Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Benton County, Or.) 1900-1909, 1905-12-08
GRANTING OF FRANCHISE.
Citizens League Discusses Mat
ter at Meeting Tuesday.

OkAS ASN
ing of that body Tuesday. AS
nearly as can be ascertained the
following represents the points
brought out in a free for all dis
cussion:
This is a very important mat
tie. with the administration of
any city, and at the present time
it is a vital question with the
city of Corvallis.
A large corporation known as
the WEIGH Co., representing
many millions of dollars, operat-
ing electric light and power
plants in Eugene, Albany, Leb-
anon, Jefferson, Silverton, Salem
and a number of other towns in
the valley, are asking the City
of Corvallis for a franchise for
80 years. for the purpose of sup
plying the city with electrical
power, and for the privilege of
supplying the city with electric
lights % years after the expira-
ton of the present franchise.
No time in the history of Cor
wallis has such a good thing come
our way-and it is certainly up
to the citizens of this community
to grasp this new proposed cleo
trio current as quickly as possible
which will put us on a par with
our sister towns throughout the
valley.
The grocer will use this power
to grind his coffee, the butcher to
run his sausage mill, the con-
fectioner to pull his taffy and
turn his ice cream freezer, the
dentist to run his drill, the jew
eler to turn his clock, the black
smith to run his forge, the print
er to operate his press, the
creamery to churn the butter,
the barber to shampoo your
head, the bartender for mixing
your soft drinks; besides the
saw mills, foundry, laundry,
flour mills, planingmills, furni-
ture factory and every industry,
where machinery Of any kind is
used, will all use the power.
This is the Electric Age'' and
it will not be long before all the
heat we use will be generated
by electricity instead of wood.
What does the city get in re-
turn for this 80 year franchise?
Does she get her lights any
cheaper? Will the franchise
provide that the City of Corval-
lis in consideration of this very
large grant of 80 years will have
a guarantee Of them that the
rate for light for both the city
and the private individual will
be lower than the present rates,
or not even to exceed the present
rates which are not unreason-
able?
On will the City of Corvallis,
in return for this 80 years fran
chise, be compelled to pay a
higher rate, as the other towns
of EQgune, Albany, Lebanon,
etc where this present company
is already operating? Isn't our
rate for light in Corvallis reason
able, and isn't the fact that the
present company can. maintain
this plant at a profit, and with
the new current can reduce it's
running expenses one-half,-
sufficient reason that our price
for light should be no higher, if
anything lower?
In conclusion, if the Welch Co.
is charging a higher rate in the
other towns where they are now
operating, is it not reasonable to
believe they will make the same
charge in Corvallis if such rates
as we are now paying are not
stipulated in the words of the
franchise? Would they be ex-
pected to charge us less than
other towns were paying? Don't
give away a franchise for nothing
when you place the city in the
power Of one of the largest mol