The Oregon daily journal. (Portland, Or.) 1902-1972, April 12, 1908, Image 15

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The Oregon daily journal., April 12, 1908, Page 15, Image 15

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Newspaper Page TextTHE OREGON SUNDAY JOURNAL, PORTLAND. SUNDAY MORNINO, APRIL 12, 1C03. 1 r 1- CITES FAILURES OF ' MUNICIPAL OWNERSHIP C ; President Josselyn of the Local Electric Company Pre ' : scnts Arguments id Mayor Lane Against the Execu-' " . tMs Vim tot Lighting the City; j; , President B. 8. Josselyn of tta Port . Jand Railway, Light m Power company has written an. open letter to Mayor Lane eipresslna hie aisapprovai of the " mayor's proposition for the municipal ; ownership of , the electrlo light plant In the letter which la Ktven In full here with the light and railway president 'iiltte Instances of alleged failure of mu nicipally owned plants, which he Says shows that Portland a taxes would be largely Increased by the purchase of uch a DlanL The letter fa aa follows Honorable Harry Lane, Mayor, Port land Dear Blr: Noting your position .on the subject of municipal ownership of publlo uilllty corporations, and lnaa much aa our company Is one of the larg est. If not the large!. Individual tax- .payer In the city, and consequently In . forested In knowing that nothing shall be done along the line of municipal ' .'ownership that would have the effect of Increasing our taxes, I have made quite , an extensive research: to aacertain both aides of me question xrom ins experi ence bad In other cities of the United g States who have undertaken municipal management - or ownership of publlo utilities, and give you herewith a few short extracts on to subject for your ' Information, aa well aa that of the good , peopleof Portland. i In Richmond, Virginia, the city gas Slant la one ot tne oideet in ine eoun ry, and la the largest municipal owner, ahln Institution Of Its kind on this side of the Atlantic, barring that at Phlla dalDhla, which Ms leased to a private ' oornoratlon. - Oaa la aold in that city , for 11 per thousand cublo feet, and an eciorc waa maoe to reouce inm price io SO eenta or is centa per thousand feet , 'In endeavoring to give the city council information on which to base action, I the superintendent of the plant rave one figure as the real ooet ot making toe proouct; vne euy accountant on area a second figure, and the finance commit tee nroduoed a third ail oirrerent ana aJL of coarse, correct (T) The council ,at Richmond la large, patrlotio and elo auant not unlike that of Portland, and the gaa price question cauaed eotne liv tereaUng scene. After It waa ail over the point that the ' city did not know SOW BjUOII uu wu-wnvi VI tmiimutm about Its gas worka seemed to. be the ingle) eonoiualon .upon which a ma jority waa agreed, and the reduction In brio was defeated. It waa charred that the cheap gaa jnovement waa for the purpoee of campaign material with out proper consideration of the finances and facta Involved. - - .( Odd Peal with One City. In KeW TVeetmlnattHs B. C a curious roetood of protecting tne- revenues ox lh .nntilnln&l alaatrLt llrht Blent Waa ' adopted la order to save the elty plant Xrom injurious eomytuuva iron r supplied by the gaa company, In that the city authorltlea prevailed upon the principal owner of the gaa oompany to maintain a rat of I2.E0 per thousand 'cublo feet Tho aeai waa onnijni 19 light when , the gas company protested agalnat granting a franohlse to another oompany, stating that they would-be abla to sell ran cheaper but for the agreement with the city, and under the cTroumatanceo felt It waa entlUed to protection by the city. - That public eervlce companies do not suffer from Investigation by -city au thorltlea, when the action la Impartial and not for the purpoae of political a rertisinr. is anown ax ierra naaia, In diana, where the Cltlsena Oaa & Fuel company recently had its service ex amined and tested under the auspices of a special committee of the city COUn i, . nhA A.t wiaHfi ihnvi aMrvIn tn ta aatlefaetorr and the committee waa unable to discover any grounds for criticism. , rrankfort'a JJteported Xxperienoe. ' At Frankfort, Indiana, a disinterested cltlsen In response to a request lor an opinion upon - municipal ownership, stated that they have alty from 10,- 000 to 12.000. The original cost for a municipal lighting plant was something over $90,000. Though the city has no .report from data on file, he would Judge that the cost waa about. 