The Palatka news and advertiser. [volume] (Palatka, Fla.) 1908-19??, 1914-07-31
LET YOUR LIGHT So
SHINE NEXT MONDAY
That it May Pierce Dark Re-
cesses of the Council
Chamber.

IUe DOeTu Ol IEdUt HdS Cdllcu d
mass meeting of citizens for next
Monay afternoon at 2 o'clock at the
board rooms on Second street.
The object of the meeting is to see
if some interest cannot be aroused
over the proposition now before the
council to grant a light and power
franchise to the Solomon-Norcross
Co. of Atlanta.
This company has made a tentative
purchase of the plant of the Palatka
Gas Light & Fuel Co. If granted a
franchise for 30 years it will go
ahead Immediately and give the city
an up-to-date "a hour current and do
business with us as we have been
aching to have it done.
There is opposition to the granting
of this franchise. Some want munl-
cipal ownership; others say we want
it but are not~ready for it; others say
franchise grant would be all right
if the document was so Worded as to
protect the interests of the city; still
others say such a franchise is worth
$4,000 a year and should not be Civ
en- away, while still others say they
don't know and don't give a darn
what the council does.
The council hcs the say. Paiatka
has the representative form of gov
sernment. You elect your councllmen
to transact the city's business. Some
times that is easy; at other times
when great questions come up for set
tlement it is not always easy to- know
what is the right thing. Perhaps
YOU can assist your councilman to a
solution Of this present day problem.
The News asked President Yelver-
ton one day this week what his pso--
!ple thought of the proposition. Il
I.lon't Know" responded the member
from the Second ward, "they don't
talk to me about it. So far not a
single person has come to me to dis
cuss the subject" )"
Now there you have a pretty ac-
curate picture of the thinking,
don 'tgiveadamn average citizen. 1t
requires action on the part of the
council to arouse them. If the coun-
ell does something that at later
time is found to have been mistake
then there is reverse action on the
part of the citizen. He is double
back action kicker from Wayback
His ancestors were kickers. Coco
work does not move him to action.
The meeting next Monday it is un
derstood has the approval OF the coun
Gil. In fact it is an adjourned session
of a meeting held last Friday after
noon which was called at the instl
cation of Alderman Yelverton.
The aldermen want to know VIVA
YOU THINK. Come prepared t'
give an expression of your views.
The Palatka News has interviewed
quite a number of citizens on the sub
iect of the proposed franchise. Herr
are some of the replies :.
A. Usina: "Such a franchise i
worth 100000; a thousand dollars
year" e,,or =
granting a franchise, such franchls
AZ AZ will adequately protect the inter
ests of the city, fixing a MAXIMUM
rate for service; in this way the Glt.
would get in a saving OF rates at VIVA
the franchise is worth. ms ms Is
responsible company and 1t VIII com
here prepared to give US moaet.
= service and will make extensions INT
'''V Mavor sU Il Hennerly: Eyes, believ
l. in municipal ownership, but we e, ca
hardly 90 into that now. liner
would be no objection to granting IN
proposed franchise providing the CT
= izens' H' interests were properly safe
- guarded" u ,.,x+i,, /;
| fo,or of municipal ownership.
| citv lighting plant would pay prof
| if properly managed would reduc
! the cost of lights and reduce the ia
burden" ,,,:o1 o,,,re,
! ship is all right, but we are up tte
| now. and can't afford to buy; give IN
| company a franchise; nave ~ =,
| drawn that the citys interests a.
pl otected; an option clause lnSer'e !4S;
| permitting the city to BUY Wltnin l,
| certain period We can't go lnIo u
light and power business now
F I Fearnside: "Yes, sir, am
| favor of municipal ownership OF
| nnhIic utilities. However, l don't D
! iieve the people would vote bonds
purchase a light and power plant no,
4 franchise properly guarding u
riohts of the people would be q
- % r;Sht It ought not to be free GIT
1;eorge E. Gay: 81 am in favor
- granting this franchise; grant II
"a all means, but so as to protect the ci
against any possloie liiip0''''0
/ future years" .,., for r
tIfranchise; l let's have some goou ,aem i,e -
l for a season so as to see now II Sec,
HI think municipal ownership S
III right, but we amt ready. Tor II ~" W
HI Harry Gray: Grant EN- the Ira a
chIse; not a free gift mind you, y
Grant 'em a franchise that VIII qua
fne people's interests. One bhat
c;tv can buy at future date wnen ~
10 ready for municipal ownership.
nr Johnson: Eve are not rea
for municipal ownership, Grant =.
trarch;s. and let ~ have some RgR
IacL R,rnett: 81 think the eouil
sbouId grant the franchise; thls Is L:
aood company and it proposes 10 q
what we nave been crying Ior'
Curse we should get Ssmething
'""W E. Wattles: "It's good GO
onv this Atlanta concern, ano
paMIIdi pponId not not be out of the way to gr'
thom, a franchise, one that woul1 p
tect the rights Of citizens. =,
Cnns. Stanton: Mumclpal =
srship is all right, but we cannoI @ =
tain It now; there are TOO many y, :
er things we need. We want Ge' '
Ight and in granting the tranchls'
this company the city can proces1