The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1901-01-05
Weekly Letter on
Municipal Rffairs
XxXI.-.A CENTURY's GROWTH
OF MUNICIPAL OWNERSHIP.


TN 1850 there were only sixteen water works
l systems in the United States. all owned and
i operated by private companies, excepting the
plant at Winchester Va, which has always
been a municipal plant. Prior to the Declara'
tion OF Independence there were less than a half
dozen water systems in operation in the colonies.
The strong sentiment in favor of muncipalization
of water systems was not felt until along in the
thirties This was the beginning Of the era
for rapid municipal expansion. In 1875, i5 per
cent. Of the cities of the United States owned
their water works systems. AT the present time,
in the North Central and Northwestern States,
IS per cent. of the plants are municipal. In
Wisconsin 60 per cent are municipal; in Massa
chusetts, 20 per cent; Canada, rs per cent. Out
of the l20 cities having a population of more
than 80, 900. as determined by the recent census,
ninety OF them own and operate their water works
systems, and four own them in part, while only
thirty.fve are under the control Of private com
parties.
During the century 2Oj plants have been pur.
chased by the cities and twenty sold by them
to private companies. OF the fifty largest
cities, nine only have water works owned by
private companies. These statistics indicates a
decided drift during the century toward public
ownership of water supplies, which has been
greatly accelerated during the last decade,
The tendency in other fields has been just as
markedly, even more SO, in favor of private
ownership. There are 0GI gas plants and about
$500 electric light plants in operation in our
cities. Out of the 965 gas plants only fourteen
are owned by cities, The disastrous results in
Philadelphia, under the regime Of the Phadel-
phia gas ring, had much to do, doubtless in
preventing other cities from cmbarkng in NUM-
cipal gas enterprises. II is quite likely, how
ever that new interest will surround this in
dustry in many places, with the use of the wels'
bach burner, the streets are better lighted than
with the arc electric light, and there is strong
| inclination on the part of cities to extend the
gas lighting. This fact, coupled with the strong
| sentiment favorng municipal ownership OF all
public utilities, Is likely to cause many cities
| to try their hands at municipal gas lighting.
In the case Of electric lighting the drift toward
municipal ownership is strong This is com.
| paratively recent development, and, as yet, is
| most confined to the smaller cities, Chicago,
however, has had large plant in operation for
| more than two years, having been forced into
| the business by untoward circumstances. But
since investing although the municipal system
does not include the entire city, City Electrician
Ellicott greatly favors the installation OF a plant
that will take in the whole town. Baltimore is
also seriously contemplating a venture in the
municipal electric lighting field. Greater New
| York, while possessed OF a great deal OF enthu
|
to take hold of the electric lighting scheme
| Philadelphia is long ways off from ANYTHING
| like even a weak sentiment favoring public own
ership. Roth cities have awarded annual con
tracts recently for the lighting of the city il
| 1901.
In 1900 there were s,OS2 electric lighting plants
in our cities, of which 10 per cent, or AGO, wert
owned by the municipality, and only thirty mu
nicipa plants were owned by cities above 20, ,00
population, Seventy per cent OF the munoipa
plants are found in the cities or towns below
5000
In the case of street railways the practice oi
this side of the Atlantic has been all one way
II there is any virtue in practical tests it ma,
be considered as unfortunate that the city o
Detroit was not permitted to carry out il
schemes Of municipal ownership OF its city rail
| ways
On the other side Of theAtlantic, the growth o
municipal ownership is of much longer standing
! and is far more extensive. English cities d.