Omaha daily bee., 1906-08-12

most in the city itself, and all the power
necessary for electrical operation of am
kind, including manufacturing, is supplied
by this kindly and convenient stream. The
city has appropriated everything and the
manufacturer must do business with It,
but the terms are easy and no one seems
to have n kick.
The controlling officials Aarrihg without
pay saves all Of the salaries which go to
eat up the profits of public utilities else
where, and because of these and other
reasons one would hardly be justified IN
pointing to this town of 10000 people as
proof positive that municipal ownership is
justifiable in all American cities
One-hslf of the taxes of Port Arthur are
paid from the revenues derived from its
water works, lighting plant street railway
and telephone. The total investment by the
municipality was $4,000, and last year the
net income was $4,000. OF course It would
be impossible to continue these proportional
figures If the city should grow to a larger
population, and it would be likewise i'm
possible in a city where millions were in
volved to have the officials devote their
entire time to enterprises without compen-
sation. Just now the members of the rail-
way and light commission meet only after
business hours and perhaps not oftener
! than twice a week
Row with the Railroads.
Port Arthur and Fort William are the
| lake shipping points for the western Canada
wheat belt. Each has a magnificent harbor
and gigantic elevators. Port Arthur and
| the Canadian Pacific railway have been for
years and are now at war with each other.
II there had never been a quarrel between
the two there would never have been a
story TO tell about municipal ownership I'M
der Port Arthur date line.
DISTINGUISHED persons say that both the
town and the road were at fault and that
a hot-headed and chesty person of impor-
lance to each made their differences grow
and finally become irreconciliable Port
Arthur concluded that the railroad was try
ing to dodge the payment OF taxes on prop
erty the title to which was under dispute,
and very self-assertve mayor caused a
passenger train to be attached and held
like the elephant of the bankrupt circus
until payment was enforced. This little
| courtesy naturally made the Canadian Pa
cihc railroad offieials feel kindly toward
Port Arthur.
Sir William Van Horn, president OF the
Canadian Pacific, is pretty quick on the
| trigger anyhow and his wrath on this par
| to see. After the power OF speech had re-
! turned Sir William is reported to have
waved his carefully mancured Smithield
over his head and declared that he would
make the grass grow in the streets OF Port
| Arthur" The development OF the rival
town OF Fort William began with a rush,
and for a while II looked very much as II
| Sir William would make his threat good.
But the god folks at Port Arthur are not
Of the Mlcawber family. They began to sit
up and take notice. They had a harbor an
ideal location for a city and a splendid
waterfall just outside the city limits II
the railroad would not bring its tracks 10
Port Arthur they were determined to make
their town getatable by means OF an cleo
trio railway. and so the municipal owner
ship proposition had its inception. From
the very beginning the system was enough
of a success to demonstrate that ultimately
IL would be a pronounced success. and the
story which tells the tale most eloquently
is the statement of income and expendi-
lures issued by the corpora ton OF the town
of Port Arthur. II shows that from the
street railroads the gross income was last
year 81. s36, the cost OF adminIstTati ton
S2SoO and the prohts tlO,iS0; from the cleo
trio lighting plant the same relative figures
were sSs2ss. s2lOo and SlI.s4O and from,
the telephone system Ss.5n. Sl.lOo and s., sOl
The figures given under cost OF admin
istration" include the salary for superin-
tendenoe and the clerical stan required for
the operation of these industries The
street railroad is carrying charges on some
t5s.0oo worth OF bonds. OF these, n2O0
were devoted 10 Improvement OF the Current
river. The lighting and telephone .zstsms