Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1917-03-17
Pine Bluff Company W1iRE
 Pay City Part of Earnings
Agreement Reached Last Night Means Additional Rev enue of About $3, GOO Per Year for Municipality
 Reduces Water Rental

The Pine Bluff company last night, at an informal conference between it's officials and members of the city council, agreed not only tc reduc- ticn from s;43 to $40 per year in the rental of each of the 320 fire plugs n the city. saving to the city of $950 per annum, but also agreed to pay into the city treasury per centaae Cf the company's gross earnings each year, for thirty years, the life of it's franchise.
 The payments to the city will be- gin with the year soon tc; open, under the renewed franchise agreement be- tween the city and the company. For the first five years, the city will re- cejve per cent. of the gross re- ceipts of the company; for the nelt 15 years. the city will receive per cent; and for the following 10 years, the city will receive per cent.
 Means s1O0,000 For City.
 Based on the approximate present gross earnings of $70,000, this will mean that for the first five years, the city will receive about $2,100 per year; for the following 15 years, the city will receive about $3,500 per year; and for the following 10 years the city will receive about $4,200 per year, these figures beng virtually the minimum, because the city's re- ceipts from this source will increa 5e as the company's business increases. In the aggregate, the city will receive from this source, in the thirty years of the franchise. minimum of ap- proximately $100,000.
 All the members of the city couil- Gil were present at the conference. which was attended also by Secro- tary-Treasurer E. c. FOWles, M. Couch and President F. G. Bridges of the Pine Bluff company. The agree ment reached at the conference will have to be ratified by the company in formal manner, and by the coun- cil, but this is confidently expectd to be done without delay, the con- pany to act at once, that the coun- Gil may do it's part at the meeting Monday night.
 A matter of detail, without much significance, which is to be decided. will be whether the company will pay this fund to the city in cash, or give the city credit on its regular monthly water and light bills. This will make no difference to the city, it was pointed out.
 Comments Company.
 Under the terms of the company s franchies, Mayor Bloom pointed out last night, this new arrangement in- dicates most gratifying spirit on the part of the company, in that the city could demand nothing, nor could it force the company to grant any thing.
 ''The city has the opportunity to buy the company's property" said the mayor. "This is stated in the franchies. It is also stated, however that in the event the city does not buy, the franchise is continued ill force another thirty years. Hence tthe arrangements entered into to- night between the company and the city are purely voluntarily on the rart of the company. They mean much to the city, which will make 2 considerable saving, nearly :1.0o0 or ] fire plug rentals and from $2,O00 pel year and up, through getting pe- centage Of the company's gross earn ings."
 "This will help us raise the salarie' of the policemen, too," remarked th'