Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1916-08-15
CITY OWNERSHIP
FIGHT IN CAPITAL
1t Has Been in Progress Almost Quar-
ter OF Century, and End is Not
Yet In View.
LIGHT RATE CHARGE Is CAUSE
Commission Brings Case Before
Supreme Court.
CBy Associated Press. }

tention of many Illinois cities is drawn
here by the possible bearing the re-
suit of the legal campaign may have
on their own efforts for lower rates
and municipal ownerships.
Jacksonville, Rock Island, Moline,
Danville. Quincy. Geneseo, Mt. Ster-
ling BelleviIle, East St. Louis and
Peoria already have followed the lead
of the capital city in obtaining lower
rates in electricity and gas. That they
have drawn much aid from the work
done along these lines in Springfield
is shown by the many requests for in
formation received by local municipal
authorities from other Illinois towns
Scarcely a week passes but what a
delegation of municipal officials from
other towns comes here to consult
with Springfield officials who have
been leading the fight for municipal
ownership. Commissioner W. j.
SpauIding, head of the water and
light department, and City Attorney A.
d. Stevens have accepted many invi-
tations to speak in other cities where
campaigns for municipal ownership
have been waged. A history of the
efforts for municipal ownership and
lower rates in Springfield, is, there
fore. Of interest to the entire state.
The fight for municipal ownership in
Springfield has been going on for %
years A municipal plant was built in
1894 as a protest against the rates
that were then being charged for arc
street lights, the rate at that time be-
ing $137.50 per lamp. The funds were
furnished by so citizens who pledged
their individual credit for 81 200 each,
contra citing to turn the plant over to
the city whenever the earnings were
sufficient to pay back the investment.
The plant supplied current only for
street lights and not for commercial
purposes.
Under this contract the plant was
turned over to the city at the end of
five years, but the city Immediately
leased it for a period of five years to a
private company. At the end of the
period, the city sought to terminate the
lease, but the company attempted
through legal technicalities, injunc-
lions and other proceedings to retain
possession of the plant. At one meet
ing of the city council at which the
matter was under discussion a fistic
encounter between the members oc-
CURED, the lights were turned out and
the meeting broke up in a riot. Fin
ally a wagon load of policemen was
sent to the light plant, and the COM
pany's employees were physically driv-
en- out.
Battle is Renewed.
In 1911 the commission form of gov
eminent was adopted w. J. Spaulding,
one of the newly elected commission
erS, was given charge of the city wat
er and light departments. He immed-
lately began a plan for rebuilding and
consolidating the two plants under one
roof. This caused a renewal of the
fight with the Springfield Gas ana
Electric company, which has continued
TO the present. The company has
brought numerous injunction suits to
prevent the city from selling current
to private consumers.
A year ago the city of Springfield
purchased a generator to install in the
plant of the city waterWOrks. This
was accomplished only after two of the
city commissioners by initiative peti-
ton, had secured the submission of
the question TO a vote of the people.
The people voted for it in the face of
a bitter fight by the Springfield Gas
and Electric company, led by three
ether members of the city commission.
Several weeks ago the city com
missiOner5 passed an ordinance for
the purchase of a second generator TO
cost $4,000. The gas and electric
company, owned by an eastern syndi-
cate, Immediately made the counter
proposal that they would furnish to
the city at the same cost at which the
city could produce it, electric current
in case the present city generator
should break down. Acceptance of
this proposition, the electric company
said, would make unnecessary the pur-
chase Of a second generator
The city declined the offer, and now
the Springfield Gas and Electric COM
pany is having circulated petitions
asking for the submission of the ques-
ton to a vote of the people. The ques-
ton to be submitted is whether the
second generator shall be bought. 1t
will be voted on at the genera cleo
ton in November.
For weeks the gas and electric COM
pany has been running half page ads
in Springfield papers entitled Talks
to the People" which present attacks
on the city's management of it's cleo
trio light plant and charge that the
current is being sold below cost. An
injunction suit involving this ques-
ton, brought by a stakeholder in the
gas and electric company, now is pend
ing in the Sangamon circuit court.
Case in Supreme Court.
The Illinois public utilities commits |
sion over six months ago ordered the
gas rates in Springfield reduced from
81 per thousand cubic feet to so cents. |
The company appealed to the courts |
and it is probable the case will be de- |
cided by the supreme court at the next
term the company having deposited |!
with a trustee 100000 to be paid to |
gas consumers as the difference be- |
tween the present rate and the newly |
ordered rate in case the high court |
Al W-srH Ia.
years the city has acquired about six
hundred private consumers and a rev |
enue Of SIS, 600 a year
Commissioner Spaulding has led the |
fight for municipal ownership and with |
City Attorney A. d. Stevens, also has |
Waged a successful agitation for lower |
gas rates The information they have |
gained in studying these problems has |
been of assistance to other Illinois |
1T