The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1902-12-21

in 1870 had o.ei2 persons, q gain Of 4.7s4,
whereas in 1880 it had $3.50 inhabitants. .
growth Of only l.73s.
Now, for town thus feebly beginning TO
struggle upward. it would seem Ia all reason
| that the outbreak Of a pestilence that
carried Of great numbers OF people. among
them some Of the most active and infu-
ential citizens Of the place. would naturally
paralyze growth for years to come
| But nothing Of the sort happened. In
the decade Of Jscksonville's yellow fever
scouge the town grew more in population
than in any previous ten years in it's entire
history. From an Insignificant village Of
less than 1000 inhabitants in 1850. Jack
sonvile had become q hourishing little
city Of over 1900 people in 1890.
| The fact is that when the yellow fever
blight fell upon the place Jacksonville was
for the first time in it's history thoroughly
awake. She had in her then the beginning
Of the same spirited resolution which now
has enabled her, since the fire Of 1901. to
do what no other city has ever done
in the history OF the country. Instead Of
sinking under the blow OF the yellow fever
affection Jacksonville 70 Q up to meet the
problems which the pestilence had presented
with further and repeated visit atoms as
the penalty Of their nom solution. A in
all other American cities where the yellow
fever has ever got foothold bad sanitation
was the cause Of the evil.
Jacksonville set about the task Of putting
things to rights from sanitary point Of
view with the energy which has been char
acteristic from the time she came out Of
her long trance. The services Of the most
eminent SAM, ary engineers in the country
were enlisted and their recommendations
conscien iously carried out
The first thing done was the installation
II complete sanitary sewerage system
The city for the first time in it's history
was thoroughly drained. swampy tracts
| OF stagnant water were filed in. But that
was only the beginning.
The great thing TO be done was the aboli-
ton Of the old water supply system and the
Inauguration Of new one, which would
insure absolutely pure water. There il
only one way to do this down in this part
| OF the country, and perhaps in nearly all
parts Of the country where there are large
populations. That is by the sinking Of
artesian wells. Jacksonville sank the wells
from 500 to 900 feet for her water supply
and got il. 1t is to all intents and purposes
chemically pure. All that it needs is an
infusion Of carbonic acid gas 10 make it
the equal Of many Of the table waters that
are bottled and sold for a price.
With perfect drainage, the best that could
be made in the way of a sewer system and
an unlimited supply of water of absolute
purity. jacksonville had the foundations
laid for years of robust health. And that
was one Of the direct and immediate benefits
which came from the yellow fever vista
ton OF fourteen years ago.
AoREAr LIoHr
In 1893 Jacksonville was dissatisfied with
tho electric light service 1t was getting
and the price it was paving for tho sanc.
On the 2sih day of March. 1895, it put into
operation an electric light service Of it's own
at cost. for the plant, Of S76,875. The
last report of B F. Dillon, Oh airman of the
Water Works and Improvement Bonds
BOARD Of Trustees, contains some interesting
reading on this subject Of municipal lighting
and power supply.
II should he promised, in order to have
full understanding Of Mr. Dillon's state
men's. that prior to the opening Of the
citys electric plant for business the city
and its inhabitants were dependent for gas
and electricity upon the Citizens Gas and
Electric Company. which owned the gas
plant and also a majority Of the stock of
the Jackson, lille Electric Light Company,
which operated the only electric light plant
in the city. The Citizens Gas and Electric
Company, therefore, controlled absolutely
the gas and electric business in the city and
ixed the prices therefor. The price Of gas
furnished 70 the people was then s. a thou
sand cubic feet, with some discounts to
large consumers, and It's prices for cleo
tricity were SIS a month for 200 candle
power arc lights and Is cents a thousand
watts for ilcandcsccnt lights.
IL may be stated right here, by way Of
presenting the contrast sharply, that under
he city control Of the elect ric lighting. all
light arc lights Of 1000 candle power cost
$50 month ~ o'clock arc lights, 1000
candle power, S82S a month, and incandes-
cent lights seven cents a thousand watts
per month. These prices were fixed by the
municipality on tho opening Of It's plant for
service and have been maintained without
variation until the present day
Mr.. Dillon in his report sayn:
The Jacksonville Electric Light Com
p1ny proved unable to compete with the
city's plant and ceased operations. The
gas company has continued TO do a profit
able business, charging at the present time
90 a thousand feet, with discounts OF from
10 to rs per cent.
From March rs, 1895. 10 Jan. !, 1890. the
electric plant, besides saving to the citizens
three-fourths Of the bills formerly paid by
them for private lighting, furnished the
city for public lighting streets and public
buildings) electricity at its reduced price
to the value Of si3.5oo. for which the city
paid the plant nothing. The plant thereby
repaid to the city the 81 ,e75. the amount of
its cost H78.875), in excess OF the authorized
bond issue Of S75,00o and the sum Of (sis,-
5oo-Si ,675) Sii,s2s as interest for nine
months and ak days. or at the rate OF about
81 per cent. per aunum.
-ln 1890 the plant furnished for public
lighting electricity to the value Of $4,000
on account of which the city, finding II
necessary that the plant should be ex-
tended to more fully cover the territory.
paid the plant $500, leaving the sum of
81. 500 received by the city as interest on
its $4,000 bond investment, or over i2h
per cent, saying nothing OF the saving
| 60 l.