Evening star., 1905-09-07
HYArrsvILLE NEWS.
Council Rejects Electric Lighting Pro-
position-Home Company to Be Formed

position-Home Company to Be Formed
Special Correspondence Of The Star.
HYATTsvILLE. Nd. September 8, 1905.
It In manifest that the citizens OF Hyatts-
vile are opposed to granting franchise to
outside parties to install an electric light
ing plant in the town, and are in favor OF
municipal ownership. The matter came UP
at a meeting held last evening for the pur-
pose of discussing the feasibility Of INSTALL
ville when the proposition OF the Potomac
Electric Lighting and Power Company to
furnish the town fifty 25-candle power lamps
at $40 per annum was rejected and the mo-
tion OF Mr.. Charles II. Long that a citi-
zens' company be organized to install the
plant carried without a dissenting vote.
The meeting was called to order by Mayor
Charles A. Wells, who suggested that, as II
was purely a citizens' meeting, some gen.
tleman not member Of the town council
be chosen to preside. Mr.. jackson H. Raj
ston was named as chairman and Mr.. ]. G.
Rogers selected as secretary. Mr. William
Giueta. to whom had been left the matter Of
securing data and estimates Of the cost of
installing a suitable plant. presented the re-
suits Of his Investigations to the meeting
and declared that a more careful research
revealed the fact that 1t would cost nearly
double the amount to install an electric
plant than he had originally estimated.
Mr.. Harry w. Shepherd. chairman of the
lighting committee, reported that he was
confident the citizens Of the town are ready
to subscribe sufficient funds with which to
install an electric lighting plant Mr.. J. c.
Rogers spoke In favor of accepting the
proposition of the Potomac company. de-
claring that the scheme to have the people
organize company to install the plant was
theoretical. ana would not. in his opinion.
materiaiize. He doubted, from legal
standpoint, whether the town would have
the authority, under the terms of the pres
ent town charter. to enter into an agree
ment with the citizens company to pur-
chase its stock He moved that the Poto-
mac company's proposition be accepted
Mr.. Ralston requested DR.. Joseph r.
Owens to take the chair. and he took the
floor in favor of the citizens company. He
said he was in favor of the citizens of the
town owning their own electric lighting
plant. The great economy in such project
resulted from the fact that the water and
electric lighting plant could be operated
under the same roof and with practically
the same labor. One man is practically the
only employe engaged upon the double work
for the town.
Mr.. Ralston contended that the plant
could be installed for about ST GEO. and that
this money could easily be raised by private
subscription among the people Of Hyatts-
Vile. He said the plant estimated for in
cluded 500 commercial lights, the revenue
from which would amount to practically
5000 per year. over twice much as is
now being paid to maintain the present sys-
tenn of lighting. Mr.. Ralston said the con-
templated scheme for securing the plant for
the town adhered closely to that proposed
by Mayor Dunno of Chicago in his effort to
place the ownership and control of the street
railways in that city in the hands Of the
municipality. Under Mayor Dunne's scheme
the stockholders Of the citizens company
are to be paid interest on the money ad-
vanced from the earnings OF the company,
and the surplus earnings accumulated a
certain number of shares of stock are to be
purchased by the town until all the stock is
owned by the municipality.
Mr.. Charles H. Long moved that the meet
ing proceed to the organization Of COM
pany for the purpose of installing an cleo
tric lighting plant to be purchased by the
town. After the motion had been amended
SO as to provide that the company should
be formed and the money subscribed within
fifteen days 1t was passed without dis
senting voice.
The Hyattsville base ball club visited Riv-
erdale yesterday and defeated the team of
that place by a score of 8 to l. Handiboe,
pitching for Hyattsville, allowed but five
hits, three Of them coming in the first in
ming, but resulting In no runs. McGregor.
for Riverdale. pitched fine game, but his
support was miserable, Mentally, behind the
bat. displaying considerable weakness In
throwing to bases. For Hyattsville Capt.
Mangum, Gait and Rogers made fine stops
and catches. and Keith made three hits out
of three times up. Burch played good
game at first base for the losers. The same
teams play again today in Riverdale, this
being postponed game.