New-York tribune., 1906-08-11
THE TEES PORTS.
,f.,.isipaI Socialism Does Not In.
uariablyt Reduce Rates.
7nddlsss-Oush. Yorks. July 81.

GA - q, she low range OF hills back OF Tees
-, ,,e,q a century ago Stockton was then
- os the lower Tees. tho course of the
- ,svIug been altered by two cuts by which
- ,.,as were avoided: and its supremacy
- Is secure as its antiquity. There was
unarshy bank on the Yorkshire side a
es ,.a-s ago. when the antiquarians OF
nl-,-s - we're studying the remains Of Roman
s~o.ion ana the merchants were enlarging
-. commerce. with the Tyne ports and with
1900 ana he Baltic countries. About 1880
.-s,,- con,pany known as the Middlesbrough
s-. bo,gllt a tract OF five hundred acres on
-, si6e below Stockton and laid out a
- town. Slow progress was made until the
- -. as known that the Cleveland hills con-
- the richest bed cf iron ore in the kingdom;
= .+s, the population OF Middlesbrough rose
- and bounds 10 100000. until it was
- .,a. az ancient Stockton. The two cities
,u practically continuous. with thick
80 ~ smoke from blast furnaces on each
=. n The river and a constant play Of sparks
= -. cornecting wires OF the tramway service.
-sS,sstrough iron is known throughout the
- and millions Of tons are produced every
-, fD enormous furnaces over a hundred feet
- There are as many as two hundred OF
- furnaces for turning out pig iron, and
-, are immense steel works with highly i'm
- processes. scores OF rolling mills and
ys.,varss and hundreds OF iron and brass fac
-. chemical works brick and tile yards and
-..,-,eo ulan- for minor branches Of the iron
- s,eel trade and the conversion Of bye
--sncts from coal tar. Il is one OF the busiest
..,srs Of Industrial England. with countless
-sohs-icsl crafts and an immense commerce
srng ard elnptying our Of Teesmouth-
~ss close connection between the old Durham
- she modern Yorkshire iron town offers
s--fzjng opportunity for the study OF local
-.rs-,-,ent. stockton. with its superior age and
s,rsr growth has had a marked advantage in
ssn-ng itself 10 new conditions. II was
N established port when the discovery Of the
- be6s in the Cleveland hills converted ii into
.r-re cf he iron and shipbuiding trades and
..s srlsreerneau Of the town did not involve
-,sHv improvements and heavy taxation. In
,Hsdlesbr0ush The city had 10 be built, large
,sqs drained. q waterfront improved, public
s,l5,rgs constructed and ell the arrangements
-.5s f7r The creation OF a great industrial cen
=. The growth Of the city has been so rapid
.hat is available resources have been taxed
decade after decade for street improvements.
sAa eDenlag Of new districts and the develop
-rt Of municipal institutions. Like many
fsrring mushroom towns in America, ii has
hen forced 10 borrow money for local improve
merits ana 10 struggle 10 keep abreast with the
r-gsnt requireuents Of business enterprise.
lacking t1= financial reserves Of Stockton, IT
hss run into debt more deeply and is taxed
no-e heavily on more closely assessed valua-
l5ns OF property. With $55o0OO 70 put into
-rnicfral Offices and with parks. schools, hospi-
as libraries markets, abattoirs, baths a nlu-
SIN and supplies OF gas, water and electricity
70 provide for. il IS nOt strange that the in
6sbte5ness Of AIiddlesbrough is S1-SOOGO IN
hiran1e of Stockton, and that the tax rate is
S d. N place Of SIS. Cd The newer town has
bssa compelled 10 do everything quickly and TO
r3ride Tor the accommodation and comfort Of
tsstls The population. An abnormally rapid in
ssass Of valuations has accompanied its aston
shina prosrass. and its financial condition is
thsroughly sound. although taxation Is high and
he municipal industries are not at present
E1a.4ble
The reforszers conplacently assume that nau-
sepaI trading involves low taxation. and the lack
cit hign rates This IS often true. rs in the
e.se Of Darlington. where Is. Sd is saved for the
relief Of The rates by the profits of the water
and gas services and taxation IS reduced 10 0s
Cd on Ihe pound II is not q rule without ex-
esptions. and 8Iiddlesbrough is case in point
Ths Town controls The water, gas and electric
hy supplies. and owns markets, battQirs. baths,
cemeteries and Libraries With the exception Of
tas tramWays all the public services are owned
and operated by the municipality; yet the profits
syalabie for The relief OF taxpayers amount
e Only a penny and a farthing, when the rate
S ID On The pound. This is a beggarly re-
ST. which shows that municipal trading does
not invariably lessen taxation. The water sup
ply IS he'd 5olnrIy with Stockton and Thornaby
q Tees and the profits are wiped out by the in
ieres- and sinking fund payments The net
profit Of The gas service after similar charges
have been paid IS held for the reserve fund, and
municipal gas Is not cheaper than rs ID
Aolsand cubic feet-a high rate in eoihparl-
na with prices in many other towns where there
either public or private ownership. There is
good municipal electricity plant, on which not
is- from 100000 has been expended; and, al
hoEgA tie working expenses per unit are low
here IS o1ly about s., 500 available for depreci-
saoa and reserve when the interest and sinking
faad charges are paid The municipal industries
a Addlesbrough contribute barely the penny
EegIEed in The rates for a public library. Larger
results may be secured ia the course of ten or
'Eslty wears when the capital outlay in various
public worAs Is repaid through sinking funds;
esi a. present mere is only the penny 10 show
NF enterprise n municipal trading.
The cider and smaller town of stockton-on-
Tees eontrves 70 make $1,000 out OF the mar
Lss and so5 go from the gas supply, and from
~@e pFoa;s there IS a saving equivalent TO 1Od-
= ne ra5es. The interest on the water debt
4@ses No margin for profit. and there is loss
VI eooOt EL0o0 on nc electricity supply when
Ysaal charges Tor interest anG sinking fund
- net TIA gas service is remuneraJive be-
- Il Wa established half = century ago and
aSE 81 the deot for plant has been repaid;
colT1oers are charged 2s. 81. q tb0u-
cpoic feet. The markets are admirably
~~seu. and age a commenda ble feature Of the
,~,afssqre i snuoge-coated town. with its