The Palatka news and advertiser. [volume] (Palatka, Fla.) 1908-19??, 1914-08-21
COUNCIL TO SETTLE
FRANCHISE TONIGHT
Aid. Davis has Submitted
Substitute More Liberal
in Terms.


er franchise would be up for discus.
sion before the city council last Tues.
DAY night attracted many citizens to
the meeting. The room reserved for
the common people" was filled and
some 80 or 40 more were strung out
into the doorway and filled the perches
Of the windows.
1t was nine o'clock before the coun-
ell got round to this franchise. The
ball was opened by presentation Of
numerously signed petitions praying
the council to defer action on the
franchise and asking that an election
| be called to determine whether or not
the people wanted to own their own
plant.
Aid Cannon moved that the petl-
tions be granted and his motion was
seconded by Aid. Pounds.
, Aid. Davis, chairman of the fran
chise committee, however, asked to be
ueard, and he stated that he had a
substitute franchise which he wanted
to offer for the one submitted at The
former meeting. That franchise, he
stated, the committee never expected
10 pass without important amend
ments, but since its presentation the
committee had been more deeply in
he matter and the substitute he
desired to offer embraced the best
,,hought of himself and co-committee-
men and other citizens. He asked the
privilege Of reading it for informa-
ton, which was granted
ne substitute differs from the
original principally in the matter OF
rates for service. 1t is much more
liberal. The rate for commercial
lighting under the new ordinance will
not be more than 10 cents per kilo-
watt for the first ten years, after
mat 9 cents, with the minimum
charge of S1.50 per month. The
ates to be charged for electric motor
service from to cents per klloWatt
hour, The rates for street lights are
be S75 per annum for 1000 candle
power instead of $S2 as in the origi-
al franchise; $65 for 1900 candle
power instead Of SIS; lower power
hts the same rate. The gas rates
are to be SLIGO per 1000 cubic feet
with a minimum charge of not more
than 81 per month. The city IS to
be furnished lights for the city coun-
ell chamber and fire department free,
and the city reserves the right and
r.ivilege at any time to install and
operate it's own light and power plant
Aid. Davis presented the advant-
ages of this substitute franchise very
clearly; he had made deep investlga-
tions and was convinced that the city
was getting rates under this franchise
equal to any self-sustaining munlcl-
nal plant in the country and much
lower than many of them. Mr.. Da-
Wis insisted that the question OF mu-
nicipal ownership was not before the
.ouncil. The one question to be de-
termined was whether the city would
It this franchise which provided
for a modern lighting and power sys-
EN-, with a "a hour continuous SER
vice with limited number Of years, or
retain the present unsatisfactory
service with its indeterminate fran
ohise. Under the proposed franchise
the city could engage in the light and
power business at any time. 1t
would in no way deprive the citizens
from at any time expressing them
selves on the question of municipal
ownership. If the city went into the
Fght and power business with the tne
nresent company, it would either have
70 buy the Bailey plant, or go INTO
the business as competitor. ,,
For himself he did not believe the
rreeholders of Palatka were ready
- municipal ownership. He had
cen led from his Investigations. to
, Unalterably opposed to municipal
ownership. Mr.. Davis made a most
excellent argument for the franchise;
,or1nerate, clear and convincing. The
News regrets it can not give his full
argument.
President Yelverton also made
very clear presentation Of the subject
from the standpoint of one who tavors
ting the franchise. He had visl-
ted Ocai. and other cities operating
municipal plants and was satls1ed
t for Palatka the proposed plan
vas the better way. Mr.; 1elVertoh
: man who goes into things care
fully and fully. He asked citizens IN
the audience to express themselves,
and several availed themselves of the
nrivilepe. among them Messrs. Geo.
Passett, Jr., P. ]. Becks, II. o.
rramm and R. R. Brakeman. The
fmpressioh derived from these gen
+Iemen was that the great body of
retitioners, while favoring municipal
ownership. were nevertheless not op-
posed to the "ranting of tranchlse
that would protect the interests OF
thp citizens; this was the view of Mr..
Becks in signing, and Mr.. Brakeman
stated that it was the view OF most
he gentlemen who were on his pc
tition. l.
NIGHT when a recess meeting Will be
a'd. And it is more than likely that
the ordinance will pass.
Concerning these petitions an erro-
neous impression prevails due largely
to statements made in one OF the To-
cal papers, which says:
This involves a principle OF dem
ocracy which has been instllled m
to the minds of the American peo--
ple since revolutionary times, and
American citizens will not be con-
tent to delegate their sovereign
rights to any fourteen or forty indi-
viduals, no matter how honorable
they may be and regardless of their
reputation for looking after the
interests of the people"
The very contrary of this is true;
The American people have delegated
their power to representatives, and
there is in but few states any sys-
tenn by which this power, once dele
ed can be lodged or surrendered
This question has been placed, along
with all other municipal matters, in
the hands of the council. The eoun.
cilmen do well in getting the drift of
public sentiment and in striving in so