Catoctin clarion., 1910-02-03
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 1910.
The Electric Light Plant.

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It will be noted elsewhere in these
columns that the bill introduced 10y
Senator Matthias authorizing bond
issue of $4,000 has passed the Sen
ate, and the issue will soon, no doubt,
he before the people of Thurmont.
There seems to be such feeling OF
confidence by quite number OF oul
citizens as to the outcome OF the
electric light" that a contrary view
will doubtless be criticised as being
intended to knock" an attempt on
the part of the town to get and own
such a plant. Far be it from our in
tentions to do other than to take a
cold -blooded business view OF the sit
uation. We have no sentiment in
the matter, and it is our regret that
we cannot take the rosy view,' SO
much INDUCED in by others.
The matter has progressed so far
now that an electric lighting plant
must be built as contemplated, and
put on running basis either by pri-
vate parties or by the town itself.
TO stop now would be to entail loss
without having accomplished any
thing. TO complete the plant and
put the same in operation, i. e., a
Hydro-Electric Plant-what will il
mean to Thurmont? What effect
will it have upon every taxpayer in
the town to shoulder an Indebtedness
of $500 at 5& interest and pro-
vide for it's liquidation within twenty
years?
1t has been the belief of THE CLAIR
ION all along, and its conviction is
now stronger than ever, that the
town is about to take step that will
mean a burden to its people for the
next twenty years in attempting to
get a lighting system that will prove
most costly experiment to the town.
If the bill published in THE CLARION
two weeks ago will be carefully per
sued it will be seen that taxes must
be imposed to pay the interest on the
bonded Indebtedness, and provide for
a sinking fund and the taxes SO i'm
posed. Tax rate is now 80 cents on
the $1OO--to meet the additional re-
quircments additional taxes must be
imposed of not less than so cents per
500 additional, making an so cent
rate for the town and on the basis of
full or nearly full selling value, it
will be a rate of taxation equal or
above that paid in Frederick city and
adding state and county, will mean
that Thurmont taxpayers will pay
more than people living in Baltimore.
But then we are confronted with
the great (?) earning power of this
electric plant that in the sale of cur
rent for lighting and commercial pur-
poses, that this alone will take care
of all interest and sinking fund
charges so that the taxpayers will not
be called on for anything. Well if
that be true why then should there
be an imperative clause in the Bill in
the Legislature calling for taxes to be
levied for this purpose? Granting
for the sake of argument that no taxes
will be required, let us see how much
likelihood there will be that this end
of it will materialize. First-it will
take $500 per year to pay the inter
est; second-approximately 5000 per
year for sinking fund; third-for
maintenance, repairs, labor, ETC., at
least $500 per year; making total
of 50, 100 per year to be provided for.
Now as against this you must pro-
vide in consumers of current enough
to equal this amount.
Asscrtion-The plant will not fur
nish the power to light the town,
and give the additional current
necessary to sell to consumers to
make this amount of money, even if
we have consumers ready and willing
to take current, which as we see it
there are not.
The CLARION stands ready to he
corrected if in error, but will want
facts and figures. 1t is not our pur-
pose or intention to mislead anyone.
If we are wrong, we will admit it
speedily, but the question should be
threshed out so that it may be for
the benefit of every citizen of Thur
mont. The taxpayers are most vital
ly interested.
There are other features of the Bill
in the Legislature which we shall
discuss in next weeks issue. Re-