Los Angeles herald., 1910-06-19
PASADENA RALLIES TO
LIGHT PLANTS SUPPORT
Citizens Adopt Resolution PIedg-
ing Energetic UpbuiIding of
Public Service Utility

PASADENA, June 19.-Every seat in
the city council chamber was filed and
scores of people stood along the walls
and many more in the Railways outside
at last nights meeting, held in response
to a call for loyal citizens to rally to
the support of the municipal lighting
plant. The following resolution was
signed by eighty-fiVe citizens, with the
understanding that they shall devote
practically their whole time for a few
days to soliciting customers.
1--WE, the undersigned, believing that
the success of the municipal light plant
is of vital Importance to the people OF
Pasadena, pledge ourselves to work
actively in its support to the end that
it may be placed upon a firm business
basis and permanent low lighting rates
be assured"
The city will be divided into thirty
four districts, and a house to mouse
canvass will be made by these and 9TH
er volunteers who have already been
in the field, and to judge from the en-
thusiasm shown at the melting the re-
ouired 1000 customers will be secured IN
a short time.
Last nights gathering resolved it
self into an indignation meeting to
some extent and the Edison company
was flayed by a number of citizens in
no uncertain terms. Fritz E. Beach
declared that the reason the corpora
tion cannot give a Z cent rate to Los
Angeles is because it furnishes cur
rent to other corporations (the rail-
roads and other interests) for three
quarters of a cent per kilowatt and
must charge private citizens enough
to make UP the deficiency. He quoted
figures from Jacksonville, Fla, to
show that the municipal light plant in
that city showed a gain of $31, 800 in.
1901 and a profit of $125,000 lin 1907
on a basis of cents a ktlowatt and
that the plant paid for itself in four
years.
Several speakers testified as to the
treatment received at the hands of the
Edison company before the advent OF
the city plant and others admonlshed
citizens to stand by their guns in the
war against corporations in general
and the Edison company in particular.
Among the speakers were DR.. George
Abbott. who presided; Manager Koiner
of the municipal plant: Ezra r. Scat
tergood, Harry Kendall, Councilman
Cattell, Walter Simons, Frank D. Tur-
ner. George Sanderson and others
Judge c. F. Harris introduced the
following resolution, which was unan-
imously indorsed amid shouts of ap-
proval:
"ResoIved, That since the retail mer-
chants of Pasadena claim that it is the
duty of the people of Pasadena to sup
mort home trade and business, we, the
citizens Of Pasadena here assembled
declared that such merchants ana re-
tail dealers should eXemplify their
faith by their works and that they
should stand by and support by their
patronage the municipal lighting plant
of our city"
Councilman Cattell refuted the ru-
mors circulated, presumably by Edison
people that the city council is not
unit in favor of the city plant, stating
that they have always voted unan-
imously.
In response to remarks made by Ezra
Scattergood warning citizens that et-
forts will no doubt be made by the cor
porations to elect to the city council
men who will be favorable to corpora
tion interests and vote to abandon the
plant, and suggesting an or
along the lines of the Good
league, a committee made
up of e. n. Wright, Joseph Israel,
Solon Briggs. Garfield r. Jones, F1tz
e. Beach, Frank D. Turner, Robert S.
Allen, Willis 1. Morrison, p. w. Cart
wright and c. w. Rhodes was selected
to carry out the following resolutions:
Resolved, That Il permanent organ |
which all citizens of Pasadena shall be |
eligible who are willing to join in sup
porting and protecting the municipal |
lighting plant as a permanent Pasa- |
dena institution in the face Of whatso-
ever efforts of private interests to
it, and through whatever |
of politics this city may pass.
Resolved further. That to this end a
committee of ten be appointed to pre-
pare a platform or constitution for such
organization, select for it an
appropriate name and report at an adj
journed meeting to be held Saturday,
June 25, 1910, at 7:3O p. m,
Resolved further, That in the mean
time those present constitute them
selves as a temporary organization to
work in conjunction with the city and
those citizens who are already Loyalty
giving their time in the effort to obtain
the 1000 consumers necessary to make
possible the reduction of the city's rate
to cents a killoWatt
hour.