Gainesville daily sun. (Gainesville, Fla.) 190?-1938, 1907-01-24
A JUST COMPLAINT.
An Instance Of How Our People Are
Robbed by Electric Company.


Robbed by Electric Company.
Editor Sun: ] doubt il there could
be found in the whole South another
city whose people are 80 patient and
% long.sutIering a. are those OF
GAinesville, as witness the fact that
they have go long endured without
protest the outrageously exotbiiant
rates imposed upon them and the
often oUtrsgeOusly unreasonable
monthly bills run ~ against them by
the Gainesville Gas and Electric Light
Com any. foreign corporation that
In its treatment of Them has shown
itself to be without either reason or
conscience. There il point, how.
ever, beyond which patience becomes
servility ana endurance i transformed
into pUsillauimity-s point beyond
which no tree and specting peo.
pie will gO-and thst point our people
have about reached in this electric
lRht matter.
Bot not only 10 this foreign corpora
tion with its extoriioBate rates and its
insolent disregard OF right fAttrning
upon the plunde interests OF our
private citizens and our private busi-
ness enterprises, but IL 10 today one Of
the greatest II not the only stumbling
block in the way Of the city's growth
and development. People move into
towns for the comforts and convent
snces 20 be found there bat how can
We with good conscience Urge people
% settle in our city and place them
selves at the mercy OF this merciless
and greedy corporation that seems 60
regard increase Of population only as
20 much more food for its rapacious
mas' Many growing towns 10 the
South are now advertising as their
chief attractions cheap lights and fair
trestment-a thing We can never do
90 long a. We are content 10 remain in
the power OF this insatiable and con-
seieneeiess corporation with its mo-
nopoly Of two leading essentials OF
modern civilization, electricity and
sss.
The city 10 contributing to this mo.
nopoly the u.e Of its streets-furnish.
ibg IL the ground without which il
could not do business; and what com
pehsatiOn does il get for il? Nothing,
unless the robbery OF it's citizens may
De considered IN :he light o. com.
pensatlon. use the term robbery |
deliberately and aGvisedly. am not
Nlng pfiva.e grievance, but / will
use personal illustration TO show |
such OF our citizens as have not yet
'oond out for themselves. just what |
'hey msy expect from this corpora.
"on. IL has an arbitrary rule to the
eject that u a bill j. not paid on or be-
'ofe q certain day each month, 10 per
cent OF the bill i adde on; that IL, =
o'h OF $40. Il not Paid by certain day,
WV mes ell.
Now every body in Gsinesville knows
'nat ray my bill, and meet sll my
0ohsations. No msn can truthfully |
"J he ever presented me q just bill and
~ refused payment. A few
usys ago this monopoly presented |
NE bill for last month OF
va In explanation Of the siI-
q The bill | was informed that 10 per
sen' had been added on because the
S'h had not been settled some few
sai' before. Upon my refusing to pay
aus me, or rather to submit to being
.oOOed OF something like "a, my lights
ere cot out and my residence and
Sses OF business left In darkness.
se given freely Of my time and
~-snss TO the upbuilding Of the city Of