The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1905-06-28
sy Jacob waldsok.


Staff Correspondence Go the Seat
tle Star
WASHINGTON. June ss-nuluth
presents good object lesson OF
municipal ownership. Seven years
ago "A private company owned the
Eaa and water works. There were
1900 eases OF typhoid fever in the
city, due chiefly. II not wholly. 20
Impure water. Gas WIS sold ntsl 90
per thousand feet.
These plants we're purchased by
the city for si.25o coo Officials say
that Of this amount $500 600 was
paid for actual property The bal
anec, $3.50 COO was paid 10 buy back
the franchise which the people had
given the company. Upon that
$3.50 600 above the actual worth Of
che property the city water and
Hight department has, since the par-
chase, been compelled 10 pay inter
est.
l., n Case. Co whose akiiifnl man
aEement the results are largely due.
gave this concise but eloquent hts
ANit AA tNf taA NtAAks
Price Of illuminating gas In
1855. 81 30. now 80 cents. gas FOR
fuel. tSgS. 81. now 75 cents
The city bought the plant In
August 1855 Before the close Of the
year the price 81 Illuminating gaH
had been reduced from 81 so 10
sl.66 In 1893 Il dropped 20 81 90.
1901 slsb. 1897 si.tb. 1908 81. 1904
30 cents
The gas plant. where owned by
the private company. had always
been a burden on the water depart
ment Under city management the
gas plant. In the first year. ran be-
hind ss.e00 In three years Il paid
It's own expenses. including interest
on the exhorhitant valuation. The
profit last year was $1,000 This
year It will be g. 600
In order 20 encourage the loeaa
ton 81 great enterprise here We
began last year % purchase our
supply % Eas from a furnace com
pany which has coke ovens in con
ncction With its plant We pay
What II would cost us 10 make the
gas
Under the private company the
men worked L hours a day. nov
they work eight hours. The private
company paid FOR labor rs cents an
hour We pay q cents"
4 board 81 five business men con
trolls the plant Politics cuts no
figure IN It's operation.
Critics 81 the management charge
that the showing claimed for the
plant Is due 20 the bookkeeping
that taxes are not charged up to the
plant that maintenance expendl=
lures are charged up 10 cunstrue-
ton. that gas bills are sWelied hy
putting high pressure on the meters
aud that the quality % the gas FUR
niuhed Il los
Il Is unotflciallY stated that the
furnace company would gladly take
the plant and furnish Illuminating
Fas fur rs cents. and Eaa for fuel At
60 cents per thousand feet
why IL 40, this offer submitted
to the peopleG+ vas ASKED men q
various interests
NO use the people would net
think % giving up the plant" vas
substantially the answer OF all Of
them.
The furnace company ia employ
lnE solicitors and spending large
amounts Of money TO increase the
gas consumption. Il claims the
credit for the present coed condl.
ton of the department
Duluth. Il seems. has tried both
private and municipal Ownership.
II prefers the latter.
Arc lights for street illumination
are furnished Duluth BY a private
company At the remarkably low
rate Of SIS per lamp per year This
Is said b. city officials 10 BE- due
10 the existence Of the city gas
plant. and the efforts. though un-
successful. that Duluth has made "a
get from the legislature permission
to erect a city electric plant