The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1905-06-10
PHILADELPHIA TO HAVE
FIGHT FOR OWNERSHIP
Reformers Plan for the City
to Take Over Public Ser
vice Utilities.
Send One Leader Abroad to
Study Conditions in Model
European Cities.

STUDY C0nd1tlons IN MODEL
European Cities.
Philadelphia, June S.-Municipal
ownership is to be the issue Of the
battle for new Philadelphia.
The leaders Of the revolution have
decided to begin war on the corpora
tions and have a public sentiment be-
fore provided.
On the floor Of councils, Thursday,
Councilman Wilson H. Brown, of Ger
mantown, who within ten days has
risen to leader ct the reform move
ment in the whole northern and north
western section, will offer resolutions
to cancel the existing lease of the u.
| G: I. Company ana to establish a mu-
nicipal electric lighting plant.
Examination of the franchises by
which the rapid transit company pos
sesses it's monopoly Of the streets
shows that those frs nchises, supposed
ly granted in practical psrpetuity, are
not worth the paper they are written
on.
In each is a clause providing that the
city may take over the lines at any
time, and even if this clause would not
hold, lawyers are convinced that Phil
adelphia has never given over its right
to eminent domain.
To Study Conditions Abroad.
John c. Winston, chairman Of the
committee of seventy, announced to-
day that he had sold his home in Ger
mantown and would sail for Europe
within two weeks, TO make a complete
model cities of Manchester and Glas-
gov.
I'm all our fights" said Winston to
a reporter, ''our slogan will be munich
pal ownership and honest government.
Some of the menaberssof Of the committee
were against it af first, but we have
concluded that it is the only ideal con-
dition.
"The city can regain control Of the
gas works in 1908. The revenues from
the plant are enormous, and even If
the city had to contract debt to re-
deem the plant, the money would soon
Thomas Dolan In cunning and business
ability, could be engaged for at least
$40, 900 q year, and he could ruin the
plant IN the same MA nner a1 It ID being
run now. .sssz~ -9*< es<s8 -" %:lasr
"All the public service corporations
In this city could also be controlled
advantageously.s:bx the city,
Mack Aiding Reformers.
John M. Mack, promoter of the As
phalt Trust and now it's receiver,
kicked out by the ring for greediness,
has, to satisfy his hatred, given full
details Of the propected public service
corporation to sthe--reformers and is
working with .tkeIns-
Senator Quay who hatched the scheme
Of the Public Service Corporation,
which was to control all public utili-
ties and fasten the chain of servitude
about the neck Of :: Philadelphia for
ever s1-...% ,vv-< s.,s..s...s..s <....s-.s.s.s
For years the project has been stead
lily taking shape. When John M. Mack
went to Harrisburg four years ago and
secured franchises for surface, subway
and elevated lines on every street in
Philadelphia, franchises afterward rat
ifled by Councils and the mayor, the
first big step was taken.
In regular order the following steps
were to be made. The city was to be
pushed into bankruptcy by extrava-
giant expenditures until nothing would
be left for it but to sell its gas and
| waterworks. ..-,>
The filtration plant, now being built
by McNichol, Durham's chief lieuten-
ant, was to be the first to go.
Following this was to come the mer-
ger of Philadelphia Electric with its
monopoly of street lighting, and Me
keystone Telephone Company. Then
the U. G.. I. was to emerge with this
new company. Following this step the
waterworks were to be sold to the
same syndicate for part Of what they
had cost the city.
Final Steps IN the Plot.
Then the men behind the U. G. L.
Philadelphia Electric-Keystone Merg-
er-were to bid and secure the great
filtration plant: .~'-< 70, .1
Finally the rapid transit, with it's
blanket franchises, was to come in.
With Thomas Dolan. Randall Nor
gan, P. A. B. widener George Elkins,
W. W. Gibbs, az financial members;
Israel W. Durham, United States Sen
ator Boies Penrose, Contractor James
McNichol. az political members. and
David H. Lane. politician, representa-
tive of the corporation interests in city
and state machines. the Public Service
Corporation was to bind the city hand
and foot in unbrealcable bonds.
This is the tremendous political plot
that the reformers believe only the
club Of municipal ownership can kill.
WHY'S 1t that our legislators, instead
OF coming to the halls Of congress to
represent the people and further their