The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1900-05-19
Building Of a City Electric Light
Plant to Be Decided Today,
SPECIAL MEETINGLAST NIGHT
Open Session During Which The Matter Was
Fully Discussed. and Water Commission
Meets Today to Study Plans and
Figures for a Municipal Plant.

The water commission. after pub
nc and private meeting with the com
mittee from the city council last night.
VIII meet this afternoon 10 decide
whether or not they will complete the
citys electric lighting plant.
There win be no delay upon the part
Of the commission In reaching a con-
cluslon IN this matter, one Of such Vi
tal and immediate Importance TO the
people. The commissioners VIII go
over the figures and plans submit
ted to them some months ago for erect
Ing lighting plant and viii ask for
further information at once. When
they have all the figures before them
they viii then decide whether II is
for the best interests Of the city to
build and operate a plant. lease the
power to outside capital, or throw the
whole matter OF public lighting up
on the shoulders Of the council FOR II to
handle as best II can.
But there VIII be no delay. In a
very few days at the outside the pub
llc viii know exactly what II can ex-
pect uin the matter Of public lighting
from II commissioners.
The public meeting last night was
opened 10 general discussion. But few
new facts concerning the lighting ques-
ton were brought out. The discussion
Is given in detail as the entire commu-
nifty is Interested in every phase Of
this public lighting question. II is
the most important public question
that has arisen in Astoria for years.
When the meeting was called to or
der Water Commissioners Elmore.
Bowlby. Dement,. Trenchard. Van Du-
sen and Chairman Wright were pres
ent, as were councilmen Scherneckau,
Brix and Parker Of the committee ap-
pointed by the council to meet with
the commission.
Chairman Wright said that be de-
rired an expression of opinion as to
whether the meeting should be public
or private.
Councilman Scherneckau moved that
the meeting be private. He said that the
council desired its committee 10 dis
cuss matters with the water commits
sion which he felt should for the pres
ent. for purely business reasons. be Of
a private nature.
This was said because OF the pres
ence Of representatives OF the West
Shore Mills Company, seherneckau
evidently believing that It was not
wise to make Anown to the enemy
their plans.
Commissioner Gilmore said that in
order to bring the matter before the
meeting he would second the motion
for an executive session. Personally
he favored giving Father Trullinger
and his son an opportunity to ex-
press their views on the lighting ques-
tion. as he desired all the information
he could obtain on the subject.
Commissioner Trenchard said he
thought the meeting should be an oren
one. Any citizen who desired should
have a right to listen to the deliber-
ations. Let everybody have their say
and then let the commission and
council committee meet in private af-
terwards and consider what had been
said.
Father Trulllnger said that he and
his son had not come TO the meeting
to talk. but to listen. They wanted
to know what was going lc be done.
Trenchard said here was nothing
before the commission, as far as he
knew. calling for public or a private
meeting.
Scherneckau said II really supposed
that every commissioner was aware BY
this time Of the reason for the calling
Of this meeting, The council has sent
us to you to ask you whether you are
willing to utilize the water power the
city owns to furnish 1t with electric
lights. We want to know what this