The Palatka news and advertiser., 1916-12-08
OUR CITY COUNCIL
MISSES MAIN POINT
In Issue Raised by Mr.. Bal
ley Over Lighting
FranChiSe.>

| Inc "Othclal organ" IS our source
| Of information, hence said informa-
| ton must be correct.
1t seems that some weeks ago Mr.
G. Loper Bailey, a citizen and tax
payer of this municipality and gen
tleman whose standing in the commu-
nifty needs no defense from this pa
per, made the point that the present
Palatka Gas Light and Fuel Company
was not carrying out it's franchise re-
quirements, as a result of which state
ment the council held up tie bills of
the company for lighting the streets.
The franchise plainly states (Sec-
tion 81 that "the rates to be charged
in the city of Palatka for electric
street lighting purposes shall not eX-
ceed the following rates for an all
night schedule: 1000 candle power
lights, S75 per annum; 1,5G0 candle
power lights, $65 per annum; 800
candle power lights $25 per anntm;
so candle power lights $22 per annum;
60 candle power lights, SCI per an
mum; 40 candle power lights, 500 per
annum."
According to the "offcial organ"
Aldermen Jarrett stated that after>n-
vestigation he found that while the
candle power is not the same, the city
is getting better and brighter light
than when Mr.. Bailey furnished it."
Alderman Austin it appears 'looked
into the matter and to all appearances
it seemed to him that the city was
lighted brighter than ever before"
Alderman McNally remarked "that
the electric light people have been
mighty nice to US and should be given
credit for the Improvements
have made and their EVER READY
WILLINGNESS TO DO WHAT is
RIGHT
Mayor Merriam said that "just be-
cause an individual wanted to hold
up the bills (for city Hghting) was
no reason for the long delay"
President Neck said that "Mr. Bal
ley had called him into his office and
since he kept him about an hour,
showing him a telegram, reading the
contract, etc, he could not remember
all he did say. 1t was, however,
about electric light, he felt sure"
Now The News submits that the
above is not very pretty line of talk
for men charged with management of
city affairs to put up when any COM
pany engaged in furnishing public
utility is charged with the non-fulfill-
ment of its franchise obligations.
Mr. Bailey has charged that the
down town lights are of but $50 can
die power; that the price charged the
city for these $50 candle power lights
is the same as for 1000 candle power
lights, when the franchise expressly
stpulates that $65 per year shall be
the price of 1900 candle power lights.
The power of the light is not Mr..
Bailey's estimate; it is the power de-
signated by the General Electric Co.
of Atlanta.
The question at issue IS NOT
WHETHER THE CITY is GETTING
BETTER LIGHTS THAN WHEN
Mr.. BAILEY FURNISHED THEM,
but is THE CITY GETTING WHAT
WAS REQUIRED IN THE FRAN
CHISE OF AUG. 21, 1914?
The Palatka News can also attest
to the affability of the officers of the
new company-they have always |
"BEEN MIGHTY NICE TO U.s."
But with all that, business is busi-
ness. Is the franchise contract be-
ing complied with? Are we getting
what we are paying for? These are
the questions at issue.
That franchise was talked over
much by the citizens in mass meeting,
and men like J. H. Yelverton, who was
the then president of the council. felt
that at the rates as finally agreed up
on, they made fair bargain for the
city.
Mr.. Bailey's lights may not have
been as good as the present lights,
but that is IN entirely different ques-
ton from the one which the council on
Monday night treated so lightly.
The city of Palatka is entitled to
what it pays for just as much as a prl-
vate individual would be. If its lights
are of 1900 candle power, or less, as
has been charged, then the city council
is paying $40 per year per light more
than the company is authorized to
collect under its franchise.
Mr.. Baileys interest in the matter
is ended by the action of the council
on Tuesday night. That action re-
leased the bondsmen, his friends,
from further liability. His calling at
tention to the delinquency was simply
in the interest of those bondsmen.