20 per atreet arc lamp per year. The city taxes have been doubled aMnce the Installation of the municipal lighting plant. The ser vice is extremely poor, and while It ap pears to be the pet or "certain council men, there la not a taxpayer in the city' that doea not .regard the plant as a1 white elenhant lie etatee that If city la out of debt, haa a low tax levy and a large surplus of rash that the city wishee to get rid of. his sdvloe would be to build a municipal lighting plant ' . . . In New York City the expense budget for city government this year amounts to MS.OuO.OOO. Of the amount, $24. 600,000 la for Interest on the bonded debt, and 114,000,000 Is for redemption of that much of the bonded' debt' A great many of the things for which the money waa originally Dorrowwi nave been, used, worn, out and 'disappeared from the. eyes and knowledge of men. The figures are presented for the bene fit of those who have no dial Ike of pub llo debt and who believe In letting com ing generations pay.. , , . - rrivate Ownership Triumphant ' " St Ignace, Michigan, has surrendered to Private ownership after political struggle lasting five years. The Manle tlque Light at -ower oompany not only clalma a 10-year-contract on Its own itrmi which a linear reasonable) but contract for Dumping the - municipal water throurh. the municipal water MJB-aais. , . A a la salt Lake elty tne rates cnargea ny th. m ii n initial water works are to be advanced soon In order to provide from lio ooo tn 160.000 additional revenue an nually, which repreeenta the deficit under municipal operation, maintenance and. interest and sinking fund charges. Tho income to the department last year i in ooa The Bum neeaea 10 meet xpenens, minus depreuution. la about I'iioooo a.vear. The city la In bad financial condition and the administra tion can see no' war 10 cover mi uanun except by Increasing the cost for sup plying water. '" At Kansas Cltr the journal la an out spoken opponent or municipal ownersmp and does not mind who knows IV and state substantially as xonowsi . if th water worka were now operated by a private corporation. Instead of by the municipality, such a protest against Inefficient service as waa recently aeni tn thm ma Tor. would orovoke me aamin Istratlon to volcanio wrath, but aa the city and not a private corporation owna the water worka. the mayor referred the protest to ine ooaru oi puuuo woraa, which probably referred It to Its' secre tary, who probably 'referred It to his a pigeon hole, where It will probably rent In unmolested seclusion while the solemn years flan tuelr gloomy wings adown the centuries. Those enthusiasts who are elamorlnr for municipal owner ship are gTcvtousTjr embarraased by the water woras. ll is a standing reiuiaiion of their publlo ownership arguments. The aerrloe 1 Inferior and comes ex travagantly high. It haa never paid ex penses and frequent bond Ismies are necessary to make up the deficits.1 If the sewer system of the city were cared for and maintained under private con tract, what a cry would be raised about Us Inefficiency. If the maintenance and care of the streets were a - matter of private con trol, the city officials' from the mayor aown would go into-one convulsion after another. If the work of tho city admin istration were done under private con tract what a howl there would be at the city hall- With all Its boards, commis sions, agents, superintendents, experts and an army of clerks, the city Is un able to run lt affairs efficiently and satisfactorily. Tet there are those who would have. It essay to run all other utilities; and officials of tho city, who stand dumb and Impotent in the face of ordinary business .. problems, criticise the ntreet railways, the telephone sya tema, the gaa company and other effi cient ana capaoie puono aervice com' Danlea At Pulaski, Virginia, a place of some plant is offeree ror sale. - The town or iveeanam. jaassaonuaetta. haa Just aold Ita municipal atreet light ing plant