Evening capital and Maryland gazette. (Annapolis, Md.) 1910-1922, 1913-01-22
Lighting Contract Virtually Awarded Gas and Electric Light Company
Result Of Vote on Counsellor Melvin's Opinion
Legality of December Agreement
DONE so QUIETLY FEW AWARE OF WHAT HAPPENED
But True Situation That Vote Carried the Award Although Proposition TIE
Utilities Company Had Been Previously Retired Ordinance
Committee ee-ActOn Restricts New Company From Com
peing for Municipal Service for Five Years

whether the people of the city will
give them the desired aud sufficient
support to warrant the investment
1t is thought they will do it. however.
For more than two hours last night
the members of the City Council and
many prominent business men lis
tened to or participated in the argu-
ments upon the proposed ordinance
for granting a franchise to the
Utilities Company
And after ii was all over, the Q IN
eral deduction was the company would
! be given its desired FRANCHISE, and
I there was also a prevailing sentiment
that the City Solons would rescind
\ their action of last December, bv
which they approved, though not for
mally executed a contract with the
/ Annapolis Gas and Electric Light
Company which has had a monopoly
of the local lighting field for many
years, end enter into an agreement
with the new concern as a result of
which light would be secured at
much cheaper cost.
In short, it is estimated that the
reduced rates proposed by the Utilitie
Company compared to those which the
city has been paying for years, would
mean a saving of at least 500, 900
per year on municipal and CONNER
cial lighting combined. Meantime.
the proposed ordinance is in the
hands of the Committee on By Laws
and Ordinances. which body is under
instructions to make a report to
special meeting of the Council to be
held Friday night.
There was some feeling among the
City Fathers last night that since
the question had been so thoroughly
Representing the Gas and Electric
Company were Attorney James w.
Owens and Mr.. j. Clifton Rosley. the
company's general manager. Mr..
Owens was the spokesman for the
company. In addition a number of
leading business men and private citi-
zens were on haud to hea: the matter
discuss I'd. And it must be said that
the majority of the citizens are In
favor OF the coming of the competing
company because of what they charge
as the poor service of the Gas and
Electric Company extending over a
period of years, and from which they
have been unsuccessful in gaining
any relief.
In behalf of the Utilities Company
Attorney Williams opened up the ar
guments and he, with Mr.. Davis, ex-
planned in a general way the objects
and purposes of the new concern.
Speaking entirely for the Gas and
|. Electric Company and strongly oppos-
ing any competing company. Attor-
ney Owens spoke of the large tax as
sessment of the present company for
municipal, county and state purposes;
the number of Annapolis residents
employed by them which, he said,
discussed in open meeting to the un-
derstanding of all concerned. that it
would be just as we'll to take final
action upon the measure right off the
| reel. However, it was finally decide
/ TO refer it to the committee.
The Utilities Company is a sub
sidiary corporation of the Washing
TOM Baltimore and Annapolis Elec-
! trio Railway Company, from which it
I
i lighting purposes. There were pres
4 ent at the meeting in behalf of the
new company President George T.
Bishop and Vice-President Craig, of
the Railway Company, besides cen
eral Manager J. Doyle, also one of
the incorporates of the Utilities Com
pany; George Weems Williams, Of
Baltimore, the company's attorney,
and W. E. Davis, of the Cleveland
Construction Company, who will have
charge of the installation OF the new
system here.
meaut an expenditure Of approxi-
mately $50. 600 right in Annapolis.
But on this argument Mr.. Oweni
was corrected later on by Mayor
Strange, who hsd before him all the
figures representing the salsres paid
the various employees, and these
toraled something more than SIG, 600
Attorney w. Hallam Claude also
spoke in favor of the present com
pany. In the course of the argu
ments reference was made to the fac
that the Utilities Company is an en-
tirely foreign corporation. On tbi
point President Bishop, of the Rail
, way Company, took occasion to correc
what he characterized as a grossl
, wrong impression. when he SAID tha
citizens of Maryland held more stocI
! in the Electric Railway Company tha
any other State.
} The real keynote from the bushes
? mems standpoint was struck in the &C
! dress OF Mr. w. B. Gardner, VIII
spoke of the poor service from th
: present company. He referred to tn
: efforts of the old Business Mems A,
: sociation, as well as tde present Chan
= Der OF Commerce to get relief fror
0 existing conditions, but he said tn