Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1910-08-18
MORE BUSINESS WANTED
Commissioner Enright Says That
Lighting Plant Must Have 1t.
city Attorney TO Investigate the 'hnr-
ter OF tho burlington Light x
Power Company - Lakeside
Sewer Discussed by Doar"'

Although tho cits ~~"@ isn.
plant is the best asset r"'' -" '''s
owns, It Is being allowed to detcriorate
and go to waste for the lack oil pat
ronage
So said p J. Enright, chairman OF
tho board OF electric light commas
sioncrs, at special meeting OF the
huard of aldermen Monday evening. He
claims that the taxpayers DO not rnt-
ronizc their own plant and that the
burlington Light & Power company Is
using unfair methods and perhaps vio-
lating It's charter in competing win
the municipal company. AS result
of the statements made by different
persons before the board. the city at
torney was instructed to investigate
! the charter granted to the burlington
Light 6 Power company by the state
LEGISLATURE. and to sec what legal
rights such charter provides. The city
attorney will report at an. adjourned
meeting of the board, to be held Au-
gust "a.
Commissioner Enright stated that
although there were many petitions
for street lights the commissioners
did not have any money to provide
such. He asked that tho board pro-
vide $1,000 for such purposes. Last
year $4,000 were received FOR com
mcrcial lights which cost $4,000 to
produce. At this rate the plant is
not being run al profit because there
is not enough business. Tho reason
why tho plant hns difficulty In got
ting business is because Of the meth
DDS used by the opposition company.
the Rurlncton Light & Power COM
pany.
Mr.. Enricht stated that tho inde-
pendent company wired and Installed
fixtures in buildings free of cost, pro-
viding the owners Of such buildings
agreed to use their lights. In other
instances the Independent company
outbids the electrical firms in the city
ON wiring contracts. with the stipu-
IatIon that it's electricity be used
other instances were cited where
users of electricity and gas Of this
company. who wished to use the mum
icipal current. had stated that the in
dependent company had threatened to
remove their gas fixtures # the mum
icipal plant was patronized
This latter point caused much dis
cussion by the board members and
tCitY Attorney Villas stated that he
thought that this was a violati Of
Tie company's charter.
IN conclusion. Commissioner Enright
stated that x-Supcrntendent Taggart
had left the affairs of the department in
bad shape. Among the assets Of the com
pany $500 We're found to he worthless
1t was also found that the independent
company had been selling at a minimum
rate OF 90 cents n month, while Mr.
Toggart had allowed the municipal com
pany 10 sell at n minimum rate of 81 a
month. This. Of course, made it com
paratively easy for the independent COM
pnny to get business.
Mr.. Enright advised that the present
rate Of ten cents kilowatt be reduced
to nv" cents. I'VE should let the other
company know that we are living; that
we are doing business and that we in
tend TO Go business in the future" said
Mr.. Enright. The City's COMPANY will
not lose money If this rate ia enforced
All the plant needs Is business to make IL
"A paying proposition. The plant itself
is in first class condition"
, The commissioners will submit a new
, r"lc IlSt AT Inc next meeting of the board
which will probably be adopted. If the
independent company reduces It's rate tc
: loss than five cents a kilowatt. Mr. Enrght
= Relieves that the city should follow suit
''The city," said Mr. Enright. has go
to pay for this plant in one way or an
other and II 1t doesn't pay for itself
why, it will como out of the tax rate"
II was also developed that none of tn,
1 49,, to-,
!, cipal plant. although their property i,
non-taXable,
G. D. sherwln stated that the Burling
e ton Light Il Power company had gon,
It into the wholesale electrical business ant
d that 1t was driving the local irdopenden
d concerns to the wall. he thought tina,
q this should not be allowed unless IN,
d companys charter provides for such bust
n ness.
s From now on the slogan will be to ce
o more business for the municipal plant.
: THE LAKESIDE SEWER.
. Mayor Burke read communication
u. from The State board of health IN which
j., the city was ordered to build n sewer In
= tie south end of the city by December
of this year. The mayor also read q com.
munication of his own in which he re.
commended that n sewer be made tc
connect with the houses on Park avenue
and that If the use of tho property of
j. j. Flynn roud not be procured at -
y easona5le rate, sequestraton proceed
. ings he begun
a This matter was referred TO tho COM
q mittee that has in charge the matter of
| :his proposed sewer, with the instruction
, that 1t report at next weeks meeting
a Tie cit, clerk was also instructed IL
6 communicate with this committee and 10
o ask It TO get busy
CARRIAGE BIDS.
City Health officer Dalton reporte ell
that he mad received three bids for the
collection and disposlng Of city EAR.
base' one BID Icing for the entire city
ana IL" other two for different portions
OF the city, resolution was passed
authorizing tho hoard of health to extend
=. the time of bids untn the next regular
meeting of the board
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