to tho Edison Electrlo Illumi nating company of Boston, .and a 20 year contract made for street illumi nation at the company's regular stand ard ratea, the same as charged under similar conditions to the other towns In the adjacent territory. The Need- ham municipal plant waa installed about 1S94 at an approximate cost of 111.500. It waa solely for atreet light ing, the commercial aervice being in tho handa of a private oompany from which the electrlo current for the atreet light- GREAT GROWTH OF CITY EVIDENCED EVERYWHERE Wtverlclgh Being Improved With Pavement!, Cement Walks' and Curbs unprecedented Demand for Building Sites ' ;-v. John P. -Sharkey Working Overtime:, JOHN P. 8 MARKET. That Portland is more than holding Jorltv of the purchaaera will eventually nor own in tho building line la an es tablished fact One haa only to movo around In any direction to see evidenoea of growth. Those who are in a po sition to apeak authoritatively on tho clty'e expansion have no hesitancy In expressing themselves la no mistaken manner about - the rapid headway the whole city Is making. Although thsre la considerable vacant nroDerfy with in a mile of tho Morrison street bridge, oeovle who are Inventing money In lota and aecurlnr lota for homo building have a tendency to go farther out This ahowa a lively faith In tho city's fu ture. They are aatlafled that Portland Is making progress to warrant tffem In securing holdings even four and five miles from the bualnesa center. The number of new additions that are being filatted Is another criterion that there s a blr demand for home butldinr sites. An Interview with John P. Sharkey con vinced The Journal of the great possi bilities of such additions aa WaveHelgh hlch Ilea Immediately south of JLm- alon atreet and east of Twenty-sixth street "Waverlelgh la a beautiful tract of 140 scree and waa platted In Maroh, 1907. Mr. Sharkey with hla usual vim used printer's ink liberally, Is bringing Waverlelgh to tho attention of prospec tive buyers and tin to the nreaent time has sold nearly 600 lota and tho ma- build- homes. The prices of lots opened i to ffvu, wnicn were very low. Prices have advanced to 1461 to. 1780 and aince the advance lota are selling oven more rapidly. Mr. Sharkey say a tne great majority of people who buy property now use good judgment There Is no wildcat speculation .going on In Portland. When a person buys, he or she looks over the situation carefully, and the result Is those who buy for speculation generally make a nice prof It while those who build homes refuse good substantial offers for them- sometimes before the bouses are fin ished. People are beginning to realise that It la Impossible for all to live In or near the heart of a metropolitan city. Portland is now in the big city class and professional men, businees men. are rapidly radiating out and following the trolley lines, waverlelgh Is get ting more than a fair share of home builders. It Is most attractively lo cated and general Improvements are go ing on aa fast aa the labor of oxnerta and horsepower can make them. When tne atreeta are an graded, ooment wains and curbs laid, Waverlelgh wlU bo one of tho . most desirable residence dis tricts in the city. Like all lmDroved districts late purchasers of lots will be coursa have to pay substantial advances. TemHUI ' PHONE MAIN 4918 Wlti i 1 1 . i -LAMS' EASTEB SUITS Just reccivtd by ex press from on of New York leading makers 75 modal Salts for oar Easter trade. The are positively. the lat est etylee with those trildnf IndlTldualtties characterbtlo only In high class tailor-made suite. Come In all lead ing shades and in two and three -button cut aways, semi-fitting ef fects, etc. For Mon day and Tuesday priced $15.00 to $40.00 12'Ac Percales 65c Suitings 39c 60 bolts ' Dress Percales, in staple . and 1 fancy patterns; a large assortment carefully se lected for our Monday and Tuesday , sales; val ues yard xu Jur oar ivionaay ana isday sales; val- O I up to 12e. tha jyi Q SO full bolts of Fancy Worsted Spring Suiting,' in, checks, stripes, plaids, small figures snd shadow effects; values up to 65c. Special for Monday - Lace Curtains We have just received a large assortment of Lace Curtains at exceptional low prices and offer