The Portland daily press., 1899-04-04
THE CITY GOVERNMENT.
Continued from second Page.

PORTLAND ELECTRIC LIGHT CON-
PANY'S PROPOSITION.
Mr.. Sloman introduced in the Council
the following proposition;
The Portland Electric Light company
respectfully submits the following propo-
sitions To furnish current for electric
lighting for the City hall building and
all other public buildings within the city
of Portland. making price OF five cents
per thousand volts, which Is about 53 i-3
per cent less than present rates.
It Is also agreeu oil the part OF the
Portland Electric company to furnish
limits of the city where lights are now
required, either arcs or incandescents,
where no contracts now exist, at prices
equal to 90 per cent lower than present
rates. The prices to remain unchanged
Tor term of one or five years, according
to the length of time fixed by the terms
of the contract.
Portland Electric Light Co.
BY nj. ii. Kelly. Treasurer.
Directors: Chas. 4. Deering, X. S. Davis,
George W. Brown.
Mr.. Sloman moved that the communi-
cation be referred to the committee on
lights and be sent up for concurrence.
| Mr.. Driscoll objected to this being
done on the ground that the company
had not obtained the right to enter the
city and,this proposition was premature
This brought Mr.. Cloudy to his feet
who spoke with considerable heat on the
question. He said among other things
that ths propositions of this company
which. desired to come into Portland to
give the citizens cheaper lights, had been
sand-bagged in the upper board and in
the council in the interest of certain
corporation many times. For three years
the upper board had been trying to shut
out this company which every business
man in Portland wants to see come into
the city. The couGoil has no right to as
sumo that the company has no right to
enter the city. That Is none of the Coun-
ellis business. They are not ssnt here to
legislate on such matters. but are to act
for the interest of the city and the people
in it. The city is now pay ing s25 more q
light par year than is paid in any other
city of its size in the country. Mr.. Cloudy
said he could prove this statement If
necessary. The time had come when the
council should decide whether they would
legislate for ono set of men or for the
benefit of the whole city.
MIR. Phillips CT last year committee on
| lights. said that the committee Of las.
year had been much criticized, but they
were not TO blame for what had occurred.
He would rathsr see the lower board
abolished than see it sit here year after
year and concur with the upper board
which had the power TO vote away these
| franchises. If the matter of this com
pany had been properly submitted last
year 1t woald have been favoratly acted
upon. but 1t has never been fairly sub
mitted to the members of the council.
The light committee has no authority to
spend one cent OF money without the
sanction of the City Council, and the com-
mittee is forced to do just what the city
council orders it to do.
Mr.. Driscoll again took the floor and
made long spee3h in which he said that
he was not opposed to this company COM
| ing into Portland. but he wished TO be
fully informed just what they intended
to do and what they would do before he
voted for their entrance. 1t is time that
| the city got something ont of these fran
chises that 1t was throwing away. The
representatives of the people have been
absolutely giving away their rights to the
streets of the city without one copper
| being paid tae city for the privileges
granted. He said that the four big cor
| porations in this city were now paying
| the paltry tax of S27, S33 a year, and now
| it is proposed TO let another corporation
!,
which they may use to the disadvantage
| OF the people Who is behind this new
company anyway If they wish to en-
| ter into a compact with the city, let them
come out openly and show their hand
and treat the city fairly and the city will
| treat them fairly. Mr. Driscoll said that
he feared the motive of this new compa.
ny until he could he shown just whnt it
| intended to do. He wanted pledge that
| it would not sell out its franchise to the
| existing company or effect a combination
| of prices with them. The municipal
| officers should not vote away the people
rights without obtaining something In
return for the privileges granted. The
greatest evil of the municipal government
today was the giving away of valuable
| franchises. The great natural monopolies
boast thnt they now control tie city gov
ernment and can elect men who will vote
as they wish .hem to vote. Their power
increases from year to year. 1t Is time
to call halt and consider these things
well. MIR. Driscoll said he was willing
| to consider a fair proposition from the
new company, but he did not think the
company had shown disposition to
treat the people fairly.
MIR. Goudy replied to MIR. Drisco'l at
some length, speaking in about the same
line, but stating that the proposition OF
the new electric light company was per-
fectly fair and one which the citizens
would like to see accepted. He was glad
the order for this matter had originated
| in the lower board, for the upper board
would not dare to kill it. He wanted the
gentlemen in the upper board to go on