The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1908-01-25

with interest
franchise means cheap plant and a
cheap plant means poor service. It
would be unreasonable to expect a
man, or a company of men. to invest
hundereds Of thousands of dollars In
machinery or material unless they
had some insurance that they would
be permitted to continue their busl-
ness. The franchise, IL accepted,
would not be an exclusive one and
the council has the power to grant
others IL 1t so desires. Formerly
franchises in. the state were perpetual
The legislature OF 1901 fixed the limit
at fifty years and most ali franchises
are now given for that periodl of
years.
Mr.. Davis said he didn't believe the
4 applicant company should be made to
make lower, rate than other COM
panies in the state. He cited the
rates other companies in this state
and in adjoining states were furnish
ing electricity for and said that the
maximum rate fixed by the ordinance
is not more than the rates of other
companies Referring to the claim
that sharpsburg, Pa, got its electric
ity at cents per kilowat he pointed
out that the plant there was mu-
nicipally owned one, no taxes had to
be paid, and no depreciation charges
were counted nor for investment and
interest. If the Clarisburg council
would extend such privilege to the APP
pllcant company 1t could furnish cleo
tricity as cheap as sharpsburg makes
its supply. The maximum rate of
$514 for arc lights, as provided in the
franchise is almost $50 lower than
the average price paid by all of the
othe rcitles OF West Virginia.
Proposes Amendment.
Mr.. Davis said that the company
didn't intend to rob the people ana
proposed that an amendment, draft
of which he submitted, be made to
the franchise ordinance providing
that II at the term of ten years the
rate charged by the COM
pany would be higher than the aver
age Of ten of the principal cities of
West Virginia, council may have the
power of reducing the rates proper
tionately. In other words, Mr.. Da-
Wis said, the company would be will
ing to enter into competition with the
electric light companies of ten lead
ing cities of the state. You have no
right to ask any one to reduce the
price of his goods or material below
market price, and 1t is unreasonable
to do so. he said.
Tho objection that the city wouldn't
have time to purchase the company's
plant within six months at the end
of each ten years was unreasonable.
said Mr.. Davis, because the city was
not bound to prepare for purchase
within six months but could take
eight or nine or twelve months, If
necessary. There should be an end
to an option, he said, as well as a be-
ginning, to avoid uncertainty on the
franchise
While the present ordinance is
drastic, onerous and strict. Mr.. Davis
said the company was in an attitude
to accept 1t but If any more restric-
tions were added it would not.
Mr.. Ernst moved that the ordi-
nance be placed to its second read
ing, which was seconded, but before
a vote was taken. Mayor Grille said
that he wanted to talk to council as
chairman of the ordinance commit
tee and called Mr.. Lynch to the chair.
Mayor Grille Talks.
The mayor took the floor, reviewed
the committees work on the ordi-
nance; gave statistics of the leading
cities Of the state showing their in
debtedness, rate Of taxation and 9TH
er financial conditions which, COM
pared with Clarksburg. showed this
city to be in much better shape than
any Of them; took occasion to sling
few shots into the Daily News for
its dirty insinuations concerning city
officials and their connection with
the franchise ordinance. denying
with vehemence the intimation that
he had ever been employed by the
applicant company for any purpose;
and said that he had an amendment
for the franchise he would like to
submit to council. He also said he