them for Monday and Tuesday, the pair, at ' 1 . i; 50c up lo $5.00 lng was bought ThU combination waa ably to be ascertained by a court. Is de- not satisfactory ana tne town aiscov- cidedly interesting. perhaDS some pun ered It was esslrable either to sell out lie ownership enthusiasts reading this to the Edison company, or purchase the I mav be moved to reflection. Lake many commercial racuuies ana -enter in tne (other phrases that of "publlo utilities business. After full consideration the j should belong to the people" has a habit aocision enaciea was reacoea ana an I or alscusslon ana double dealing. ownership aban- forms ot munlplcal donad. Spokane,' Washington, Is defendant In a suit brought by a eltison. charging that the water rates are exorbitant and that tho money- Is diverted from the water fund for other purposes, notwith standing tho party who brings the suit is one of tne owners or tne water works, that Is, according to the theory of mu nicipal ownership. He goes Into court to nrevent hla own creature from charg ing more than he thinks the service Ts worth. The fact tnat sucn a case is in the courts, and that the reasonableness of tho water rates at Spokane la prob- Come and Get Your Teeth fixed Before They Get Worse Our Careful, Tender Methods Will Please You. lies5- Chief of Staff ; J i GENTLE DENTISTRY "( .1 j :' ; Our Motto : Your " Consideration First, Ours Last. ,u i VISIT OUR Perfect Dentistry; Modest Prices. New Home OMce Hours from 8 a..m. to 5:30; ;ip. m.; Sundays; 9 a. m. to ' l p. m. Main . . . BOXJO OOXT "TEETH CTBlOWSrS Any tooth in tho mouth LA flfs we crown with solid gold, 22k, guaranteed the best for. . V" POBCEXiAXar CSOWjrsvAny porcelain Crown made no Cf.ffl matter what they are called or how made. Our prloo l.....Py BRIDGES -Solid gold top. solid gold back, porcelain front. .i,..f4O0 Bolid gold teeth. 22k bridge, per tooth i ........ . . All other work same price, proportionately. . : , Absohite Ouara&teea Wo Better Work In Portland at Any ' ' SMrloe. Tho Best Bet of Teeth Made for 7.00 i - - EASTERN 'DENTIS 32654 WASHINGTON, CORNER SIXTH -ttEff?) j The city council of Lafayette, Indi ana, haa rejected a proposed municipal electrlo plant scheme after Investigation on the eubject by Individual members. The Courier of that place says, editor ially: . "Municipal ownershln has gener ally proven a failure, although on paper It Invariably looks good and Its theory sounds well. Its advocates here believe we might be one of the exceptions. Well, we might. It is true, but that is what nearly every other municipality that has. even tried It thought, only to come up with a bump that made tho taxpayers wonder what had hit them but the question la aettled. Let there be peace. in Cincinnati it waa thought that gaa or electrlo company alone In tta ter ritory naa no competition, a nronoaition generally accepted upon lta face, but Is not true, some xacia riven in a cir cular issued by the Union Gaa A Eleo trio company of Cincinnati, ahowlng the results of operation for a certain per- loa. uiuairaie now mis view is wrong, It is related that by reason of the ag gressive campaign for new business the company succeeded In substituting its service for 1 private gasoline electrlo generating plants. 44 steam power plants and 14 Isolated plants, besldea securing tne cnan?e or it nimninM from hydraulic to electrlo power, all m ono year. Labor increased IE rer conv in cuai, wnn a reaucuon in nours rrom iz to eignt, and materials of all kinds were verv hiah in tric. hnt on higher rates for gas or electricity were contemplated, as would have been tho ruie in an ordinary inauBtry. The authorities of wtrtAwn m n have decided not to build a water worka to compete with a local oompany already in - tho field, - . . , . At Charlevoix Mich.. ' Vh hnarA publlo works readjusted the water ratea maae in in ine investigation re quired many abuses and inequalities uiscgrerw. Duma mei w.r. raiau.ii others lowered oven the -board Of pub- i'u nviu ww lumHiw, atom recently still. It waa found that the city had a very large amount of money due It from the Risers of wajer and light There la no town, within fortv mll nf rh.ri yolx that owns. Its own lighting plant, that ' Is not in trouble