The advocate. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1901-1913, 1907-07-11
pvoeAT
ADvis SHILLING ar.

An Unusually frank Statement OF
Failure BY eGtd Of Public Service.
In an exhauattss report to the city.
council the boSSd sor public service Of
Bellefontatne: recommended the
selling Of the mnnicipal gas plant on
the following grounds: ~. ~.
The gas plaGtIis no longer necessary
to and docs notfrurnish any public
service. ,&t5ya.%.
The mains tn the principal streets
are very old ana will require In the
future expenaiye repairs,
The plant IS In as good condition to-
day rs 1t Is po6athie to put the present
system, and to- change the system will
require anothar bond issue.
The average price received from the
sale OF gas Is very little II any lower
than private evaporation would give
TO our people. Sutf6 as low as any gov
erning board tho people may elect can
make and 1scp TIE plant in Its present
condition ana meet all the require
ments and pay bonds and interest as
has been the policy Of tho present
management. 49, 20
'Fodr years ago 1t was necessary to
Issue $4,000 OF bonds to build q new
holder and inst&H coal gas bench and
necessary machinery, ana another Is
sue Of bonds ~ the extent Of $4,000
to pay overdrafts in the banks. md
5000 more to put new mains in san.
dusky street hafore it was paved.
These bond issues should have been
unnecessary II the plant had been op-
Grated with view Of self support but
gas was being FURNISHED part of our
citizens for. mNch less than cost, and
the remaining ettizens, even IL they
did not use gRa, We're compelled to
stand bond. issuaefor which each tax
payer became equally responsible to
get the plant on its feet And, as his
tory repeats itself, you will find ne
quest in the future, as in the past, for
bonds to keep the plant In condition
If the price OF gas Is lowered, and we
wish to say In this connection that
with the election AGor members Of this
board almost year In advance there
are candidates who are grooming
themselves today with a view Of catch
Ing popular favor and riding into office
va N'A> PAot~AASU IA NAlSoPSl duu Al
elected on that issue and their prom
1ses and pledges are carried out you
may expect request for a bond issue.
and when we realize that we are now
bonded to our legal limit how will the
money be furnished? And If the plant
is permitted to get In the condition 1t
was In four years ago what would it
be worth If compelled to sell it?
"Is it right or jpst to tax those peo-
pie who do not Use gas to keep up
this plant, either by taxes or bond rs
sues, when they derive no service. Ell
ther personally on, as citizens from pub
lie service, from the plant? Is 1T right
TO tax any citizen to keep up some
thing thai gives him no return as n
taxpayer? And, ON the other hand. is
1t right to compel, the gas consumer
to build, up a plais$ from revenues de
rived from the 50 Of gas for the peo-
pie? AS the people own this plant.
would it not be more equitable to all
the people to dispose of the plant ind
with the proceeds furnish a necessity
by installing water mains and sewer
age accommodations for all citizens7
This, In our opinion, should find favor
from both factions, both Of whom at
present have just cause for complaint"