The Seward gateway., 1915-09-21


 ing. A special stenographer had been called to the meeting, evidently to in- scribe in unimpeachable verbatim form for the benefit of posterity the words of wisdom that fell from the silver tongue of some transcendant genius or boy orator who graces a legislative chair in our eminent Bundesrath. And then, with i'm mortality staring the statesmen in the face, the question of the franchise arose and hushed the audience to an awed silence. The fate of Seward was at stake and around the edges of the legislative halls sat the watch dogs of the peoples future, ready to spring with oratorical fervor at the throat of any conspirator against the veal of our fair city, already, yet. Dr. Daggett began by objecting to giving permission to the Electric company to put up more poles than was necessary. He apparently feared a diabolical plot to establish leaf less forest in the neighborhood of the Northern corner. "Never heard of a company putting up more poles than it needed" opined Jack Chovin and, of course, the matter ended there, having served merely the purpose of showing whatever animus might exist. AS the novelist says, we shall ask our dear readers to let us digress for moment to say what is the mat ter with giving that franchise to man | like Jack Chovin who knows the buSi- ness, and let him have some latitude. 1 Al Chamberlin wanted to know why all other applicants for franchise had wished for the meter system and the present applicant wished flat rate and Chovin reminded him that the other applicants always fell through. Gentlemen from the audi ence, Messrs. Hettel and Winstadt to- wit, entered the discussion. The former made some statement and Chovin contradicted him. Hettel was agin the government of the Electric company all the way through and he was ably reinforced by Mir. Winstedt, who delivered telling speech at some length and when the council gave him the ghost of show. s. o. Morford, the attorney for the company, ex- plained that the franchise had not been prepared by the company but by the council itself. He agreed with the suggestion that the franchise ought to contain a clause making the terms fair to the company and the consumer. Indeed, MT. Morford took the wind out of the sails of the com pany baiters at every turn by his ap- parent desire to be eminently fair. He was convinced that the company can afford to cut down the rates when business is better. Mir. Chamberlin, who also showed most commendable spirit of fairness, although evidently very careful in the interests of the people, moved that the franchise per init all people to install meters who wanted to do so, but MT. Morford declared with the small business at present it would be impossible to do so. He and others declared that the adjustment of rates provided by the franchise were more equitable al- though in some cases a negligibly small increase occurs. Chamberlin again moved that meters be given to all who ask for them, the consumers depositing the price of such meters and it was also moved that readjust- menU of rates be provided for when they become unjust to either party. No action was taken on the passage of the franchise last night. Its fate is hard to foretell. Without offenSe let it be suggested that personal animus be suppressed and that the consumers and the company be treat ed fairly and squarely.
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