Perth Amboy evening news., 1914-11-16
UNIONS REQUEST.
ACTION ON CITY
LIGHTING PLANT.


shall have municipal electric light
ing plant is one which the city
fathers have not as yet settled SEN
timent in the Board of Aldermen in
dicates that it is sometime off in
view of the stringency of the money
market Mayor Ferd Garretson stat
ed today that 1t occurred to him
that as little time as possible should
be lost, in view of the fact that the
people voted for the proposition. He
understood, as did many others, that
immediate action. The question
which the people voted In favor of at
the last election was as follows:
Shall an act providing for a mu-
nicipal lighting plant be adopted,
and bonds not exceeding $50, 900
be issued for the establishment of
such a plant?'
Before it was balloted upon, labor
leaders here endeavored in vain to
pin Mayor Garr5tson and members
of the Board of Aldermen to a writ
ten pledge that they would not vote
for a renewal of any contract with
the Public Service Corporation
While the officials seemed to favor
the proposition and seemed to feel
that there should be no further con-
tracts with the Public Service Elec,
tric Company, the efforts of the labol
men met with failure.
Mayor Garretson said he could not
make any promise about voting mas
much as he was not n member of the
council, but he maize q statement to
Jesse Davis who handed the petit
tion to him. His statement follows:
My position in reference to the
municipal lighting plant is that Il a
majority of the voters declare in
favor of the proposition, | would, as
mayor, oppose The renewal or maxi
ing of a contract for city lighting or
power with any individual or corpo-
ration for peroid longer than is alb
solutely necessary to provide light
for the citys use during the col-
struction and installation of such a
municipal lighting plant. If the as
sumption that the Public Utilities
Commission will protect the inter
est of the city from the time of the
termination of the present contract
until the completion of the proposed
plant, then | would oppose the re-
newal or making of any contract.
Il would approve an ordinance to
provide for the issuance of the nee
essary bonds, which ordinance
should, in my Judgment, be adopted
by the Board of Aldermen at the
earliest possible moment after the
decision OF the voters has been as
Certained."
Alderman John j. Clark, who like
wise refused to sign the pledge cir
culated by the unions, said his posi-
ton relative to the subject was about
the same as that of the mayor He
refused to pledge himself TO mot tC
vote for a renewal, or the making OF
any contract"
The pledge circulated VAS as fol
lows:
Il, the undersigned, hereby prom
ise that | will not vote for renewal
or the making Of any contract with
the Public Service Corporation OF
New Jersey, having for It's purpose
the supplying of electric currents for
city lighting and power.
Il further promise that will vote
in favor of the issuance of bonds at
the earliest possible moment for the
purpose of building municipal
lighting plant for the city of Perth
Amboy, N. j.
"The above only to apply II the
majority Of the voters of Perth AM
boy declare In favor of such a plant
This move to have the city off,
cials pledge themselves met with
such disappointment at the outset
that the document was not circulated
among all of the aldermen. Mayor
Garretson said he had lost much
faith in the public utility board and
he was not so certain that 1t would
force the Public Service to give the
city current unless a contract was
made. To be on the safe side, to en-.
able the city to have current for light
and power here, while the proposed
plant was In the course OF construc-
ton. Mr.. Garretson said 1T might
be necessary to enter into contract
When the subject of taking steps
for the erection of a municipal cleo
trio plant is discussed among mem.
bers of the Board of Aldermen, the
question of finances is raised. 1t Is
held that, the money market is such
as to make the sale of bonds prohib-
tive.
New Brunswick Man on Trial.