Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1899-12-23
SDeCial Meeting,

| be the consideration of report of leglS-
lative committee, in accordance with
action taken At regular meeting.
Clerk Mason read several proposed
measures.
When the bill providing for munc-
ipal electric lighting plant was taken
up and considered section by section,
upon the first section being read there
was manifest disappointment at the
fact that the promoters of the measure
were conspicuous by their absence,
and by unanimous consent, spoken
and unspOlen, the matter was TEN
! porarily laid under the table.
The first section of the ordinance,
! proposing to make water-rents a ilst
| lien upon the property served, led to
! considerable discussion, when II was
| discovered by someone who under
stands the town Code the "first lien is
fully provided for. The first section
was not, therefore, adopted.
The second section, providing that
all assessments for pavements, etc,
be a first lien upon the abu;ting prop.
erty for two years, was adopted.
The electric light bill having been
again reached, citizen John Chambers
looking to increase of taxes.
DR.. T. Griffith expressed surprise
that special meeting to consider a
question so important should not be
crowded with tax payers to express
their views upon such an important
proposal. He cited the Cumberland
plant as an illustration of the cost of
building and operating systems of
electric illumination, giving figures to
show that the burden thus incurred
added to So. 600 for water is one that
not one in three in town will sanction.
j. b. Williams, president of the
Forum company, arose and gave his
experience of ineXperienoe AS a part
ncr in an electric light enterprise
He said losses were heavy and con
tinuOus, and his crowd was glad of
the chance to unload. He opposed
the town owning and attempting to
operate an independent plant.
T. j. Price conceded with Mr.. Will
Iiams. and expressed opposition to the
venture Of operating competing
plant, especially when the operators
were subject to change every year.
Citizen Chambers again expressed
autagOnlSm to gong INTO any other
enterprise that will increase taxes,
where there are no inducements by
way of cheaper light or any other Of
fered, until the enterprise OF obtaining
Il water supply is made success.
The Mayor thought there was no
benefit to be derived from going into
an enterprise to be operated by poll
ticians who will pile up costs and eX-
Il Il ~ olr Az,
upon the town.
Mr.. Hendley was sorry there were
not more cltiZ"ns present to give the |
Council the benefit of their views.
While acknowledging the burden al
ready upon the town, there is no as
surance but it will be Increased when |
the 0-year contract runs out. lie was
very much in favor of obtaining a
large meeting of the citizens before |
any action be taken.
On notion, therefore, further action
was postponed.
NOTES.
The reader will see that about all |
the town got for the cost of the special |
50, was an ordinance containing pro,
visions practically existing.
The proposal to hold the landlord |
for water rents oftenauts evoked some |
protest from part of the council and |
citizens present. who claimed it was
putting the landlord at IA disadvantage. |
This was explained and c0mbatted by |
DR.. Griffith, citizen Chambers and |
others, when councilman Gross took |
the position that the consumer should |
pay water rents and, fai ing, She water
should be promptly shut off.
1t seems that Mr.. Schotield made the
motion, tiatfoOtcd, that wHter-rents |
be charged directly t. and collected
from landlords. This was business
But the cOurcilmen, with more tender
ness for the landlords, who didn't elect
them, than for the people, who did,
thought it better to put the town where
the landlord should be.
In the course Of discussion several
digs at bailitf Bowen cropped out,
notably when councilman Bennett
claimed that if the present law was
sufficient the hailitf should collect
taxes and water rents. The bailtf
calmly arose, mildly took position and
smllngIy rrtorted that "a great many
people were like Mr.. Bennett-when
called upon they begged off until next
payday, or some other future time"
The cleanest give-away, however,
was made by the president of the
marble-yard, who told a story of in
competence and failure after his in
vaslon Of the electric light field that
was heart-husting. The JOURNAL has
the story second hand from two quar-
tefs, but the details are too sorrowful
for these columns. 1t was a new phase
of ''Dawvid'S Lamentation over Saul
and Jonathan.' How true it is the
shoemaker should stick to his last"
the tanner to his bark-juice, and the
graveyard gate-keeper to his latch.
The ''citzens' present protested
too much They aroused rather than
allayed speculation.
Coming Events.
The Presbyterian Sunday school
will give an excellent Christmas can
tat u in N oh 81