Daily new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1897-1906, 1901-07-01
ANOTHER COMMUNICATION.
Hon. George c. Sturgiss Tells
why Franchises

Never Made Money, the Other one is
Facing Great Home Peolpe
should be Favored above outsiders
small cities not Comparable with large
Ones.
To the Editor Of the Nav DoauNloN;
To grant or not 10 grant, that is
the question.
Every one comedies the necessity
of extending lighting, heating,
water and transportation TO all parts
of the City now not supplied The
City IS too poor to put in its own
plants or to condemn and buy the
plants already supplying in part
these wants. Hence in some form
these franchises must be granted to
some private corporation. To re.
fuse any grant is to refuse to our
own citizens and taxpayers that
which they demand, and may well
demand as a right; and refusal to
give on the part of the Council is a
virtual abdieation Of a part of the
powers Of government conferred by
the Constitution and laws of the
State. No other legal authority ex-
lists. No other remedy can be APP
piled. Undoubtedly council will
grant these franchises in some form
and to some one.
To whom shall the grants be
made, and in what form, and with
what conditions?
The existing corporations have al
ready grants limited in area TO the
old town, unlimited as to time, ex-
eept as TO the exclusive character Of
the right. and exemption from taxa
ton. fixed at twenty years, as to the
Gas and Water Company, and with
out time limit of any kind as to the
Electric Light and Power Company.
Each of them have complied with
every order or requirement of Coun
Gil Between them they have in.
vested hundreds of dollars, in
good faith, relying upon the good
faith Of this community. One has
never earned q cent, or declared a
except upon $4,000 Of pre-
ferred stock issued to pay off the
money borrowed TO complete it's
plant. Its stock is nov selling at
50e on the dollar. The other has
furnished fuel gas for our glass
plants at lower rate than is charg-
ed in several West Virginia towns,
in order to build up the manufac-
turing industries Of this place. If
the gas supply should fail, as it has
at Fostoria, Ohio, Hartford City,
Ind, and other places, (driying to
this place two large glass compan
les the investment already made
would prove total loss. Dividends
upon such uncertain and probably
short lived investments, should BIT
large to induce capital TO invest
all. How many Eof our own people
would take the risk? To introduce
other companies would be to multi
ply unsightly poles and wires, to
tear up streets and alleys in order
TO lay more gas and water pines,
parallelling all present lines with
out improving the service. We have
no complaint as to quantity or quail
ity of water or gas, and as to cleo
trio light. only the complaint which
arises from an overloaded plant try
ing to supply greater demand than
its capacity can meet
BY the proposed ordinances, city
water rates are reduced from $40 to
$25 per fire plug, and gas from 81. rs
per 1000 cubic feet to 81 for lighting,
and from 40 cents to 30 cents for
heating and manufacturing purposes,
and both corporations submit to all
rules and regulations that
may be prescribed by council. Other
things being equal, these franchises
should be granted to those in the field,
which are already owned or controlled
by our own citizens and Taxpayers,
and which have expended so much
money for advancing the general pros
perity Of the community.
What conditions should be imposed?
It is said these franchises Will be very
valuable, and the City should be paid
a bonus for them, They have not
proved valuable in the one case, and
are of uncertain value in the other.
To exact bonus with its temporary
to the city is to impose a
burden and add TO cost that will in
crease the cost of service to patrons.
An error in printing my former COM
made nonsence Of what
wrote on this point 1t should have
read as follows:
ITO increase taxes, burdens or costs
to these corporations is to increase the
price of the service rendered, or the
water, gas, &c. supplied AS no ex-
elusive privilege can or should be
granted, but the privilege left open to
all corners, no bonus should be exact
ed, especially as to corporations that
have expended so much money upon
the faith OF existing ordinances, and
pranfoI p,.,ch ad5;finpo1 fovahls