The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1901-03-22
STAR CHAMBER PROCEEDINGS.

STAR CHAMBER PROCEEDINGS.
The Town Commissioners of Bel
Air, so we understand, at, special
Meeting last Friday night decided to
abolish the present system of electric
lighting and install Acetylene gas.
The contract is to run for fifteen years
and will cost the corporation $3.50
per year. The lights are to be run
all night and every night, instead OF
the moonlight and one O'Clock
schedules as at present.
This hasty action of the Board is
criticised on all sides. In the first
place it is by no means certain that
the change of system is wise one.
Acetylene gas is yet inits infancy and
public corporations with it,
to say the least, is only an expert
ment. We believe that there is a
little town called Buckeystown
which has the system; and it is re-
ported to work satisfactorily, but is
it advisable for the people of Bel Air
to have their streets torn up laying
mains until they are sure that the
step taken is a wise one? The
Board deserves to be roundly criti-
cised also for the star chamber nature
of it's proceedings. The ordinary
way to proceed in business matter
of this kind would have been to first
call public meeting and let the
representatives of the different. gas
concerns explain fully the merits OF
their generators-it is said that there
are about ffty-and let the people
decide for themselves what was best
in the matter. After this had been
done competitive bids should have
been called for. If the fortunate
corporation to which the contract
was awarded could afford without
the presence of rival companies to do
this work at the price named it is but
ordinary business common sense to
conjecture that with competition the
price could have been brought much
lower. Another phase of the ques-
ton presents itself, and that is, the
right to lay gas mains. For all we;
ignorant outsiders may know this,
concession is of itself valuable and a
neat little sum of money might have
been realized to recuperate our towns
depleted treasury.
The Commissioners it seems, too,
should have realized that an election
for Town Commissioners is but little.
over a month off, and they would
have shown a proper degree of pro-
priety in leaving this matter to the
Board that came fresh from the peo-
pie.
1t seems that the future of Bel Air
is doomed. AS soon as a step in the
way of progression is made, along
comes some overt act of the Town
Commissioners that at once relegates
us into the background. Last fall
they made us the laughing stock of
the State about the electric railway,
but finally managed to come around
all right. Then they promised to be
good, but at a star chamber session
repealed an ordinance which had the
respect of many of the best people Of
the town. Since then they have done
some work deserving commendation;
and the people were not slow in
showing their appreciation. Nowto
cap the climax we are informed that
electric light in the town is thing of
the past and those who have put in
fixtures at considerable expense, can
consign them to thejunk pile to make
way for gas meters. ..f. .
1t is not our purpose to condemn
acetylene gas. From what We can:
learn it seems to be good thing but
too largely in the experimental stage
to admit of a town taking chances
of using it as the only illuminant.,
Another thing to be considered too,
is, that if it is such a good public
light why do not the larger cities try
it instead of taking chances with the
dangerous electric wires. The method
of making the contract is, to say the
least, the most unique on record.
Minutes of previous Boards show
that the officials were cautious not
to bind the taxpayers topay anysum
of money for a period of fifteen years
without consulting their wishes. |,
We understand that the contract
has not been signed. If this be true
and the Board can consistently
recede from the position it has taken
until such time as the will ofthetax-
payers can be consulted, we earnestly
hope that this will be done.
FRAUDULENT CENSUS RETURNS.
Stephen A. Abellapoliceman ofthe
Washington force and formerly al
census enumeration of St. Mary's
county. was arrested in WASHINGTON