Southern standard. (McMinnville, Tenn.) 1879-current, 1891-04-25
FOOte and the Water Works.


last week trying to tell what he
thinks he knows about electric light
plants, and what he admits he don't |
know about water works plants, that
we had no room left for reply. Our
object in inviting discussion of the
electric light and water works ques-
tions through the STANDARD was to
get both sides of the matter fairly be-
fore the people. The city ownership
of the electric light plant not being at
present legal, (Which fact we were
not aware Of when we brought the
matter up), and the water works
question having assumed q different
phase, the whole discussion is re-
lieved of all practical interest, but
there are just few points in "Tax
Payers" article which we wish to
notice.
A very familiar old adage says
Figures won't lie," but everybody
knows that imaginary figures are
very misleading, and a skillful figurer
can, drawing upon his Imagination
for supposable cases, with these
simple little signs make any kind of
a showing he may wish. 1t is true
that the original owners of our elec-
trio light plant lost money, and
majority of the stock was bought up
for so cents on the dollar. We assert
ed that somebody was making
money out of our electric light plant
now. TAX Payer" responds "that
there is now ten shares of this stock
on the market at so cents, with no
purchase" Yet the parties holding
the majority of stock, purchased at
so cents, would not sell the whole for
less than rs to 100 cents, and would
not sell block of ten shares, if the
control of the plant went with it, for
200 cents. 1t is thus evident that
they are very well satisfied with their
holdings, and this could not be with
out it was proving profitable to them.
The golden rule" is not considered
as applicable to the business of stock
companies and chartered corpora
tons. They are worked entirely
upon the principle of "do unto others
as others would do unto YOU"
Regarding water works, the figures
"Tax Payer" gives are entirely i'm
aginary. We never supposed for an
instant that any set of men would 90
at establishing water works after the
F hap>hazard plan which "TaX Payer
pictures. When these plants are es-
tablished, a civil engineer is en-
ployed to get up all the necessary
plans and specifications, estimates Of
costs, etc. Rights of way, water
privileges, ETC., are then secured, anG
contracts for the work let to the
, lowest responsible bidder. We are
fought in holy writ that "the eartf
is the Lords and the fullness there
Of" but "TaX Payer" would lead u,
to believe that Annis Cotton Mill
and Falcon Roller Mills hold thu
:. till to the earth and all Of the sur
rounding elements. In case McMinn
vile should establish water works, !
= would not be absolutely necessary Il
= use water from the mill pond, but j
- it should become necessary to u.s.
= this water, the city would not hav
!, to pay the above named mills on
cent for it, as we are informed tina
-, the United States Supreme Court ha
=, rendered no less than eight decision
!, covering this point.
Regarding "TaX Payers" Mai
= Street property which he says he OF
:, fered for $500 less than it sold fo
twenty years ago, he fails to stat
. that one Of his offers on said propert
was accepted, but he declined it. H
. isn't near as anxious to sell tha
- property as he would lead people
y believe he is. McMinnville propert
!, is not depreciating in value any nov
~ Notwithstanding "this hood year
and the agitation of water works.
We are not in favor of bondin
+ the town for any purpose if it can
r avoided. Bonded debts are a gres
ne evil, but sometimes become neces
lg sary, Notwithstanding their evil n,
l. ture. We would much prefer waite
X works without bonded debt, an
+. we would much rather stock con
he pany should build, own, and opera
a them than for the city to undertal
~ it, but if bonded debt should
as necessary to secure water works v
would favor it, considering alwa,
that it should be created and Il
a money expended under proper re