concerning the management - and onaration th rn)f mnA In one oaee the situation is serious. At Nashville, Tenn., the report of tho Buperinienuent or tne municipal water works aenartment atatM ha d rainnd and stopped two big leaks In South Nashville, one of which had been sup plying a "spring" for years that drlul tin on discovering a rour-lnoh main hrelrnn squareiy in two ana - stopping the leak. In .a renort to tha boarA of aid Arm An of Burlington, Vt certified public ac countants set forth that the municipal electrlo plant or tnat place has been op erated at a heavy loss since it was put Intp service. The city plant supplies tho street lighting and pays for com mercial servioe with a nrivate mmminT. The depreciation allowance made bv the accountants were: Building. I per cent; machinery, e , per cent: tools, fixtures. etc., IS per cent. Tho communication transmitting the feport close with this paragraph: . '"Wo find that tho department la pay-; lng nothing in reelect to the rental for tho land occupied by its plant, which, If It were-' a eammantil riindnrtiklnr. It would undoubtedly have to bear." " The above communication la quite long, out i snau, ir aesiren, do pieasea to-giro -you further refefeneea should you desire to be more full posted of Ladies' Lingerie Muslin Wears Lot No. 1 Ladies' fine Gowns and underskirts, made of very good grade muslin, trimmed in tucks, embroidery and lace in jertions, wide ruffles, double stitched throughout; a wide range of styles and' finishes; values up to $2. Special for Monday and Tuesday, choice l. cpeciai i or $1.29 Lot No. 2 A select assort ment of Muslinwear, consist ing of about 50 pieces etch of Gowns, Skirts, Drawers and Corset Covers, all beautifully trimmed in laces, insertions and openwork em broideries; vals. to SI. Your choice.,.. 49c SUB YAMHILL STRERT WINDOW -WMfc ft ,r w or Easter Off erihgsiinj 'File ie - The Kard-Klapper Co. direct, your particular attention to the splendid showing of Easter Shoes in men's, .women's and children's wear, specially selected for the -Monday and Tuesday sales. These shoes were gathered from the best manufacturers in the country and tha materials, fit and workmanship are fully guaranteed. , Try Onr $2.00, $2.50 or $3.00 Shoes You Will Be Pleased Willi Them. Better Shoes at f3.50, f 4.00 and f 5.00. Wmk FOR-WOMW MB --(mMM- THE iMJNSmOIE Women's and Children'a Diseases Treat- t cd exclusively by graduate and licensed Women Physldaos only mWovs and;cdronic diseases A SPECIALTY Maternity Cases glyen careful attention . and np-to-data maternity hospital In - connection. . . k No Charge for Consultation- Corre- , apondence Solicited. SUITES ,5 TO 14 GRAND, THEATRE BLDG. 352 Y Washington' Street Corner Park BOTH PHONES-Main 3928 A5607 . ' APPOINTMENTS'MADE BY PHONE JUMPING 1 ROPES FREE for the Children Om . aWery Xaf er "BaUer-ant' the exact- outcome as demonstrated In other municipalities, for tho purpose, if possible, of defeating; an increased tax ation tnat ml:htbe levied upon ua by eason of municipal owneremp vt. yuunu tilitlea, - very .fitTN; H j rresiaeni. ARGENTINE PAPER ; "; 1 BEFRIENDS SPAIN . (Catted Pieea Uated Wire. . Madrid, April If. -A flaUy newspaper of Buenos Aires, prensa, . haa tm balmed itaelf In the hearts of Spain by starting a subscription for the sufferers In Malaga by the terrible inundation that has visited that city, and has been the recipient of numerous - telerranvs from the most prominent people of the kingdom, . The prime minister, Waure, haa sent the following- messHtte: "Fra ternal love among the peoples distinct and separated by historic vicissitudes, Bank, Store and Office Railing Fire Escapes and Fire Casings Fencing and Trellis Werk ; Portland ;Wire & Iron Worfcs Cor. Second and Everett flta. Phono Alitlri 20C mil. .1 t,.. by geographlo distance, proclaims oncelfeta mrlt a p'ratltn.i-. t more tuo eovereifrn preeminence or in human spirit.- which prevails aaainRt disaareenienta. ' dveriti.t and even deathe itself. The. treasures, wnrthy of true estimation are those which are kept In the heart ' and uti)ertanilinc: and those which like I.a I'renaa of Hueoo Aires, live and dUfuae ti;'-!r holy ef- eJevelopnifiit l natiuu. 1' rati Krows and t iiaura." The w 1U ra-v.