Chicago eagle. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1889-19??, 1899-02-04
public and private use at a rate that is

a
In the reach Of all to pay.
Whereas, Millions Of dollars are in
vested I'm public parks annually, taxes
are levied for their maintenance and
Improvement, In order that residents of
this great metropolis should have the
advantages Of pure air. And a whole
| chapter of legislation Is enacted for the
purpose of empowering Park Commits
sloners to carry on this great work, |. e.,
Chapter los Of the Revised Statutes of
Illinois. All this law is In force. and
the people receiving the benefits of the
law. Pure water and pure air Is fur
nished at cost to them, because laws
are In force empowering the municipal
corporations having them I'm charge to
operate them for the people at cost.
Can we obtain little legislation that
will give the people of this city and
other places the power to obtain an ar.
tlcle just as useful. just as necessary
and just as beneficial to mankind as
air and water, at cost? II can be done
II we ask and insist upon 1t.
Year after year this city grows more
In debt for gus light. 50 that as a last
resort outlying districts are deprived
of even the necessary street lamps at
night. The members of the City COun.
ell are met at the threshold of the
meeting chamber and commanded I'M.
der penalty Of law to appropriate
money to pay judgments In favor of
trust companies organized to reap not
only u benefit from furnishing light to
the city. but also a rich harvest nm
nually from consumers. We provide
water because we are empowered to do
so by the laws Of the State. We pro.
vide places where the poor ana the rich
can obtain fresh air in our parks, be-
cause we have laws empowering the
properly authorized officers to prepare.
maintain ana improve our park sys-
TEN. Will the Legislature of this great
state refuse to empower the proper a,i-
tliOrities the means of procuring light
for public and private use ut cost. If
the subject and figures and facts are
properly laid before the Legislature of
this State they Wall gladly aid the mu-
inequalities and their constituents. If
the power IL granted full and complete
the money will BIZ furnished mt once
by public-spirlted citizens on bonds
payable out Of receipts for the erection
of plants and for the extension Of gas
and electric light.
a committee IL needed to prepare and
present the subject to other municipali.
ties and to the state Legislature: there.
fore he II
Resolved, That committee Of ten he
appointed, his Honor the Mayor as
Chairman, and nine others to be select.
ell by the Mayor as follows: Two from
the North Side, three from the South
Side. and four from the West Side.
Said committee to fully investigate the
subject Of lighting cities. towns and
villages with gas and electric light.
same to Ike furnished by municipalities
for public and private use. nnd to pro.
cure such Legislation as will he needed
to empower municipalities to operate
and maintain gas and electric light
plants. and furnish light ut such rates
and under such rules and regulation
ns mny he established by ordinance by
said municipalities.
The Mayor appointed the following
committee to carry ont THAT portion OF
the resolution relating to the Aldermen:
Aid. BIgane. Little. Beilfuss. Carey,
Schlnke. BadenOch. Barry. Ncagic and
|, Mavor. ana Mayor Harrison.
Commenting upon this most neces.
sary action by the City Council. the
CHICAGO RECORD OF SATURDAY,
MAY II, 1893, SAID:
aid. Bigane was not elected NJ Il
, refOrmer. Nevertheless ne offered IN
the Council Monday evening u set oi
resolutions that may be made to work
for the relief Of Chicago from the GRASP
Of the lighting corporations. Probably
some of the aldermen were taken by
, surprise or they would not have allow
cd the resolutions TO get past the stage
where they could be used for sandbng
cling purposes. But the resolutions
were adopted, and now need only til,
signature of the Mayor to make then
effective.
'"The resolutions call attention to tn,
benefits Of municipal ownership of thu
city water works and suggest pOssibl,
benefits to come from municipal owner
ship of the lighting service. They ON
power the Mayor to appoint commit
tee of nine to investigate and rcpor
upon the experience of other cities witt
municipal ownership Of lighting plants
:, and to agItate for State legislation tina
= will enable the municipality to furnish
!, light to It's citizens. As Mayor HnrrI
l. son Is known to be In favor Of the tx
tension of the functions Of the munic
!, ipality In the direction of u larger dC
gree of public ownership II IL to
presumed he will sign the resolutions
:, unless he finds some serious objection
to their form. BY doing so. ana by az
pointing iirst-class committee to cal
:, ry out the purpose OF the resolutions
" he will do much to prepare the way 10
- Il proper solution Of the lighting prOl
y lem In Chicago.
Is "THE LIGHTING COMPANIES or en-
=. CAGO, ESPECIALLY THE GAS COMrANIE
40 HAVE TREATED THE PUBLIC MOS
!, sHAMEFuLLY. THEY SECURED FRAH
:, CnisEs UPON THE EMPRESS srIPULATIO
% THAT THEY WOULD NOT COMBINE, Du
WOULD COMPETE WITH ONE ANOTHE
>, THEY PROCEEDED, HOWEVER, TO ron
y, A TRUST IN VIOLATION OF THE Ia,