The daily journal. (Salem, Or.) 1899-1903, 1902-02-22

council simply refused to take an amount
of money. variously estimated at from
$25, 900 to S57 900, out of the Golfers Of
this city, during the next five years and
present the money to Seattle instltu-
tiOn.
What the Seattle Times really thinks
of the comparative merits OF electrical
current generated by water power vs..
that operated by steam power, it tells in
an editorial in which it says;
"But let us look at the conditions
which exist and ask ourselves if we can
compare an electric lighting system with
gravity water system? In the Ian
puage of Patrick Henry somewhat para
phrased-"The best lamp to guide ones
feet in the future is the amp OF ex-
perence" what experience has Sc.
atte had with electric lighting in the
last two years?
"More than one year ago Mr. Charles
II. Baker, through the assistance OF a
millionaire father, at a cost OF more
than 5000, 900, erected power plant at
Suoqualmie Falls, where the very high
. est results obtainable from a gravity
system Of water for producing motive
power, exists.
"Mr. Baker, under a contract with the
Seattle Electric company, cold his prod
uct to the people of Seattle-the com.
pany distributing the same.
"But in spite of the fact that that COM
pany purch sses electricity at a normal
sum from Mr.. Baker, ithas found IT nee
essary to erect million dollar plant,
operated by steam as supplementary
lighting station-and for the simple rea-
son that the company has learned that
accidents will happen to an electric cur
rent travelling thirty miles before distri'
button occurs, and that IN order not to
have the houses OF Seattle darkened anv.
where from ten minutes TO two hours, as
has frequently occurred in the last year,
and the entire stree railway system of
the city paralysed for an equal time, it
became necessary to construct this mil
lion dollar supplemental plant"
In heaping epithets upon the heads OF
the gentlemen in the Tacoma city coun-
ell who steadiastly held to their position,
refusing to endorse an award to the
highest bidder, the Times also abused the
city Of Tacoma. Among other things
the Times said in its issue of November
%:
"The good Lord, who had a hand in
laying out Puget Sound and construct
ing Mount Rainier. never dreamed oil
city on Commencement bay-and per
haps that's the reason why Tacoma will
always be a Commencement city'-and
always prevented from becoming real
city"
These things were published by the
Times when IL wanted TO aid an alleged
Seattle institution in gaining fat Ia
coma contract
During the controversy over the let
ting OF the Tacoma contract several &C
cidents happenel 10 the wires and line
Of the Snoqualmie company that result.
ed In cutting off the electric current IL
supplied to its patrons ia Tacoma. Mr.,
Baker, manager of the company, would
IN nearly every instance, either deny
that the break was on his line, or de-
clare that bis line WAS not responsible.
When the most notable break occurred,
he intimatet that those uninendly TO
his company were responsible for the
break, and went so far as TO Offer a re-
ward OF 81 900 ior the arrest and con-
vict'ou OF the person or persons who he
alleged had served his wires.
Now his supporter and publisher
friend in Seattle comes out In an honest
aud fair statement, and openly comics es
that breaks DO occur on long water
power line-and points 10 the necessity
OF steam power.