The labor argus. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1906-1915, 1910-01-06
CITIZENS PROTEST
AGAINST FRANCHISE

Vestisation he had learned that the
company had made a net prom OF
over $63,000 last year He was un
aole to get any information from the
company as to the nature. Of what he
new franchise would contain. He said
that he had been informed toy e mem
Der OF the Board OF Affairs that the
company had repeatedly violated tn,
terms OF the present franchise and
tnat they were unable 10 get the city
attornev to take any steps tcwur.
forcing "a compliance Or ~h-tac suit
and admitted they had done notbtrr
and could do not thing and that If ii.
people wsnted the terms of the fran.
chise enforced they world have to do
1t themselves. Mr.. Boswell read sew.
erai letters from otner cities where
tne rates are very much less than
mere. the wa'er works being owned
by the said cities. He. appealed to
the citizens to become active and re.
fase to he furthered 6urdenrd py the
water works company.
The conpany's man Friday was an
attentive listener. but a speech he
makcth not.
The following resolution was aaopt.
ed with but one disserGne vote:
WHEREAS. The Ksnawha Waite.
& Light COMPANY. a public service
corporation OF this city will maye
application to. our Board OF Affairs
AMI Common Council about January
10th. 1911 for renewal of the, sail
Water Companv's franchise for a long
ternr Of wears. and
WHEItEAS, The Kanawha Water. A.
Light Company have violated tnc
terms OF their present franchise b
not extending their mains. giving the
proper pressure, reI.afring the street,
ard making improvements as provid
ed for In the present franchise and
WHEREAS. The water and light
service franchise is the last public
utility franchise at the disposal OF
the City that could be owned ard
operated by the City as source 9!
revenue, and
WEREAS. The present franchise Of
the Kanawha Water and Light Co
does not expire until November 18th.
1914, nearly four: years hence. there
by giving Citizens OF Charleston
ample time to give this matter more
careful consideration, therefore be 1t
RES0LN ED, That the Citizens of
Charleston in mass meeting assem-
bled do hereby instruct our Beard OF
Affairs and Common Council not to
grant to the Kanawha Water 4 Light
Co., a renewal OF their franchis., until
the expiration OF their present fran
chise. and be- 1t further
RESOLVED, That we the Citizen
of Charleston here assembled are in
favor Of unicipal Ownership of the
Water and Light service. an invest
cation has shown that public owned
water and light plants not onl" give
the citizens better service, cheaper.
bu: is source OF revenue to the
city, and be it further
RESOLVED. That the Eoard of Aft
airs is hereby requested to instruct
the City Attorney to prepare and
bring charges agains. the Kanawha
Water & Light Co. tor tie violation
OF their franchise, and be it further
RESOLVED. That this MEETING
elect a committee of eleven citizens
composed of one committeeman from
each ward elected by residents of the
respective wards, and Il chairman
elected by the entire body TO- the
purpose of looking arrer the interests
of the Citizens Of our City IL regard
to the water and light service fran
chise and special ;evy and to appear
before the Board of Affairs and Com
mon Council when these matters ar"
taken UP for consideration by tnese
bodies and to. see what steps arc
best to he takcI towards Municipal
Ownership, and he Il Iur,ner
RESOLVED, Tint this committee
shall be a permanent committee and
have the power to call mass meet
ing Of the citizens anl make report
OF their findings to the citizens cnce
a month, and be 1t further
RESOLVED, That e copy these
resolutions be read before DUR I'"aro
OF Affairs and Common Council aud
given to the daily papers.
committee of eleven was ap
pofnted to prepare a petition o pre-
sent to the citizens ror taeiT sigma