The labor argus. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1906-1915, 1911-02-02

To Consider the Water and Light
Franchiss Held Behind Closed
Doors

mlttee from the Chamber of Com
merce and the City G.. .unciI met
the representatives If the kanawha
Water and Light Company We'd
nesday behind closed doors to con-
slider the terms of thirty year
franchise that the Water and Light
Co is asking our city fathers to give
them and from the present indica-
ton they are. going to get all they
are asking for. What right have
our Board Of affair and City Council
to give away one of the cities
assets that does not belong to the
present generation but to the gene
ration yet unborn2> Have they the
right to make a contract that will
bind their children and their chill
dren's children? The kanawha
Water and Light Co. have openly
and defiantly violated the terms
of their present franchise and ou1
city officials admit that they arc
not able to enforce their compliance
with their contract. Then what
assurance have we that this same
Company will keep an agreement in
the future that they have not res
pected in the past? Why grant this
franchise at all at this time? The
present franchise does not expire un-
til Nov. 14th 1914. The Water 4
Light Co. have refused to exteno
their mains as provided for in theil
franchise and is using this as a whip
on the people in the outskirts of the
city, The present franchise pro-
v'des that when ever the subscribers
for water reach $50 per year fol
every three hundred feet or main
laid the water, and Light Co. was,
tt. extend their main, but in several
instances this amount has been ovel
subscribed tut no main has been
extended, why? Because the Water
and Light Co. wants to force these
people to advocate the granting Of
tneir franchise. Are we dumb driven
cattle to be driven before the lasl
Of necessity? Shall we give away
cur future asset: for immediate
relief? II e Water Cempany's ale.
that they haven't the money neres-
sary to make the required extern
>ions and improvements is entirely
too thin. According to their owl.
report filed with the. Secretary. OF
State they have cleared owe, ano
above every expense and expendi.
ture in the last two years ovel
$4,000. THIS amount would have
mace all necessary extensions. Fol
tte last three years all extension
made were made by the consumers
and as soon as a consumer connect
their service main with thel water
Comrany's main it becomes the
property of TIE kanawha Water and
Light Co.
The right and proper thing is fer
the city to own her own water and
light plant. Other! cities own these
utilities, and are operating item
satisfactory to the citizens and the
rates are about half2what they are
here and still they lay the City a
nice dividend every year. The CITY
of Charleston can stillaissue bonds
to the amount of S565,OOO Five
hundred thousand dollars would
install new plant throughout with
the same capacity and efficiency OF
the present plant The franchise
the kanawha and Water Light Co.
are asking vhe City to give them l.,
the only thing of cal value attached
t. the plant then. why should the
City give it away? Lynchburg, Va,
is not much larger t',an Cha: lesion
and j. a nilly rocky city covering
about three times as much territory
as Charleston Lynchburg brings
her water eighteen miles and still
tie water works alone without the
light plant cleared the city 1000
last year over and above every
expenditure and water reates in
I ynctburg arc just about half what
they are here. Dan, lille, Va, a"town
about the size of Charleston owns
her own plant, maintains pumping
station and filtration system and
furnishes water to the, small con-
sdmar fnr ~ cents per 1000 gallons
ana still the water plant. is a source
Of revenue to the city. Cha lesion
| claims to be a progressive city now
let our official p-s -sve the rlaim
The citizens. met Jan. 4th., and
e,ected :, C-mmittee N the fran
chise question. Th" Boari of af-
fairs promised to cal this Committee
in when ever this matter was up
Yet there was no representative o;
the citizens at that meeting We'd
nesday when our City official anc
the Water and Light Co.'S represen