The Republican., 1920-09-23
SHALL OAKLAND BE IN DARK
NESS AFTER NOVEMBER l.?
Serious Condition COnfrOnts Business
Men and HOusehOlders Alike.


right early Oakland bids fair to be in
darkness after November 1st unless
the Northern Natural Gas Company,
which furnishes gas with which to
operate the power driving the machih-
cry which produces the light to illu-
inmate the town, rescinds its order is
sued a few days ago notifying all gas
engine owners to provide other fuel
than gas to drive their devices.
Since the order of the gas company
was issued those who depend upon gas
as fuel for power purposes are con-
fronted with serious proposition. The
order affects every user of gas en-
gine and as the local electric company
uses gas exclusively and has no other
means of producing power, the obsta-
Gle in meeting the requirements of the
gas company by Novmber 1st looms
up as one not easily overcome.
This condition, however, can be met
but how soon is problematical.
Since the report of the citizens COM
mittee, published in this column, has
been submitted to the Mayor and
Town Council that body has grasped
the seriousness of the situation and
will use the authority conferred upon
them by an act passed at the January
session of the General Assembly by
submitting to vote of the people the
question of whether or not bonds shall
be issued to build, equip and maintain
an electric light plant for furnishing
light for the streets and dwellings as
well as business places of the town.
The Council arrived at this conclu-
sion after deliberating upon the report
of the committee referred to above,
but as yet the date for the election
has not been announced.
At the special meeting of the Mayor
and Council held on Tuesday evening
the advisory citizens committee which
had been selected by the town officials
at meeting held some time ago, sub
mitted the following report, which
covers the question of lighting the
town under the present franchise and
the possibility of securing electric
current by means of a municipality
owned station under the law as inter-
preted by members of the local bar:
The report of the committee is as
follows:
The committee, after considerable
inquiry into the financial condition of
the town find the present bonded in
debtedness of the municipality to be
about $4,000, and other Indebtedness
to be about $4,000, making a total in
debtedness of $55, 900.
''To provide for this Indebtedness:
interest 9Z,oUU w
Retiring two bonds EACH.
year ............... 1000 90
Present contract for electric
- light for lighting streets 2,2OO 90
Salaries of police, mayor
and city council, about. :. 1900 90
Total .................. $7,7OO 90
Total amount of receipts
from taxation, at 75c. on
one hundred dollars as
sessed valuation, about. E. 1000 90
at may be readily seen that the
present revenue does not provide for
the above absolutely necessary pay
ments, and which do not allow for one
dollar for street repair or any other
necessary expenditure.
''The best information we can get
places the cost of an adequate and
modern plant that would furnish light
for the town at about $4,000. To
provide for carrying this additional
bonded debt and other necessary eX-
penses not now provided for would re-
quire our present tax rate to be about
doubled, or $150 on the one hundred
dollars. Our present county and State
tax being $2.02 u, and to add to this a
municipal tax of $1.50, making total
annual tax of $3.5212 on the hundred
dollars of assessed value of property
within our town would in our judg-
ment be so excessive that many of the
citizens would be unable to pay.
"The other proposition to buy the
present electric light company at the
price offered, viz: $11 900, and make
necessary changes so that the same
may be operated by steam power, en-
failing an additional cost of about
$4,000, or a total of $4,000 in all
would in our judgment be equally bad,
because of the cost each year in fur
nishing repairs on old plant as well
as the very great additional cost of
operation caused by increased cost of
coal and additional labor to operate
the same.
Gas to the legal right of the city
authorities to purchase the present
electric light plant from the Oakland
Electric Company, the committee is
in entire accord with the written opin-
ion submitted to the Mayor and Coun-
Gil by ]. c. Renninger, Esq, in which
he holds that the right to purchase
said plant is within the power of the
Mayor and Council, but that there is
no provision of law which provides a
way for the payment for said prop
erty.
''The committee has also examined
into the question as to whether the
Mayor and Town Council, under pres
ent legal authority, would have the
right to sell electricity to the citizens
of the town for domestic purposes, and
we find that No Such authority aviStc