Daily new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1897-1906, 1903-11-16
PEOPLE PAY THE FREIGHT.
Union Utility Company Gets
Money From Customers.

1t Should Treat Them Fairly in an,
! Move Which is gMade-Justice Call:
for Square Deal in the Matter o.
signing Contracts.
TO the Editor Of the New DOMINION,
IL is not often that we rush intt
print to air our views, but there are o
few things we wish to say anent the
controversy now pending between the
U. u Company and the people. In
the first place we have few questions
to ask and to also give the answers as
We see them. After our town had
spent thousands of dollars in grading
and paving our streets thereby max
ing them second to none in the state
VINO was 1T that gave the u. q. Com
pany the right to tear them up for the
purpose of putting ia their gas and
water and trolley lines? The people.
Who drops the nickles in the slot every
time the cars 60 around the loop?
The people. Who built the new
bridge across Decker's Creek over which
the trolley cars go to get to the car
barn? The people. After all these
gifts by the people, in what condition
were cur streets left after being dug
up as mentioned? Why they were left
like a freshly dug potato field, a hump,
a hole, hole, a hump, with mud
hole here and there, and it seemed the
intention of the u U. Company to
leave them in that condition until our
town council got after them with a
sharp stick and forced them to re-
place the paving as they found it.
Now after the people have granted
SO many privileges is it anything more
than right and justice for them to be
treated In decent and respectable
manner? We think not. But we must
say that it begins to look as though
the j. y. Company were trying to get
to that point where it can say, in that
forcible If not elegant, New Workers.
language The people be damned
Now in all seriousness we see no rea-
son why there should be clash or
disagreement between the people and
this company if all parties are willing
to do what is right but when we are
told to .'sign this contract or the gas
will be turned Off it looks very much
after the manner of the road agent
who points gun at you and says your
money or your life, but of coursethere
is no compulsion in this. It is all of
your own free will whether or not
you sign the contract. We are we'll
aware that the U. U. Company has
spent great deal of money 10 and
around the town, but was this money
spent just for the glory, beauty and
building up of cur town? Not by any
means. 1t was invested by these PEG.
pie for the sole purpose of making
money out of their investment. and
we feel sure our townspeople almost
as unit are willing TO see them make
good profit out of their properties,
but are not and will not be willing TO
be throttled in order that its profit
may be made. In conclusion we will
say that we believe our people are ever
ready and willing to aid in any Just
and legitimate manner, any enterprise,
that is for the benefit of our town,
either morally, socially or financially,
but anything to our detriment, never,
and we believe it the duty of our town
council, to see that nothing is done
injurio US to our welfare and comfort
either by the U. u. Company or any
other company that may do business
here.
JIrsTIrE