Evening journal., 1911-02-25
President of Town Council
Then Says He Has No
Statement TO Make
MERCHANTS SAY LIGHT
RATES HAVE GONE UP

Members OF the Town Council of
Newark and the committee of fifteen,
appointed by the citizens of that
place, to fight the lease of the NUM-
cipal water and light plant to a pri-
vate corporation, held a meeting be-
hind closed doors at the home OF
Jacob Thomas in Main street last
night. Mr.. Thomas. who is the head
OF the Jacob Thomas Company. wall
paper manufacturers, there Is one OF
the committee of fifteen, which is
probing the lease, and the conference
was held in the parlors of his home.
Newspaper men were barred while
the meeting continued several hours.
Al the end none Of those who par
ticipated would divulge a word OF
what had been said
J. p. Wright, president Of tho Town
Council, said upon leaving Mr.
Thomas home, that he had no state
ment to make. He was asked whether
the Council and the committee Of
citizens would reach an agreement
and replied: Il wouldn't venture A
guess. There was no racket, however,
and that is a good sign"
No Statement to Make.
DR. II. G. NJ. Kollock, chairman Of
the committee of citizens said even
less. The newspaper men were not
admitted within Mr.. Thomas home
and DR.. Kollock had to be called to
the door.
He was asked whether he had any
thing to make in behalf Of tho citi-
zens and abruptly replied that he had
no statement to make whatever.
IL was said that the members OF
Council refused to meet with the
citizens committee il reporters we're
TO be present and furthermore they
objected to allowing the three men
selected by the citizens committee TO
ME the INDUCTION proceedings against
the deal to be present. These men.
A. A. Curtis. j. Wilkins Cooch and
George G. Kerr. were present. and.
as they did not leave IL is presumed
that they were later admitted to the
conference. In fact this was after
ward learned. After long discus
sion the cOuncilmen decided to meet
with them.
Town Opposes the Lease.
While the star chamber meeting was
IN session the newspaper men made a
canvass Of the town to learn the feel
ing or the business men i'm connection
with the leasing of the two plants and
without exception it was learned thai
the town is up against the proposition
and some Of the men interviewed
spoke their opinion of the Councils
action in plain words. A dozen or more
business men We're interviewed some
OF whom requested that their names bs
not used for business reasons and fol
that reason the names are withheld.
John II. Chapman, a general Nor
chandise dealer, one Of the best know
and esteemed business men OF thu
/ place, voiced the sentiments Of tn
business interests of the place when H.
I said; From the citizens standpoint
| don't think We were fairly treated
/ The citizens should have been givei
more notice of the proposed move an,
a proper thing to have done would
nave been to call a public meeting K
discuss the proposition made by tn,
company"
j. w. Paris, jeweler i'm Main street
voiced practically the same sentiment.
as Mr.. Chapman AS a matter of fac
the interviews were all about the same
II was the way Council did the thinl
that is causing all the commotior
among the residents of Newark anC
that they propose TO fight ,the lease
was evident from the remarks they
made. Several hundred dollars was re
Gently subscribed at public meetinl
and more can be got together to fur
Their the fight
New Concern a Family AFFAIR.
That the Newark Water and Electri,
| Company is family affair was learn
ed. The president is n. b. Wright, o
] the H. b. Wright Company. dealers II
I hardware, and the secretary aud treas
urer is his sOn-in-law, l.. B. Jacobs
These comprise the officers of the com
pany. The directors are Messrs
Wright and Jacobs and Mrs. Bessi
Jacobs. the daughter of AIR Wrigh
and wife of The secretary and treasur
er of the company. The president o
the company also is an uncle of J.
Wright, the president of the Tow
n Council
The question the citizens Of New
ark are trying to solve is why Nj
Jacobs. who was e member Of COun
VII AholbnfN NUN iAidi nNug dUpul wv
months ago after voting with Council
to increase both the water and ligh
rates and then organized the conceri
to which the Council shortly after
ward leased the plants for a perio
of twenty years. The citizens poiu
out that If the plants. under the in
creased rates. are paying. why shoul
not the city continue to hold an
operate them They do not ObieC
so much to paying the increased rate
but do look at the possibilities Of bi
increases in revenue from these priv
leges within the next score of year
True, there is provision in the leas
that the town can get back the plant
/. within five years, but must pay
sum to get it and there are oth'
considerations named which do m
appeal to the majority of citizens.
Councils Position.
e Members of Council say that stint
the town has been operating q
plants the deficit has reached S25,00
. This deficit they claim, will be wip'
out by the new company. The cit
Gems, on the other hand, say that ev,