The labor argus. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1906-1915, 1911-08-24
Whole No. 26s
Kanawha Water &
Light Company
Dictates the K,nd of Franchise
They Want. In Letter to the
Councilmen.
Charleston, w. Va.

| and the Committee from your Couu-
ell submitted proposed Ordinance
to the kanawha Water and Light
Company for your consideration ON
Monday night. August z, 1911. We
think 1t is only fair to you to say that
the Water Company could not accept
the terms of this Franchise, and at
meeting of the Board of Affairs, and
your Committee held Thursday Even
ing August 10th, we discussed this
proposition. and advised them that
this Ordinance could not be accepted.
If the Franchise as finally prepared
by US. and the only one which the
water Company can accept, is sent to
your body by the Board of Affairs ana
your Committee. we trust it may have
your careful consideration and sup
port 1t is fair proposition to the
CITY. and the Water Company could
not in justice to itself accent a more
generous one.
Very respectfully yours,
kanawha Water & Light Co.
BY w. P. WILSON, Treas.
The above is a copy of a letter sent
to each member of our city council by
the Nanawha Water and Light Com
pany. We consider this letter an in
suit to that body and to the citizens
OF charleston. The city of Charles
ton Is not seeking favor from the
water company and have not asked
'hem to accept any franchise. To
quote from their letter in one place
'hey say. We think it only fair to Won
10 say that the water and light com
pany could not accept the terms of
inns franchise" referring to a fran
chlse framed up by few
corporation lawyers and submitted
10 the council for their last session
for the benfit of this thievfng mono
poly we Will say that beggers should
NOT De choosers but should take what
ever the people saw fit to give them.
10 farther enlighten these trust mag
nets we VIII say that the common
council OF Charleston would not pass
me franchise submitted. We wish
70 call special attention to the follow
ing clause in their letter "if the fran
chlse as finally PREPARED BY IFS
AND THE ONLY ONE THE WATER
COMPANY CAN ACCEPT is sent in
ny the Board of Affairs and your com
h'lt'ee. We trust it may have yo,rr
careful consideration and support"
->ote carefully the wording of thts
cause Ihe franchise prepared nv
oo ana the only one the Water Com
PdnS can accept meaning q franchise
prepared by the Water Company for
the wafer Company. OF course this
monopoly can be depended upon to
look out for their own interest Witch
interest is directly opposite to the in
.erest OIL the city and water con-
suilers. No doubt they would lilo
TO nave our council support this one
Slued contract of their own MAKING
:" mat does the water company mean
ny saying when this franchise ia
sent to your body by the Board NJ
<1iairs ana your committee? Has the
committee and Board already aeread
10 accept this franchise prepared bv
'he water company? There has been
some shady transactions in con-
hectlon with this franchise question
ana 1t seems that some crooked work
IS going on now. Again and again
this corporation and the big bustness
interest have promised to take tho
pubic into their confidence and n,,b-
llsh the franchise, but SO for no n,,b-
ncation has been made and al, tho
wire pulling has been done beb.,d
ciosed doors. Every Indication shows
that they are trying to put one over
on us. The present water companv
mas been unfair, harsh and oppressive
ne city and consumers have been
given poor service and charged ex-
tortlonate rates. Recently the watar
company have installed meters which
Eas doubled and in some instances
trlpled the water rates of the cc.,-
suihers. Ihls corporation violates the
'elhhS OF their present franchise
"neh ever they wish, yet they COM
pell the consumers to live I'D to FL.
letter of theirs. You must come n
thelr terms or have your water cut
OF. Arrogant and uncivil to the nuh-
hc because they knew they had
monopoly on this necessity. now +bey
come as beggars. but tell us what
lheF wont have and what they must
De given Under the meter system
Just installed by the water comnany
lhe saloon men are paving fror,
Sl2.9o to $4,000 month for water
Where they only paid $500 month
ilat rate no wonder they want 40
year extension to their svstem of
ronbery Last year with no saloons
IN the city the gross receipts of this
corporation were about sl72,OoO 90
with the saloons they would amount
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