New Britain herald., 1915-04-13
HEAVY OPPOSITION
 TO LIGHTING PLAN
Municipal Business Venture Is Con-
 SideIed Too Expensive.
COUNCIL DECIDES TOMORROW NIGHT

Many Objections to Hedging tho City to Enormous Outlay for Buying Out Housatonic Company and the L. F.. l.. and w. Company.
 Whether New Britain will prosecute it's intentions of embarking in the municipal lighting business will be de- cided at a special meeting of the com mon council called today for tomor- row night at 7:3O o'clock It is nec- essary for the council to act on the proposition as legally the city gov ernment must register it's approval for two consecutive years before submit
 ng the project to the people.
 When it was first pru laed to star Ill the business of fur. Ing electr, illumination and power t..,re was con- siderable enthusiasm in government circles, but that was on September IF, 1913 and interviews today with prominent officials who keep their hands on the city's financial pulse fail to show the same spirit. In fact, there is considerable opposition as it sees to be the consensus of opinion that the project would be too costly.
 Expense Would Be Enormous.
 The United Electric Light and Water company, which furnishes New Brit ain with electricity, leases it's fran chise from the Housatonic Power company, paying $1,000 per day for it's field in Connecticut New Brit ain is said to contribute one-fourth of the income of the company and it is believed that the company pays about $250 per day for the privilege of selling electricity in this city, a total of $s1, ,250 per year. Taking this income as a five per cent in- vestment for the company it is esti-
 mated that the capital invested in con ducting it's business in this city would be $1,S25,000. Should the city de- eide to enter the lighting and power business the courts might order the city to pay that amount to. the Housa- tonic Power company. It is also argued that the city would be re- quired to pay damages to the United Electric Light and Water company for its yearly profits, which cannot be estimated. Another reason pro- posed why the city shopad not enter the field is that it would be necessary to erect and equip plant for the generation of electricity, in itself a costly proposition. The plant leased by the United Electric Light and Wa ter company near Corbin avenue does not generate electricity, but is mere ly transforming station.
 Appraisal Might Cost $sO,OOO.
 It might cost the city between $25.- 900 and S30,000 to learn whether it desires to enter the business of gen erating and selling light and power In the council votes in favor of the project tomorrow night the matter will be submitted to the voters in 1916. The courts will then appoint appraisers to estimate the damage due the United Electric Light an1 Water company and the Housatonic Power company. It is said that such an appraisal has cost other cities be- tween $25, 900 and $30,00O. The dam ages being estimated by these ap- praisers and ratified by the courts, the whole proposition would come back to the voters again to learn whether they are still in favor, in the face O. the big expense. Should the electors decide to take the plunge the city would be obliged to go into the busi- ness.
 When Does Year End?
 All the well laid plans of the gov ernmert might be thrown into the waste basket on a technicality in the opinion of some of the city officials. Legally as has been said before, it is necessary for the city to take action on two consecutive years. The ques- ton has arisen as to when the gov ernment year of 1914-15 ends. It might be held hy the United Electric ; Light and Water company that it ended on March q and that the coun- cil allowed the year to elapse with out~taking any action on the project l In the opinion of Corporation Counsel i Cooper it will suffice if the council ! meets in special session tomorrow l night and decides whether to con- !! tinue or abandon the plan. The new 1 council does not come into being un- ! til noon on the third Tuesday of April, 1 week from today.
 There are so many questions to be i passed upon and so much expense 1 connected with the scheme that, in l the opinion of city officials who were asked for their views today, it would i be a wise plan for the council to throw up the sponge before 1t is to- late
 It is expected that the meeting to- morrow night will be the last ses- sion of the present council.
 WILL PROTECT NEW BRITAIN.
 Corporation Counsel J. F. Cooper