The Spokane press. [volume] (Spokane, Wash.) 1902-1939, 1905-06-26
BY Jacob W&1deck.

ny vaCoU w &luSCAs
Staff Correspondence to The Press.
WASHINGTON. June 26.--Duluth
presents a good object lesson of mu-
nicipal ownership. Seven years ago
a private company owned the gas and
water works. There were 1900 cases
Of typhoid fever in the city, due
chiefly, if not wholly, to impure
water. Gas was sold at $3.50 per
thousand feet
These plants were purchased by the
city for $1,250,000. Officials say that
of this amount 100000 was paid for
actual property. The balance, $780,
900, was paid to buy back the fran
| chise which the people had given the
company. Upon that $350,000 above
the actual worth of the property the
city water and light department has,
since the purchase, been compelled
to pay interest.
l.. N. Case, to whose skillful man.
agement the results are largely due,
gave this concise but eloquent his
tory of the gas plant:
price Of Illuminating gas in 1898,
$3.50, now 90 cents; gas for fuel,
1898, 81, now rs cents.
1.-THE city bought the plant in Au-
gust, 1898. Before the close Of the
year the price of illuminating gas
had been reduced from $3.50 to $1.65.
In 1899 it dropped to $1.40, 1901 s1.25,
1902 $1.15, 1903 81. 1904 80 cents.
"The gas plant, when owned by the
private company, had always been a
burden on the water department.
Under city management the gas
plant in the first year. ran behind
$4,000. In three years 1t paid its own
expenses, including interest on an ex-
orbitant valuation. The profit last
year was $4,000. This year 1t will be
$4,000.
In order to encourage the location
of a great enterprise here we began
gas from furnace company which
has coke ovens in connection with
it's plant. We pay what it would
cost us to make the gas.
"Under the private company the
men worked ~ hours day. now they
work eight hours. The private COM
pany paid for labor Is cents an hour.
We pay % cents"
A board of five business men con-
trolls the plant. Politics cuts no figure
in It's operation.
Critics of the management charge
+Io hnu tn cIairnnI for thp
plant is due to the bookkeeping, that
taxes are not charged up to the
plant, that maintenance expenditures
are charged up to construction, that
gas bills are swelled by putting high
pressure on the meters and that the
quality of the gas furnished Is low.
1t is unofficially stated that the
furnace company would gladly take
| the plant and furnish illuminating
gas for rs cents, and gas for fuel at
co cents per thousand feet.
"Why is not this offer submitted
to the people," was asked men of
various interests.
mo use: the people would not
think of giving up the plant" was
substantially the answer of all of
them.
The furnace company is employing
solicitors and spending large amounts
of money to increase the gas con-
sumption. 1t claims the credit for
the present good condition of the de-
partmcnt.
Duluth. it seems, has tried both pri-
vate and municipal ownership. 1t
prefers the latter,
Arc lights for street illumination
are furnished Duluth by private
company at the remarkably low rate
of s55 per lamp per year. This Is
said by city officials to be due to the
existence of the city gas plant. and
the efforts, though unsuccessful. that
Duluth has made to get from the
legislature permission to erect a city
electric plant.