Press and daily Dakotaian. (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1880-1889, 1886-09-10

public grounds. BUTT would not be a
exclusive right.
Alderman Bruce asked if the counc
could not give an exclusive right of wa
and the city attorney ssid it could no
Alderman Noonan (malowing dow
peroeptibly)-"We all want to see til
electric light go in. If the ordinance j
not properly drawn l would like to hay
1t corrected"
Alderman Bruce then asked if ther
would be any improperly in the passag
OF the ordinance, even though it had n,
binding effect and was SO understood
The light company was willing to tax,
1t 10 that shape as an expression of the
disposition of the council to protect tht
enterprise.
The city attorney thought that de
pended very much upon the elasticit,
OF the aldermanic conscience, although
ne SAID there was no improperly in il
and no civil or criminal liability.
A long discussion followed Upon this
phase of the question in which the alder.
men u city attorney participated and
It. II. Scougal, of the electric light com
pany, was permitted to speak. He held
that other cities In Dakota granted fran.
chlses to electric light companies.
Assuming that the city attorney was
right In his conclusions he could not see
wherein the council could in any way
lnlure itself by passing an imperative
ordinance. 1t would be deemed o pro.
lection by the company and the com.
pany could not invest $4,000 in this
business without some show of protec-
ton. Ihe company was making q con-
siderable venture in this matter. By no
possibility could it expect any return
for several years from the investments.
but it hoped in tune to make the bust
ness pay. This it could do if not inter
fered with by foreign companies and for
this it asked all the protection the
municipality could extend. The Dakota
cities of Huron, Aberdeen and
Sioux Falls were already enjoying
the electric light and Yankton
shonld be given q like privilege. There
was no desire to bulldoze the council
into anything. The proposition was a
straight business proposition, to be
accepted or refused. A favor was asked
would not iniure the council and
would do the light company good. The
company needed certain rights which
other kinds of business did not
requlre-it must spread it's cables
wires all over the CITY
to reach its customers and to do This it
obtain q grant from the council
the company could secure no priyil-
iges from the city it must abandon the
enterprise.
The discussion was further extended
10 the advisability of passing |
ordinance and :he city attorney held
that no liability could attach to the
council for such action.
The proposition to make a contract
the city and the light
company, to take light for q
;erm of years, was also
and was generally favored in
ne abstract, ever Alderman Grow con
,edlng thst such an arrangement might
made aud Alderman BaJmat looking
favor upon it. This was oil upon
'he troubled waters and under it's sooth-
ng influence an effort was made TO
the ordinance under suspension of
he rules, but it becoming apparent
hat it would fail, the motion was with
Alderman Gilman moved that the
mayor appoint q committee OF four
'ldefmen to confer with the electric
company, to endeavor to reach
ONE satisfactory conclusion and report
Saturday night.
Alderman Grow moved an amend
nent, seconded by Alderman Noonan,
hat the light company be required to
'mploy an attorney to consult with the
'ity attorney, the two to ascertain what
- -rE - .aaE
tights the council is empowered to
grant.
The amendment and the motion were
and Aldermen Max, Bruce,
6rauch and Grove were appointed such
This closed the electric light part of
he councils deliberations,
THE %coMPANY's ACTION.
A meeting of the electric light COM
oany was held this forenoon for the con
of the refusal of the council
TO adopt an ordinance for the protection
II the company. The meeting was
attended, most of the directors
and stockholders being present and
actively interested in the subject of the
gathering.
A motion was adopted without q dis
voice abrogating the contract
1or electric light appliances and instruct
ing the board of directors to notify
Edison company that the
Yankton company withdraw from its
to light the city of Yankton by
electricity. There was no other course
the official opposition developed to
the project.
There will of course be much public
and private indignation over the failure
OF the earnest efforts of an organization
of Yapkfon man tn avt.nd ~ tbo o;tr