The Palatka news and advertiser. [volume] (Palatka, Fla.) 1908-19??, 1914-08-07
CITIZENS DISCUSS
ELECTRIC FRANCHISE
Till Midnight on Monday
and Fetch up at Starting
Point.


Possibly no proposed legislation of
the city council has met with more
thorough discussion than the proposed
new light and power franchise which
the council has in mind to swap for
the one under which the city is now
operating.
A meeting held some ten days be-
fore had adjourned to last Monday
afternoon at the board of trade rooms.
This adjourned meeting was called to
order about o'clock by Vice Presi-
dent Hamm and the discussion contin-
ued until past o'clock, when the
meeting adjourned to 1880. The ev
ening meeting, presided over by Pres
ident Earnest, was more largely at
tended, and lasted till after II o'clock,
when R. r. Brakeman on moving an
adjournment, explained that he made
the notion in order that he might
take his accustomed nap before break
fast.
The meeting opened with read.
ing of he proposed ordinance by Al
derman Howell A. Davis, who en-
planned that the document was drawn
hv special committee of the coun-
eli of which Mr.. Wilson was chair.
man and Mr. Merriam and himself
associate members. The committee
had consulted with Mr.. Norcross,
who expected to purchase the. present
lighting and power company's plant
ard the maximum rates raned-the
rates beyond which the co r1pany could
not g. had met with his reluctant
approval.
s!r. Davis then went into an eI-
haustive explanation Of the FRANCHISE
He stated that the Palatka Gas Light
d Fuel &C. was Operating uhlcr
franchise Wr;ch it was claimed was
perpetual. That in granting he pro-
rosed franchise the city was Simply
swapping the old for the new and bet
ter one which was to run 80 years.
The old franchise did not name prices
bevond which he comrany could not
charge for service; on the contrary
it could charge what it pleased. Its
service was antiquated and unsatis-
factory; it could do as it Pleased In
the conduct of its business and the City
had little power to interfere; there
was no provision or tn. location OF
POLES, no remedy for injury to side
walks and streets: there was no day
service of power, and its prices for
'ghts were eXhorbitant. The people
had paid these prices without kick,
nut thew had made lo"g and repeat
cd kicks at the service.
The new franchise guarded the In
terests of the citizens; it gave tn D..
CITY reduced rates and better service
On lights; it fixed maximum COM
mercial lighting rate of tive cents
rer killowat hour with reduction Of
two cents per killowat hour If paid
on or before the 10th of the next
succeeding month, and provided that
the minimum charge shall. not be
more than $1.50 per month, when 1t
was now 81 per month.
The rates to be charged for elec-
t,ic motor service varied from to }
cents per killowat hour according to
the amount used. The city had n"
day power current now and the pres
ent company was not disposed to IN
stall it. Under the new franchise
the company would be compelled to
give an all day current.
Gas for illuminating purposes, was,
Under the present arrangement, cost
ing the people $2.25 per 1000 cu9lc
feet: for cooking purposes, 81. Under
the new franchise the company could
not charge beyond $1.75, and there
would be a reduction of Is cents per
900 when bills were paid on or be-
fore the 10th of the succeeding mohth'
The city would also save much II, its
street lighting and would have pet
ter lights.
! Mr.. Davis made an impasSioned ap-
peal for the public's approval OF tAe
! franchise. 1t was simply the swap
ring of an old and highly unsatistac-
torV service for a new and guaran-
feed satisfactory service with lesser
rates. The city would profit in every
way. Wy De-
I Messrs. Nerwich and Geo. W. Bas::
sett were the principle opponents o.
the franchise to voice their sentiments.
Mr.. Norwich is an apostle OF munlcl-
bal ownership and he made strong
5roument for a city owned and man.
ged plant.
Col. Bassett made an eloquent and
strong appeal for municipal owner
4 ship and his address was warmly ap-
rlauded, showing that there was
strong sympathy with him in his adj
vocacy of the principle. =,
Mr.. Davis then pointed out the dlf-
f;culties of municipal ownership ST
j this time and in answering his critics
reiterated and enlarged upon the aG-
vantages of the proposed franchise,
! col Hilburn made an address which
threw much light on the legal as.
meets of the case. The granting OF
the proposed franchise would not be
n surrender of the city's right to en-
ter the light and power field WheA
II chose. The franchise provided Tor
\ taking over from the operators oy,
the city at any ten year period ana
nrovided a manner of arriving at Its
Talue, If the city went into the bus
mess now it could only do so by pur-
chasing the present plant, or by en-
tering the field as a competltor' the
sYme conditions would apply uhoer
the new order. Mr.. Hilburn was not
opposed to municipal ownership n'lt
insisted that it was not an issue at
the present time. The question was
whether the city would grant. this
franchise and get an improved ser
vice at lower cost or continue with
the present service until such time as
we were ready to embark in the mu'
ricipal lighting and power business,
buy the old plant, or engage in com
petition with it. ..,
Mr.. Norcross who is promoting the
new franchise was granted the ,prlvi'
loges of the floor and he explained
What had been done and his purpose
in doing; the people whom he repre-
sented would accept the franchise reat
and give good service: He had spen
considerable of his time and money
in an investigation and in efforts t
arrive at a satisfactory understand