Bryan daily eagle and pilot. [volume] (Bryan, Tex.) 1909-1918, 1915-12-31
'SFRD|IG P[H F1B !.
PRIVATE OWNERSHIP
Business Firm seekss Franchise on
Basis Of Saving Consumers on
Lights and Power.

Bryan. Tex. Dec. Is. lsl5.--Tc the
Taxpayers and Citizens OF Bryan: On
Friday evening. Nov. IL. at the council
meetings statements were made In that
body with reference to the matter Of
q franchise requested by US for lights
and power. the proceedings appearing
In the Daily Eagle of Nov 10. A few
days later appears in the same paper
the monthly statement Of the city OF
Bryan for November covering the OPP
GRAFTON Of the lighting. water and
sewerage system.
The attention Of all close observers
OF business men. clerks and mechanics
Is directed to the claims made by the
opposition In the city council In re-
jecting the franchise asked for by us.
and then to the city's statement OF
operations OF our public utilities for
the month Of November. 1915. In which
month the gross receipts were unus.
ually good.
Special counsel was employed. nc.
cording TO one Of the councilmen. 10
pass on the request fora franchise.
and the opinion by special counsel was
given that Bryan could not be COMPEL.
ed TO make a grant OF this kind to pri.
vate persons for the reason. as claim.
ed. that the city Of Bryan owns It's
plant" Further along we quote the
same special counsel: The town owns
the plant In behalf Of the people. and
II is operated in behalf OF the people.
Are any Of the citizens or taxpayers
aware Of the fact that the city has
bought the electric plant recently. and
II so at what price and upon whose au.
thority was the purchase made?
The November operating statement
shows that 1857 was paid to a private
party for electricity. II the city owns
its plant why was one-half its gross
earnings paid TO private person for
electricity
The statement before the council
was also made that the city had now
invested in its plants slss.OOO, and tina;
the people under private ownership
would be required TO pay on this In
vestment si2,SOO annually against de-
probation. Let us assume that thi.
statement made before the council by
special counsel Is correct. and then re
fer to the city's printed statement Of
its November operations. which month
was an unusually good one:
Gross revenues from consumers for
lights, power water and sewerage
ss.6So.45.
Less expenses paid for electricity
bought, sl.S57s6.
Less salaries paid, labor, materials
up-keep office and shop expenses
worthless well. etc. s1.l2l2S.
Less interest mot paid on sl2s.O
at 5 per cent per annum for one
month. 1888.
Less depreciation mot paid OF
sl2s.00o. according to special counsel
employed, Sl,oee.
Less loss OF taxes that private com
pany would pay the city on an invest
ment in plant of sl2s.OO0 per month
$1,000.
Total. s5.577.6i.
According to the citys manner Of
calculating its business. as printed In
the Bryan Daily Eagle. the city made
a gross profit for November OF s65l.si
but the business mans manner OF fig
uring his own private business with
the figures submitted would show ar
actual loss TO the taxpayers of approx
imately sl.s47.1s for one month. These
losses will not appear to the public un
Ill new bonds are issued three to five
years hence. when depreciation viii
begin to bark at the door.
The undersigned are both consum
ers and taxpayers. and we are vitality
interested from that standpoint In get
ting the business men and all othei
taxpayers TO scrutinire the workings
Of our public utilities. We are taking
the city's own figures. publicly printed
and statements made by special coun
sci on which to base our calculations
The loss OF nearly $4,000 per month
which will eventually fall upon the
taxpayers Of Bryan does not by an!
means incorporate all losses. There I,
daily loss 10 all OF the consumers o.
the city, occssioned by the excessive,
rates for water, light and power.
We refer back to our proposition Il
the council. In which we promulgated
the rates to be charged by US II grant
ed the franchise. The rates proposed
by us we're 80 per cent less than those
now charged by the city's own plant;
this is a matter OF record. On the
basis Of our proposal. the sonumers o.
Bryan would have paid for the same
or better service. which they received
In November. the sum OF s2.32i. in
| sfead Of a. GAO AZ Of which 81 81 we..