The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1899-01-03


Portland was securing very cheap lights.
when as a matter Of feet 10 is paying 20
per cent more for its lights than 1t should
pay. The report had seemed to deal only
with those cities winch were getting ms
good or more cdstiy service than Portland
when as . matter OF fact there were many
cities which paid less for the municipal
lighting than does Portland. MIR. Cloudy.
with facts and figures, commenced to
assaii the report of the special committee
and to show how much more Portland Is
paying today for Its lights than Is many
other places of the same size.
Mr.. Cloudy said that he did not believe
in granting all the privileges In the
world to q monopoly. and tho Consoli-
dated Electric Light company Is
monopoly. Here IL another company,
however, which is today successfully
operating in Dcering and giving the
citizens OF tina. city cheap lights and good
] lights, which wants to come into Port
land to give the citizens Of this city the
same low rates. The other branch Of the
city government had refused 10 grant this
htW tohhpuuy Boiv 800
because 1t endangered the city or Its in
terests in any way but because II en-
dangersd this monopoly.
isn't 1t posi- bic" said Mr.. Cloudy,
"that the Portland Gas Light company
has entered into a combination with the
Consolidated Electric Light company to
keep the lighting rates up in this cityf
have been informed, don't know how
true IL Is. that the Gas company has the
right to use electricity II It so desires.
have been told that the Gas company has
used this ri ght as q menace against the
Consolidated company to mako them
keep their rates up" Mr.. Cloudy
went on to say that this new company
which had already reached the borders of
Portland did not ask for municipal con-
tract this year. 1t was prepared to come
into Portland with the express stipulation
that unless II lowered the electric lighting
costs 90 per cent 1t would forfeit all Its
pole and conduit rights. 1t goes even
further than this and offers to deposit In
the hands of the city treasurer $4,000 to
be forfeited Il it does not carry out all It's
agreements. 1t. also Is willing to agree
to forfeit not only the sio.o 600 but all its
pole and conduit rights as well II 1t sells
on or attempts to sell out to any other
company.
Mr.. Cloudy after long speech in which
he scored the board of aldermen for its
action in barring out the Cumberland
Illuminating company which came to
them with IA fair business proposition to
do business in this city and with the
rights TO do business here. The other
board had been acting in the interest OF
monopoly and not in the interest of the
citizens Of Portland who are today paying
IS per cent more for lights than they
should pay or would pay were there any
competition. Mr.. Cloudy referred to the
wars against monopoly which have been
exciting Chicago, where citizens wore
badges with nooses on them. shown 6
their feelings against the granting of
franchises to monopolies. He referred TO
the telephone war in Boston and the con-
sequent reduction of fifty per cent In the
telephone rates In that city when rival
company was allowed to enter the field.
He said the redution of lightin rates
would como b sre If the board of aldermen
admitted the new electric lighting COM
pany, but the aldermen were protecting
them so that they could earn their 80, 40,
yes 90 per cent dividends on their stock.
"Now here IL my position" continued
Mr.. Cloudy. ~ am willing to vote for
this electric light contract fjr one year
providing the board Of aldermen will
grant to the Cumberland Illuminating
company the pole rights and conduit
rights in this city. Otherwise shall not
vote for the renewal of this contract
MIR. Cloudy closed by intimAting that
were the citizens of this city intereted
enough in the matter to investigate the
doings of some Of the members Of the
board of aldermen In relation to this re-
fusAl of rights to enter the city by the
new company, they might tind something
on which to bass serious charges against
some Of the members of the upper board.
They might be led tn ask after they had
made these Investigations whether the
aldermen were running the affairs Of the
city of Portland or the Consolidated
Electric Light company was running the
city.
When MIR. Goudy sat down Mr.. Waldron
rose and spoke at great length on this
same question, taking the very same
position that had been taken by MIR.
Cloudy and closing by refusing to vote for
any order authorizing the committee on
lights to enter into any contract with the
Consolidated Electric Light company I'M
less the aldermen agreed to pass an order
allowing the Portland Electric Light
company or Cumberland Illuminating
company pole rights in the city Of Port
land.
MIR. Burke said that doubtless there
were many things which Mr.. Goudy and
MIR. Waldron had said that was entitled
to consideration but he did not believe
the council should prevent the passage of
this contract with the Consolidated
Electric Light company for every month
that it was delayed in passage 1t cost the