
question he said that n and The other
old men present could simply act IN
an elvisory capacity. and that the
young men must execute the plan'
There may be old fossils in this COM
nIunity as in others, he continued, and
circumstances which make death oc-
casionally a good thing, but they are
not to he reckoned with. There are
brains. energy and capital enough In
your city to last until the present
capitalists are all dead
In the cases of small consumers IL
is not so much the three cents day
increase in rates that 1rOuses sou
as il is the impositiOn-the Increase
without cause. But in its discourage
D. ment to manufacturers it is more than
an imposition: it is a positive him
drance to your prosperity.
TREND OF THE TINE.
Public ownership of public utilities
is the trend of the times. This spirit
has been advancing for 200 years.
Everybody can do better than any
body. Everybody knows more than
anybody, and our laws which regulate
educations, mines ana factories rave
been passed because the welfare Of
everybody is of greater consequence
than the welfare Of anybody.
You would not tolerate private own
ership of you" sewers, and = should
he the same with wa;er In puhIic
ownership you get the largest measure
Of benefit for the smallest expenditure
CT money Take tha mails r OK
ample. Does any one think private
corporations ought to carr the mails
Before my time il was t"l, in my time
five, and now ii is two Gems postage
Fifty-four per cent of the cities and
horoughs Of this country own their
water plants, and all are satisfied. l
have yet to learn Of a single instance
In which public ownership has failed
New Orleans once became dissatisfied
and allowed It's water works to pass
into the hands Of a private corpor-
alton, but conditions became intolcr-
able and after much difficulty the city
again got control. philadelphia re-
Gently gave up a gas plant, but that
vas due To fraud. 1t is not only your
'uty but economy to have municipal
a.cr.
Why does capital seek water bonds
I'd water bonds that are watered d?
nv did capital pay ten times the cost
{ the local plant? 1t expects to make
"lCnoy. Why can't you" Where would
you have been now if you had adopted
"A plan 70? ownership years ago.
EXAMPLES REPORTED.
The Judge then read reports from
Pennsylvania cities that have their
own water and wont Cn: Suuposa II
is a success and suppose 1t is Your
duty to furnish it. Whit then? How
are YOU going to put it on the ground ?
First resolve II do il because If the
iTnosjtion: secondly. to aid industry
and thirdly, to save a large amount in
taxes. II vGu are not mad enough
now for that YOU never will be, and
It will never he done.
THO mode of procedure was thcr
outlined. Go i"tO councils. get an en-
Cinecr to make plans ana apecifca-
tiors and ind out the cost. which will
10 somewhere between s20O,OOO and
:3o0,C0O, Then bond the city or have
it put In on q contract, the contractor
to collect his interest and certain
portion of the principal each year, and
the city to have the right Of purchase
after ten Years by paying the balance
Of the original cost, If you reject such
an offer as this you ought to suffer
forever
You have the right to lay pipes ever
II II ruins the old company. The fac
is that the Consolidated Water Sup,
PLY company is humbug and shan
with no legal existence I'm this city
There Is only the Crystal Lake com
many and this concern on The Wes
Side. The others are mere marauderS
and have no business here at all.
COURAGE NECESSARY.
Go to councils as you2 servants, ant
after the start of the movement thu
first thing you will meet with will b
an injunction, Don't be afraid of that
An injunction never killed anybody
You'll probably have to go TO tn,
supreme court, for all the corporation
say, THE people be damned. wen Law
them to DEATH" In a year you'll havt
II settled and at small cost. In tn
meantime use just as little water a.
possible. Work in the spirit of mil
lions for defense but not one cent To-
tribute.
The corporations will find you ar
masters. They enter city on thei
bellies and after they get what the,
want they rise up as your masters
Don't be frightened by litigation. I
there is no other way you can con
denim the old plant and take It at COS
with certain percentage added Ge
men tn undertake this who woul,
rather die than submit to an imposi
ton. Get men who want 10 do right
After an expression of thanks {
Judge Rhone a resolution was adopte
declaring the ordinance in select cOun
ell for reduction Of rates to be op