Evening star., 1905-09-26
EVANSVILLE NEWS.
Proposition for Establishing Electric
Lighting Plant Before Council.

Special Correspondence Of The Star.
HYATTSVILLE, Md. September 25, 1905.
The town council met last evening. Mayor
Wells presiding. All the members OF the
council were present. The report of Town
Treasurer Richardson for the current
month showed receipts to have been 1868 .O7 !;
expenditures. $472.05; balance $9602. A
proposition from the Maryland Real Estate
and Title Investment Company, Offering
for acceptance the avenues, sidewalks and
water system in their new subdivision in
the northern section of the town. was, on
motion of Councilman Magruder, referred
to the road committee for investigation and
report.
The draft of proposed ordinance grant
Ing to c. A. M. Wells. c. F. Carr, j. w.
Henry Lanahan and J. H. Ralston. trustees
Of the Hyattsyille Electric and Ice Com
pany. the right to construct and mainta,n n
in the town of Hyattsville an electric light
ing and power plant and system of poles
and electric wires, was submitted.
Under the terms of the town charter
every ordinance of this description must
be submitted to the voters of the town for
ratification or rejection. The object of
submitting the ordinance last night was to
have the council order it's publication and
to arrange for special election. 1t Is the
general understanding of the terms Of the
town charter that the mayor and common
council have no discretion in the matter OF
submitting proposed franchise to the peo-
pie Their duty ends when they order the
proposed ordinance granting the franchise
printed and a special election, IL necessary.
The council last evening decided to defer
action In the matter until some future spe-
eial meeting of that body.
Councilman John Fainter entered a ylgor-
Gus protect against certain features of the
proposed franchise, claiming that the pro-
posed company was nothing more or less
than a trust. an accusation that Mr. jack
son n. Ralston, a leading promoter OF the
proposed company resented. Councilman
Fainter objected particularly to that fea-
ture of the proposed franchise which pro-
ytdes "that the town of Hyattsville Shall
take, and the said trustees and their
successors shall supply. for the purpose of
public lighting and to be located at points
To be fixed by the mayor and common eoun-
ell of Hyattsville. not less than nifty
twenty five candle power incandescent
lamps and such additional number as the
mayor and common council may require, at
the price of SIS each per year, such lamps
to be kept lighted from fifteen minutes after
sunodown until 1 O'Clock am.
Councilman Fainter declared that this
proposition was not as good as the one re-
Gently submitted by the Potomac Electric
Power Company OF Washington, and he
would never vote for the franchise as 'ong
as the clause just cited remained IN the
franchise. The proposed franchise gives
the company the right to establish and
maintain a system of poles and wires for
the term of forty years, with the pToviso
that the mayor and-common council shall
have the right at the end OF ten years from
date Of installation and operation to pur-
chase the poles, lights and wires and ap-
paratus incidental thereto at a valuation
10 be determined on. The right Is also
given to purchase the same pronerty at the
end of any subsequent period of five years,
until the said period Of forty yelrs 3 com
pleted 1t Is the general opinion here that
the proposed franchise or one similar WIN
be finally granted.