Smyrna times., 1929-11-27
MILFORD REJECTS OFFER TO
SELL LIGHT WATER PLANT
S45O,OOO TURNED DOWN BY
CITIZENS REFERENDUM VOTE
Proponents Planned TO Pay Town
Debt and Invest Profits in Deal
and Tax Payers Opposed 1t

and Tax Payers Opposed 1t
Just at this time when several
tentative offers have been made
Smyrna for its electric light plant
and franchise (for Smyrna probab-
ly would never agree to part with
its water plant, it is interesting
to note that Milford in a referen-
dunn election held Monday voted
overwhelmingly to turn down the
high offer of $450,000 for it's light
and water plant. The total vote
cast was 18,41S against selling the
plant, and 1880 in favor of the
sale. The corporation vote was O.
] 201 against the sale and none for.
The vote by proxy was LAG
against and 707 for When the
time arrived to count the vote it
was found that under the law pro-
viding for a referendum on the
subject, there was no provision for
a corporation vote. The law pro-
vides that each property owner
shall have the right to one vote
for every dollar or fraction there
of paid in taxes anG each resident
who is not property owner, but
paid a poll tax, has a right to one
vote. In taking the official result
it was decided to eliminate the
proxy and corporation votes from
the total and the official vote was
announced as 1901 against the
sale and 1878 for. Among those
voting were a large number OF
women and also a number of neg
roes.
Offer for S45O,00O Had Been Made
The agitation to sell the light
and water plant has been on fol
some time and at the last session
Of the legislature a law was passed
permitting the town to sell the
plant in case it was authorized BY
vote of the people of the town
In case the plant was sold the debt
Of the town was to be paid out o,
the proceeds and the balance was
to be invested by commission
composed of the president of the
First National Bank and the presi
dent of the Milford Trust Company
and two members of the town
council. Three offers have beer
made for the light and water plant
The East Coast Utility Company
made an offer of 100000; the
Eastern Shore Utility Company
100000 and P. j. Mink and Com
pany S450,000 The debt of the
town is STA 900 and it was pointed
out that the entire debt could be
paid from the proceeds and a large
amount would remain to be invest
ed. On the other hand it was held
that the light and water plant is
making a profit of $4,000 a year
and that people in Milford are OBJ
tanning electricity at 10 cents per
kilowatt which is lower than the
price paid in any town which is
served by private company. 1t
was argued that if the plant is
sold to a service corporation that
the price of electricity would prob
ably be increased
Unwilling to Give Up Water Plant
Some who might have favored
selling the light plant were unwill-
ing to sell the water plant They
felt thta it would be wrong for the
town to place its water supply in
the hands of a company. 1t was
also claimed that there was moth
ing to compel the town council to
take the highest bid offered but on
the contrary a majority of the
members could sell the plant to
any concern and for any price.
Those favoring the sale of the
plant appeared to be making con-
siderable headway until mass
meeting was held on Friday night
when Ruby R. Vail made a strong
address against the sale of the
plant.