The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1908-03-09
BEGGED FOR WATER
WHILE CITY BURNED
People Of Tampa Learned
Bister Lesson Touching
Problems of Municipal
Government. Corpor-
ations Own Pub
lie Utilities.
by @. r.. RIcIrARps.
Tampa, Ria. March a. 1908.

. sh.lsIaction to others, to learn
I in othetE o 81 municipal E9vernment
might profit by the experience of those
9sner cities, and escape the curse and
and Nna or sprp9rate greed. by always
ai uIluer Al clrcums tances retaining
, ,ne ownership of her public utilities. Z
nave nave taken the liberty of writing yo,,
trn,1s % dr my observations at the disas-
sunday morning March 1sD, MS we'll
as some other facts learned concern
lng the municipal government OF Tam
civ IN W r'at5,o SHOWS upon the part OF che
want of forethought and business acu.
men. "si''ee acu'
How Tampa IL Ruled
states 'e ds,t Is any N.Y. one city in the United
cursed by that corporate greed of
which I spoke. think that ono must
Owned oe ndm pa nh The only public properly
and the Tampa Bay Hotel park. i and
ne latter has been acquired only fin
me past one or two years. Tho Tam
pa os p Mhaa,ter,W si Company. composed
water. , worhp capitalists, owns the
lease on it. The city is charged ss sss
per annum for each nre hydrant, ana
or ore a nyyasan5 &c can be used only In case
poses. such flushing sewers etc.
hanr,,,ng to be paid for extra.
me Iainpa Water Company has only
e Gtr- ,YSarp pipes IN that section OF the
10y Where sundays fire occurred, and
touid furnish a pressure OF only tTen
,y-four pounds. Such were tho condi.
lions facing the Fire Department Of
| this city. when the fire tend. in spjte
OF hard work and brave deeds. per9
formed by the tlremen in four ho,,re
destroyed over 200 houses. anionr
e @niGh were four large cigar factories.
and rendering homeless thousands OF
poor people. Water, water, was the
cry everywhere. Firemen begged for
sma'er; tne people In their agony cried
IRON grasp OF the corporation was
upon. them. and the fact was here
PLAINLY PA, demonstrated that the company
h tad reeeised the peoples money. but
nad failed to give them protection in
the hour Of their great need
The writer witnessed the destrnc-
ton of row after row of houses tia t
there had been any water pressure.
The direct streams from the plugs were
nearly useless. forcing water Only
ABOUT ABOUT six feet from the MOBILES. Tho
steamers when put TO work could pump
Tor few moments only. when they
| water.
In response to the urgent demand
upon the water company. by the Mav-
or. for more pressure. came back the
statement that no more could he fur
nished: and when His Honor instructed
the man at the power house TO shut
/ of the water from other portions OF
! the city in order to increase the pres
sure at the danger point, lie was
cooiiy informed that the superintend-
| done without his consent.
| Gnder. such circumstances II seem
ed IKE an interpositlon of Divine Prov
! idencee that the wind was sweeping
| the fire from the main portion of the
city. and toward the open fields. where
| 1t finally died out for want OF mate
! rial upon which to feed.
have always been a warm advocate
of municipal ownership OF all public
utilities, but witnessing ut last Sun
days fre here the result of corporate
control of the water-works. cannot
help but feel a thrill OF pride and
sense OF thankfulness that we own
and control our magnificent water
system, as well as our gas works, with
| the hope that the day is mot now
far distant when we shall also have
our electric lighting and pumping
iplant
About Gas Rates.
\ 1T may also be source of some
1 interest to readers of The Times Dis
| patch to say a few words in regard
to the gas works of this city, which is
eign corporation. The Tampa Gas
Company in the year 1896 secured a
franchise for ninety nine years. The
company is allowed by it's charter to
/ feet, and up to few years ago did
charge that amount. but owing to
threatened competition. agreed to IA
of gas to s1.s5 per 1000. which is the
'lpresent price paid. The quality is very
poor at that, I am informed that the
average family. exercising the utmost
icare, pays from IS to $40 a month for
/ gas. How would some OF our good
people, whose gas bills range from 81
to So per month; like to live In Tampa
| and enjoy the blessings provided for
North?
There is yet another corporation
4 here controlling most important pub
trio Light Company. I have not had
the opportunity of becoming posted
on the charges made for electric lights,
/ hut can testify to the bad service. as
1 The price paid by the city for each arc
light is sos per year.
The experience through which the
has opened their eyes, and should be
a warning to the people of Richmond
TO steer clear forever Of any PROPOSE
ton TO PLACE their public works under
the, control Of a private corporation.
and should also give us a realizing
sense OF the blessings we enjoy from
the. careful, conservative. businesslike
/ methods Of our City Fathers. notwith-
standing the fact that they make a
4 few mistakes.
/ The City Government.
+. Inasmucl as there Is now talk OF
4 making some change in the conduct
of our city government, thought itnot
amiss to say a few words about how
Tampa Is ruled. The city has a Mayor
and only one branch Of the City coun.
Gil which is composed of eleven mem.
bers. The city is divided into -four
wards, and each ward elects two mem.
bers. and three n.embers are elected
/ at large, making a total Of eleven
The Council has one regular meeting
each week, and called meetings wher
necessary. The members of this body
are paid by the city $40 a month fol
their services, but. are allowed to at,
tend to their private business TIL
same as other citizens. The functions
Of this body are entirely Legislative
and after an ordinance is passed by TIL
Council 1t Is turned over to the Boart
of Public Interest to be carried int,
effect, the Council having nothing NOR
to-do with IT. The money for all pub
lie improvements Is voted by the Coun
Gil and placed under proper heads, an,
after the work has been executed b,
the Board of Public Interest, they ar