Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1908-09-01
alexandria Gazette.
rrEsDAY EVENING. SEPT !, iso.
THE HISTORY OF A FAILURE.

The Story Of the Attempt Of Tacoma,
Wash, to Do Its Own Lighting. as
Told by One Of Its Citizens.
BY election. April IL. 1898. Tacoma
purchased waterworks and electric
light plant. issuing bonds for $l.I5O,-
600 for same, Of which $250.0O0 was
supposed to be for the light plant.
which included an old steam general
ing plant. In 1897 the generating plant
was abandoned. and from that time to
the present the city has been contract
ing for power from private corporation
power concerns. The old plant was
dismantled and has been sold piece
meal.
There is no doubt In my mind and
In the minds of others who have inves-
tigated the local situation that the
water and light plants are huge fall
ures. But the people. with that strange
desire that the unthinking have for
anything municipality owned. have not
seen the light aud it Is difficult mat
ter to get the subject up for a clear
analysis. Nobody knows where the
city stands. The books are imperfect.
The management is ignorant. Politics
permeate the entire fabric. The wa
ter this morning was so muddy that 1t
was undrinkable. this being its usual
condition during the winter.
The city comptroller is just now rec
ommendlng that the city council ap-
point a commission to appralse the
plants to ascertain where the city
stands. Nobody knows their value,
though they are carried on the books
at valuation of $1,000. 764. that being
the total of the original cost and OF
additions since, though many OF the
alleged additions should be charged to
operating and to replacing wornout
wiring, etc.
Five years hence the city must face
the payment of s2,0s0,000 worth Of
bonds issued for the two plants. There
Is no sinking fund, no depreciation
fund. No accurate account is kept as
between construction and operating
expenses. 1t is probable that not even
a board Of experts could possibly ind
the absolute truth Of the situation. A
part of the time the interest charge
has been taken from the light and
water receipts and the remainder OF
the time from the general fund.
The city electrician gets 500
month. This Is a city Of 100000 popu-
lation. He Is a graduate Of a corre-
spondence school, and until he was ele-
waited TO his present position be read
meters for the city. BY the way, me-
tiers are never tested except when CON-
plants are made. However, the city
does employ three wiring inspectors,
though their inspections are not ac-
cepted by insurance companies.
Last years expenses In, the light
plant were about 100000; the deficit
was $4,000
Early In December the council asked
the electrician to make statement
showing exactly how much current Is
received and exactly how it is distrib-
uted. That report is not ready yet, and
no telling when 1t will be. 1t was
shown about that time that 1000 horse
power Of current that was bought by
the city was not accounted for In the
city's receipts. Neither the electrician
nor any one else about the city hall
has been able to explain this matter.
All that is known is that the city buys
so much power and takes In 30 much
money.
In October the bills to private con-
sumers began to increase enormously,
running higher and higher, until In De-
cember they were from % to 100 per
cent higher than in the corresponding
months of the preceding year. OF
course a great cry was raised, and ex-
plantations were demanded. The cleo
trician could not satisfactorily explain.
This brought on demand for an ex-
pert investigation of the lighting plant,
which the mayor strongly opposes for
some reason. He says his $50 man Is
" tSAi TIC ~SuANh eAN
the public "all 1t is essential to know"
The matter is now before the council.
Finding that the gas company was
making Roadway in the lighting OF
business houses, the city decided to
furnish Nernst lamps free OF charge
and keep them in repair. This plan Is
now in vogue. Three men are kept
busy repairing. 1t is impossible to find
out from the city's books whether this
is a money making scheme or not.
AS showing the effect of municipal
ownership upon the conditions Of labor
it is interesting to note that an assist
ant engineer In the water department,
who called attention to the very defec-
tive character Of a secondhand boiler
that had been purchased, was prompt
ly discharged, and when he asked a
hearing before the city council was not
allowed to testify In his own behalf or
by attorney, although his opponents
were given full opportunity to state
~ Al, ot1o 90 Tho oooa