St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1908-01-01

Glasgow purchased the private gas
plants in 1869 and has made profit on
tine investment every year since then.
This great industry now has capital
account exceeding $10,000000. and the
gross profits last year passed the ST.
100000 mark for the first time in the
history of the enterprise. When the
original purchase was made it was ar
ranged that the owners should receive
In perpetuity annuities and stock val
ued at more than $2,000000 The city
has now adopted the policy of pur-
chasing at a premium these annuities
and last year wiped out more than one
third Of the amount Under private
management gas cost consumers from
/ $125 to $3.50 a thousand feet but this
has been steadily reduced until the
rates now stand at As cents for motive
/ power and "a cents for lighting When
/ the plant is fully paid for which will
| not be many years at the present rate
of profits. the citizens of Glasgow will
/ pay not more than 80 cents for gas,
/ though it costs much more for oil and
coal in Scotland than in any part Of
the United States.
1t is nearly forty years since Glas-
gov startled Great Britain by declaring
war on the Sums and tenements which
dsgraced the city. The property own
ers refused to remedy conditions and
the city took radical steps. 1t pushed
through parliament a bill giving it
power to condemn and purchase in
sanitary property. Armed with this
act, the city authorities of Glasgow
wiped out whole districts of insanitary
property, and the city started by con-
structing several model tenement
houses.
Glasgow now owns millions and mil
lions of dollars worth of dwellings and
is one of the worlds greatest landlords.
Its competition with private landlords
is friendly but wonderfully effective.
The city fixes a rate of rents beyond
which others cannot 60 1t rigidy en-
forces building and sanitary laws
which have greatly reduced the death
rate.
Glasgow has municipalized all the
common services with the exception of
cemeteries 1t is the owner of profita-
BILE markets and slaughter houses; 1t
maintains a splendid system of baths
and washhouses; it possesses a mag
nifcent art gallery and has built a
peoples palace which combines a
winter garden, art gallery, museum,
reading rooms. theater and concert
hall; it furnishes hydraulic power at
cost. it spends vast amounts on parks,
! music and entertainments. These and
other functions are financed and man
aged by the elected representatives Of
the city.
Party lines are absolutely ignored
when it comes to the election of mem
bers Of the city council The man who
has served his people faithfully seldom
is opposed when election day arrives.
The city hall of Glasgow does not re-
mind the visitor of any civic structure
In the United States. No swarms of
loafers, ward heelers and office bro
kers or seekers hang about its entrance
or lounge in its halls You are not per-
mitted to smoke or carry a lighted
cigar. One sees business men, archi-
tects, engineers, bankers and others
who have occasion to visit the various
departments. The atmosphere is that
of a well regulated bank or great mer-
camille establishment 1t is the bust
ness Office of a municipal estate worth
more than $90,0OO,000.
There is no army of parasites draw
ing salaries for work which is not per-
formed. There is no line of citizens
ready to commit perjury in order that
they may escape their fair share Of the
burdens of taxation. There are no go
betweens employed by dishonest wealth
to extort by bribery favors from those
who have taken an oath to faithfully
serve their city and community. AL
dermen meet in public to devise ways
and means which shall promote the
public good. There are no ward lead
ers. There is no gang. There is no
pull. There is no graft. The men at
the head of affairs would no sooner
think of robbing their city than they
would of stealing from their church or
their club.
Just a glance at Edinburgh, the most
beautiful city in Great Britain. Edin-
burgh owns its street railways, but In
stead of operating them has leased
them for term Of twenty-one years to
a company which pays a rental of 7
per cent on the capital outlay of $6,500,-
} 600 After paying interest, sinking
fund and other expenses the city had
clear revenue Of about 1927 500 This
does not compare favorably with the
record of cities which operate their
plants, and there Is much dissatisfac-
ton.
Edinburgh owns a fine system of
baths. Its electric light plant paid last
gear a net profit of 100000 In the
construction Of houses for the working
classes Edinburgh has spent nearly
R1,0O0,00O, and, while maintaining low
rent rates, there is a steady annual
profit to the city. The technical and
public schools Of Edinburgh are IA
nous. Like most Scotch cities. it owns
its markets and slaughterinv houses
and has adopted modern methods for
thn diSnnsal of sewage and street