The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1900-05-29
CAN MAKE SIX
THOUSAND A YEAR
Figures on the Cost of
Building a Light Plant.
City Can Have Hundred Street Lights
TWO Thousand Incandeseents. and
Make a Handsome Profit.

tlon Of the West Shore Mills Company
ia the matter Of public lighting, and
refused to accede to that company's
demand TO furnish a less number Of
street lights, Of no guaranteed candle
power. for an increased price. the As
torian said, and still says. that the
majority In the city council did right.
And fortunately for the majority
in the city council and the Astorian, a
great majority Of the taxpayers agree
with them.
The stand taken by the majority In
the city council left but one alterna-
tive, dark streets or a substitute for
West Shore Mills company's street
lights. Then 1t was the Astorian
urged. and strenuously urged. the
water commission to take sorne action
in the mater. 1t quoted the law under
which the commission was appointed.
showing that it was the duty Of that
body, under the law. TO furnish public
lights. as much as IT was its duty TO
furnish public water.
The water commission met and act
ed on the matter Of public lighting. It
agreed to investigate, obtain facts and
figures. and then counsel together
as to whether It would be for the in
terest Of the taxpayers to build public
lighting plant, or refuse 10 do so, Civ
ing their reasons for such refusal. and
allow the majority Of the council to
solve the light question In some other
way than a public plant.
This was all the Astorian asked or
urged upon the water commission for
the time being. namely. that 1t take the
public lighting matter up. consider the
feasibility OF building a public plant.
and either build it Or say they would
not do SO.
When the water commission met and
decided to at once commence an in
vestigation into the public lighting
question. the Astorian asked the citi-
zens not to become impatient, but to
give the water commission ample time
in which to fully investigate the mat
ter so that no mistakes would be made
and no errors committed that would
cost the taxpay ers money to rectify.
The Astorians course has been consist
ent throughout and the best evidence
that 1t has been is the fact that 1t has
been followed by the water commits
sion, the majority in the council and
sanctioned by the majority of the
taxpayers.
All the abuse and vituperation upon
the part Of the paid agents of the West
Shore Mills Company has availed moth
ing. ana the grand stand play of
free lights for every citizen that asks
for them on the part of the monopoly
has avaiIed nothing. The officials have
gone on the even tenor Of their way
and the solution of the public light
ing question is near at hand.
Mr.. S. ". welch. Of the Northwes-
tern Electric Light Company, was in
the city yesterday and would have
been glad to meet with the water COM
mission as a body but. owing to the
fact that he, and his employees here
with him, were witnesses in a law
suit this was impossible. Mr.. Welch
met and talked with several of the
commissioners yesterday and with
them he left figures upon which he said
his company would willingly base con-
tracts.
"My company is now building" said
Mr.. Welch, two municipal electric
lighting plants, close at home. One
is for Lakeview. Oregon. and the 9TH
er for Centralia, Washington. l have
given figures on a public lighting plant
in Astoria to several members Of the
water commission whom l have had
an opportunity of seeing personally.
do not care to enter into details
now but as general proposition
will say this; For not to exceed $4,000
a public lighting plant can be built in
Astoria that will furnish 100 arc lights
of the latest improved pattern, and Of
guaranteed power, and 1000 incandes-
cent lights and the city, after paying
all operating expenses, can, according
to all estimates and figures from pub
lie plants in operation, clear $1,000 per
year. besides furnishing lights to pri-
vate consumers at one-half the press
ent cost.
Il am prepared to prove my state
ments to the commission, If there is a
call for them, but until the water COM
mission is ready to do business it is
unnecessary for me to enter into the
discussion.
This / can say. however, in general
terms. Public ownership of public
lighting plants, has always proved a
paying investment so far as l know
and there is a thousand reasons why
this should be so to one against it.
Once before your water commission
even went so far toward establishing
an electric lighting plant as to call
for bids and then dropped the mat
ter. II they mean business this time
facts and figures viii easily and quick
ly be placed at their disposal, but the
electric people want to know they
mean business before going to ex-
pense and trouble"
In view of Mr.. Welch's statements,
that electrical companies are willing
to furnish facts and figures on public
lighting plants for The asking, the duty
% tho .ratar comnission seems not