The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1903-07-23

Both took their water from the river
into which all the pollution of the city
was emptied, and the consequence was
that every epidemic known to medicine
was visited upon the place from time
to time until Leicester became syn
onymous term for disease. Finally the
two companies formed trust and
continued to annoy the citizens with
their abominable service. Then came
revolt. The city spent 100000 to secure
parliamentary power to take over the
trust, agreeing to pay perpetual an
nuity of 100000, and has since operated
its own plant. The result is that today
Leicester is supplied with water from
the Derbyshire Hills-a distance of AZ
miles, thirteen miles of the way bored
through solid rock,-a reservoir has
been constructed with capacity Of
two billion gallons and there is plenty
of water to fill it.
Up to March 1897 the city spent e3,-
100000 in perfecting the water supply
and the taxpayers were not called upon
to pay one farthing of the amount.
The sinking fund maintained by the
Department of Revenues met every
payment of interest and principal as it
became due, and on the above date
there was q credit to the department
sinking fund amounting to 100000.
When the city assumed the water
trust, the rate was fourteen pence per
pound: the present rate is five pence.
For forty years Leicester was served
with gas by private company, and
the usual wrangling between the peo-
pie and the company prevailed. In
1870 the city took over the gas COM
pany and has since operated it. The
consideration was perpetual annuity
of e15,000. The revenues of this plant
have not only paid all expenses, in
cluding interest and annuity, but have
sufficed to rebuild the old works, build
new ones and extend them in all direc-
tions to the suburbs, and to accumulate
q sinking fund which in 1897 amounted
to e5OOO0. The taxpayers have never
been called on for penny for improve
ments. In fact the plant not only sup
plies free gas for the streets, but even
lights the public halls free of charge.
The old company charged five shillings
per 1000 feet; now the charge is two
shillings and six pence.
Until 1890, owing to the cheapness of
gas, little headway was made in electric
lighting. Several private concerns were
supplying light at high prices and CIV
ing poor service. In that year the city
bought most of the plants, erected
some additional ones and laid about
forty miles of mains in the streets.
per unit; the city's charge is 31a pence.
from e18 to e14 and kept them lighted
all night at full power.
Prior to 1889 the street railways were
owned by private parties, tho the road
bed was owned by the city. The twen-
ty years in which this system was in
| force were twenty years Of wrangling
over service. The city wanted good
service, but the company seemed to
think that is was to its interest to give
as little as possible for the money. The
employees were dissatisfied and peri
odically threatened to strike; fourteen
hours constituted days work and 81
per week was the average wage.
When the company's lease expired in
1889 the city took over the lines, at
once raising the salary of the men six
shillings week and reducing the
hours of labor to ten hours. The fare
was cut in two, yet the profit to the
city increased. In 1901 the fare was
two cents and the working day nine
hours. All the employees who have
been in the service year are allowed
an annual vacation of six days with
pay:
model lodging house which met with
! such success that number of tene-
ment houses were built. The plan has
been continued and the tenant class
flock to the city houses as fast as they
are completed, with the result of for
cling the landlords of rookeries to lower
, their rents or 60 without tenants.
These houses are like American fats
They are fitted up with modern i'm
prOvements and the average rent for 9
single room is six shillings month.
| In 1870 Leicester opened its first
! "workmen's coffee palace" where you
could get q cheap substantial meal. II
: met with such success that many more
! have been opened. In them q good
meal is served for ten pence. Smoking
and reading rooms are attached and
daily and weekly papers are supplied
: gratis. The city receives only 115 pei
cent interest on the capital invested.
Il S. d.