Evening journal., 1905-05-11
GIVING
AWAY FRANCHISE
Street and Sewer Director J.
G. Gray Favors Municipal
Lighting Plant
MELVIN SAYS RELIEF is NEEDED

The Street and Sewer Department
in special meeting today failed to take
action on the application of the Will
mington Electric Light and Fuel Co.
for a franchise to use the citys streets
to supply electric current to the pub
lice. The subject was discussed, but
the members were of the unanimous
opinion that action should be deferred
until the matter was thoroughly gone
into.
President Johnson and Commissioner
Melvin appeared to be impressed by
the proposition made by the new COM
pany to use the conduits and poles Of
the Delmarvia Telephone Company IN
laying cables and stringing wires. Di-
rector Gray, however. thought the city
should have its own lighting plant and
placed himself on record as being
against giving away any more fran
chises.
Mr. Melvin said the public should
have some redress from present con-
ditions. He though the gas rate too
high but expressed a doubt as to
whether the city could successfully
operate its own lighting plant. Mr..
Johnson remarked that the board with
his sanction would have to receive o
mighty nice sum from any corporation
to get his consent to again tear up the
streets.
What I want" said Mr.. Gray. "is
to get something for the city this time
and stop giving franchises" He said
he thought an agreement could be
effected with the Water Commission
whereby that body would I'm construct
ing its new pumping plant. install
the necessary machinery to be operat-
ed by water, to supply the city with
electric light. He said that was one
way Of doing It. Another way he said
would be for the city TO own it's gas
plant and operate an electric plant
with the unrefined gas which is wasted
Mr.. Gray also advocated the pur-
chase of horses for the department.
use instead of hiring them every day
He said that by so doing the price o.
a pair Of horses could be saved ever,
week.
GRANTED EXTENSION OF TIME.
John p Nields appeared before tn
board and offered a resolution TO ex
tend the time for the building AM
construction of the line of the Della
ware Interburban Railway Company
successor to the Delaware Suburban
Railway Company, upon certain street
, I'm this city. The streets I'm question
are Fifth from King to Clayton AM
then south on the latter thoroughfar
to the city line. IL is expected to con
struct the road through to Elkton, Nd
The company was granted a fran
chise to occupy these streets on Ma.
-, 1903. and has had the time extend
ed until the present The resolution
asked for the extension Of the time 70
another year and the board grantee
the request.
Il The board again discussed the mat
ter of changing the streets on lan
owned by the Wawaset Land Com
: pany near Riverview and finally decid
ed TO accept the plans as presented b.
the company's engineers, and instruc
ted City Engineer Boughman to draf
a resolution according to these plans.
Mayor Charles ID. Bird returned wit
his approval the franchise given to tn
/ Peoples Railway Company to la
tracks on streets leading up to tn
> Rockford Park extension of the com
i pany's line.
! Plumbing Inspector Kane reporte
that William A. Heine, had compile
with the plumbing regulations on wor
T. he did at the Gibson House. For tw
. weeks he had been refused permit
by the department but this ban wi
now be removed.