The Ellensburg dawn. [volume] (Ellensburg, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1905-03-30
ELLENsBURc. KlrTrrAs County, WASH, MAR. Q, 1905

and motormcn from eighty to sixty a
week ana actually paid them more for
the shorter hour day than they had for
incrly been receiving. The private
company sold the mems uniforms and
received tidy profit from the trnnsac-
ton. The city gave uniforms to its
men and only insisted that they keep
them clean ANA III good repair, 50 as to
reflect credit on their employer
IN" first year of electrical traction
ANA of Il trial of all of those radical re
forms WAS 1901. and when all expenses
had been paid there remained a profit
of more than $7UO.OOO. The best the
private company had been able t. show
with its high fares. low wages ANA mig
gardly policy was S1Sl.OOO. After pay
ing into the sinking fund. meeting in
tcrcSt charges and setting aside $40
600 for renewals and depreciation there
remained large sum.
Tie profits for the second year wcr"
SNtiJ.OuN. an Increase over the proceed
ing year of $lG1ODO. The trlmWays
department contributed $l2J,OJ0 Of this
to the general tax fund.
In addition To its voluntary contribu-
ton to the general fund the municipal
tramWay pays its taxes just as if ii
We're Il private corporation This prnc-
ticc Is common with the municipal
enterprises of all cities in Great Brit
ain. Municipal tcncmcntS and cottages,
municipal gaS plants and electrical
Ii"htinc and power stations, traHWayS.
markets and all other revenue seeking
institutions pay not only city but al -
income taxes. Last year IiVcrpOols
tramwayS paid in taxes II sum exceed
Ing $6J.OnO The city OWNS the clcc-
trical power plant. but the tramways
department was charged with every
unit OF power it used. 1t therefore
stands squarcly on its own bottom.
Almost simultaneously with It's pur-
chase of the tramways Liverpool set
about to acquire the electric lighting
and power industry. The private com
pany was n fairly prosperous one but
uarliamcnt gave Liverpool tie right to
purchase its plant After protractcd
negotiations II price VI "-'''''''' "''
agreed on. OF this sum 100000 was
n bonus. while the balance represented
the actual value of the plant turned
over by the company
The city did not make this purchase
for the sole purpose or generating
electricity for its municipal use. 1t
sought and obtained a grant which en-
nbled it to furnish light and power t"
all uScrs The advocates of TINS St"p
rr,od that numerous BENEFITS wou'I
follow from the installation and opera
tion of "A municipality owned ana OPP
GRATED plant. The city would Obtain
its light and power mt cost, pilF"''
uscrs would receive theirs ut Il hilli-
,r,,n advance over the actual cost ANA
n,,uufocturcrs and merchants would
,horofnro have an advantage over out
ei.ln connections. who were cohpciIe"
+, nav rates which yielded large dlVi-
donds TO private owners OF lGht anu
,,o,,.cr nI.nts. Again. the surplus proi-
itc yo,lld 20 to the relief of tax rates.
thereby making the circle OF ccohoii!
complete.
Immediately after the acquiring OF
mi. rroricrtv the tramWayS also c"llle
i,,,n thc rosscssion Of the city, ana thc
question arose whether or not 10 ni'he
49,, .s.,,nr.l.u- system serve for all