The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1903-12-27
Municipality Makes Good Profits
by Controlling Water, Gas,
Power, Street Railways,
Bath Houses and Other
Utilities.
CHEAPER FOR THE PEOPLE.
Laboring Men Get a Special Rate
on Cars to and From Their
Work-Lodging Houses
for Families on
Novel Plan.
BY W. ]. BRYAN.

Copyright. 1903 by ". r. Hearst. Great
Britain rights reserved.
Lon6cn, Dec. es.-Carved in the mantel
CO the library which adjoins the reception
room OF the Lord Provost of Glasgow is
the motto Truth will prevail and the
triumph of truth is illustrated in the de-
velopment of municipal ownership in the
British Isles
Probably no city in the world has ex-
tended the sphere of municipal activity
further than the metropolis of Scotland
Glasgow. By the courtesy of the present
Lord Provost, Sir James Ure Primrose. I
learned something of the manner in which
the city of Glasgow was administering the
work that in most of our American cities
has been left to private corporations.
It goes without saying that Glasgow
owns and operates its water systems. for
that is usually the first public work that
city enters upon. In this case. however,
the water, instead OF being Furnished to
the citizens at SO much per thousand gall
Ions, or at fixed hydrant rates, Is paid for
by tax upon the value of the property.
Glasgow also owns the gas plant and
furnishes gas to consumers at about 80
cents per Thousand cubic feet More re-
Gently the city has entered upon the work
of supplying electricity to the city and to
private houses. The tramwayE, too. are
owned and operated by the municipality.
The service is excellent ana the fare de-
ponds upon the distance travelled, two
pence a cents being the rate for a long
ride and penny G cents) for shorter dis
tances.
SPECIAL RATE FOR LABORERS.
At certain hours in the day there are
special trains that carry the laboring man
from one end of the city to the other for
a half-penny, or cent. The Lord Provost
Informed me that 1t was the settled policy
of the city to use all the income from
public service corporations in Improving
TIE service and Iessening the charge.
In some nlaces the surplus ia turned into
tho city f,nd and IN that extent lessons
The taxes.
Not only does Glasgow furnish water.
gas. electricity and street-car service to
its peopIe at cost. but IT has undertaken
other work.
IT has built n number Of model tene-
Warehouses; for the poor. These build
inps have had for their urinary object The
Improvement of the sanitary condition Of
the civ.
These tenement-houses are rented by
the week or month and the charge for
those that visited was about $50 per
/ year The rcoms were commodious and
Z well lighted.
The city has also established a number
of lodging-houses for single men, and
here lodgings can be obtained ranging
from sgd q cents) to 41kd q cents) per
night.
One lodsing-house is set apart for Wild
o~efs Win cnnoIen. ANU is, : a,u ~
formed. the only one OF Its KIND In the
world About 100 families, including in
al, aoo ,,a-.o,,- heya roovp. here Attend
~ le'-s, - -. A. Iii
ants are on outy 70 HOOK aiteI ne snu-
dren during the day. while the fathers
are ar v,ork and meals are furnished at
MINIMUM raee- ,,,
The reading public Is ALREADY famlilar
NTH +be y,t,Iic baty,a .xrhicb have for a
- =, .,,.-a.,,,, a.,
number OIL years oeen IN opsi a.io,. -
Glasgow, and to these baths have been
a.. s..,,,,, H., 80 - .ha
can oi1ng .ne Aauiy iiiiei' anu a. sAe
rate of I'd per hour make use OF the tubs
a,7 6rvinr-roorn.
-. .,-.-.e
Vlslted one oA eiese masiAi ooihe CIV
found that the number of people taking
advantage of this public Mushroom was
600.
London is also making progress in the
.-,. 20 ,,,,,,,,,I,1inp its nubiic service.
morA % -. -, 49, a,,,au 49,,