The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1907-12-06
REPORTS ADVERSELY,
Syracuse Lighting Commission
Advises Against City
Light Plant.
Detailed Reports From Other Cities
Show No Saving Over Private Opera.
Gon--Reports Of Success Regarded a.
neutrality-suspicious. Items Of Cost
Omitted From Reports.


Syracuse has set an example Of civic
caution in dealing with municipal own
ership which other cities would do
we'll to emulate. Instead Of leaving the
question Of establishing a city lighting
plant to be settled by public clamos
the council authorized the mayor to
appoint a commission OF representa- tive
citizens 10 investigate the subject.
This commission has Just made a
unanimous report which covers eight
months study Of the case. During this
period experts were examined, and an
investigation was made OF the results
Of municipal ownership In twenty-five
cities. the members OF the commission
personally visiting those cities which
claimed the best results-viz. Detroit.
Columbus, Allegheny, Holyoke, Taun-
ton and South Norwalk. The report
considers the esta blishment of a plant
for both public and commercial light
Ing and for public lighting only. IL
has not yet been printed In full, but
the following extracts are taken from
the Syracuse Herald:
The Investment OF taxpayers mon
ey sufficient for such an undertaking
would he justified only after we are
satisfied that the laws designed for
our protection are Inadequate or 10
efYectual or that the public service
commissioners are not 10 be relied
upon to do their duty.
I'VE find that the borrowing capacity
Of the city will not at this time permit
the construction Of an electric light
plant Of sufficient capacity to furnish
liGht,. heat and power for both public
and private use.
I'VE advise against the municipal
ownership OF such plant at this time,
even though the bonding capacity OF
the city were sufficient for that pur-
pose
I'VE advise against the municipal
ownership at this time OF plant FOR
the manufacture and distribution OF
gas for light. heat and power for both
public and private use.
1T Ia the belief OF your com m ission
| az the result Of its study OF municipal
plants which light the streets. parks
and public buildings only that the city
Of Syracuse cannot hope at the present
time to secure such service through
municipal plant at true gross cost
| lower than the current contract rate.
making proper allowance for all ele-
ments OF this cost on rational busi-
ness basis.
This would sppear to bc peculiar
| ly inopportune time 10 inaugurate
municipal lighting project owing " the
very high roles of "a sss and priss or
materials now prevailing and to the
agencies which have reduced and tend
| to further reduce contract rates for
lighting service.
"Those cities which established mu-
! nicipal lighting systems ten 10 hfteen
years ago entered the field when plants
could be constructed for very much
| less than similar equipment would now
cost and when the rates maintained by
private corporations for arc lighting
were 80 per cent to 100 por cent high
or than those existing In Syracuse to
|
ply themselves with light large say
ing over contract rates was easily ef-
fected. Today they are not securing
the service much IL any cheaper than
| we are In Syracuse under our contract,
and IL IL grave question whether
these municipal plants can even equal
contract rates of the near future.
ia Il not. then, the part OF wisdom
to await Developments, meantime en-
loving the reasonable rates for street
lighting now In force. and II II be
comes advisable and desirable 10 build
a municipal plant at some future timc
20 reap the benefit Of improvements
jet 70 be introduced and probably OF
lower cost OF construction?
Relieving this to be the case, your
commission unanimously recommends
that the city OF Syracuse do not Mt the
present time construct n municipal
plant for lighting it's streets, parks and
public buildings"
In appendices 10 the report the coui
mission deals with the balance sheets
OF the cities having municipal plants
The scrutiny has not encouraged the
commission 10 believe that municipal
ownership has been the success that
Its advocates have claimed. Joseph
Bondy's figures are given In many
cases and the figures of the report e
show that the Syracusan, Ike many
other municipal ownership advocates
has hceu nisled Ivy surprising book
Keeping depreciation Is general!
charged too low There Is no sinking
fund. there Is No provision FOR iuteres'
or FOR oet taxes. In number al
way. the books are made 70 show 9
profit where there Il no profit o'
Columbus. q. the report says:
we are led to believe that the true
net cost for arc lights to the city OF
Columbus is probably nearly II not
quite as high ss the present price IN
Syracuse, making u reasonable allow
snce for difference IN the market pric,
IN fuel.