The evening herald. [volume] (Shenandoah, Pa.) 1891-1966, 1891-12-02
IA CITIZEN" TALKS.
Says a Borough Water Plant
Would Pay.

Would Pay.
EDITOR HERALD II see by the water
company's correspondent in the Sunday
NeiOs of the 29,h inst, that the company
intends to. adopt the same methods they
used ten years ago for the purpose of mis-
leading the people. The public meeting
spoken of was attended by 1000 of the
best people of the town and Mr.. NJ. H.
Kehler, who was unanimously selected as
president of the meeting, appointed the
gentlemen who are now acting for the
citizens with the committee appointed by
our councilmen. l cannot see how Mr..
Kehler can be charged with selfish ends.
He has done nothing beyond appointing
that committee and the appointment was
made at the request of the thousand
citizens present at that public meeting.
The committee then proceeded to carry out
the instructions of tie meeting-not those
of MIR. Kehler, and l can see no reason
why ch arge of selfshness should be made
against him. That committee, l under
stand, is still at work and will continue to
push it to successful termination unless
the water company land l, as a citizen,
hope they will not succeed) can induce the
people, by misrepresentation, to put stop
to the movement.
The people of Shenandoah know, as
we'll as l do, that the water company is
fighting for a principle. But they are also
aware that the only principle the company
ever showed was for the almighty dollar.
They played a game of chance and lost,
and now they are crying to get their money
back. Is it not true that their action in
bringing suit has cost this borough many
hundred dollars Is it not true that they
are now willing to give the borough free
water and forego the amount the verdict
gave them 2 Is it not true that they went
back on their pledges of ten ears ago2 Is
it not true that they denied, on the witness
stand, ever making such pledges And is
it not true that they admitted on the stand
that they considered anything fair in a
| fight of this kind? And all for rrinciplel
There is no principle in grinding the last
penny out of the people of this town.
There is no principle in taking back all
| they have for the sake of saving their
dividends. There is no principle ia taking
back solemn pledges and swearing they
never made them. There is no principle
in STOPPING to misrepresentation to win
this fight. 1, for one, believe that a water
plant can be put into this town for S75 600
and that the bonds could be foated at four
per cent. On the question of revenue I
believe the borough would be all right.
The water company's revenue amounts to
at least $780, 600 per year. Say, with that
revenue, the cost of running the borough
works would be $40 600 a year land that is
high estimste) there would be an annual
balance of $4,000 towards liquidation of
the Indebtedness. Compare these figures
with those Of the water company's cores
pondent and see how far the company will
go for principle Why, four or five
years would wipe out the water bonds and
the revenue from that source would be
greater than our present tax duplicate and
the borough tax would eventually amount
to comparatively nothing. The revenue
would satisfy most people, but it seems this
company cannot sleep in bed of posi-
bility Of collecting about 5000 more
principle,
A CITIZEN