The Palatka news and advertiser. [volume] (Palatka, Fla.) 1908-19??, 1911-06-16
NO FARMERS ON
PALATKA COUNCIL
N. Y. Promoters Fail to Secure
Blanket Lighting Franchise

The city council met in special ses-
sion Wednesday night 10 consider a
proposition from f. r. Clarke OF Jack
sonvilIe, who asked the city TO GIVE
himself land associates" an electric
lighting franchise.
The matter was presented TO the coun-
Gil in diplomatic language by one OF the
associates, who diScourSed learnedly
and smoothly about electric lighting
plants in general and what Mr.. Clarke
and 'his associates" would do for Ia.
latka in particular, provided they secured
the franchise. They would give good
and up-to date 24-hour service and al
lower rates than the city was now pay
ing. OF course they did not want TO
make their proposed rates public for the
reason that il would appear like unseem-
ly competition with the present lighting
company, for whom ''Mr Clark and his
associates" had only the kindliest feel
ing. But he could assure the council
that If the franchise was granted that
satisfactory rates could be agreed upon.
Senator Hilburn followed for the Pa
latka Gas Light & Fuel Co. He stated
that there was not business for two
lighting companies in this city. He also
pointed out the fact that if the franchise
asked for was granted the city would be
at the mercy of the men who owned it.
That they might make low rates for
time, but that with such franchise as
they asked, nothing could prevent "Mr.
Clarke and his associates" from chang
ing 10 higher rate whenever they saw
fit 10 do so. Mr.. Hilburn also talked OF
the injustice the council would be doing
Mr.. Bailey and his associates by granting
the asked for franchise They were
PaIatka men who had invested their
money in the lighting business; they had
struggled along with the city in all the
years of adversely and now that an era
of growth was assured it was proposed
TO wipe out their investment, which rep
resented the labor of years.
Mr.. Hilburn was followed by Mr..
Hunter of Ocala Mr.. Hunter has been
negotiating with Mr. G. Loper Bailey
for some weeks for the purchase of the
plant of the Palatka Gas Light & Fuel
Co. OF course he would not buy if the
asked for franchise was granted. 1heres
was no business 10 warrant two com
panies here. If the franchise was not
granted and he succeeded in purchasing
the present plant his company would
spend SIS, 900 for modern equipment.
Earlier in the meeting two communi-
cations were read from the Palatka COM
pany. One proposed its sale TO the city
as provided in its charter, under the law,
before ii was offered TO private parties.
The second made voluntary reduction in
the price of gas from $3.50 10 ST. 90, and
for cooking purposes from $500 TO Sl.75
per 1900 cubic feet.
AS expected the council turned down
the blanket franchise asked for by the
promoters. But it referred the matter OF
franchise TO the ordinance committee
and Mayor Davis and City Attorney
Odom. These gentlemen will prepare
an ordinance and submit ii TO the pro.
moters. If the ordinance thus prepared
is one that protects the people of Palatka
in all their rights, and is specific in such
little matters as rates, etc, the promoters
will not be likely accept it.
Some of the aldermen may look a
trifle like farmers. Any way they are
quiet, innocent appearing lot of men
and it is possible these franchise promo
ters thought they would be ''eaSy.
They were mistaken. The News could
have told them their mistake in advance.
In connection with this attempt at a
franchise grab, the News has but little
comment to make and which it will put
in the form of questions TO the people
of this city, i. e.
Has not Palatka reached period in
its development when public service
franchise has a distinct money value?
Could any emergency arise at this
time which would justify the city coun-
Gil in GIVING AWAY a valuable 80
year franchise to any public service cor
poration?
Is it dignified in the city council TO
waste time in dickering with,a crowd OF
professional promoters, franchise grab
bers and spectators?
The fact that these men inSulted the
intelligence of the aldermen OF this city
by asking them to grant such blanket
franchise as that of Wednesday night, is
sufficient answer to the latter question.
The first two relate TO matters OF mu-
nicipal management which the people
of Palatka should discuss now and settle.