The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1895-10-25
A FEW FACTS.

had the true facts been presented II
the people heretofore, the proposition
for the bond issue for electric light
purposes would have been defeated
1t was openly proclaimed, by one mem
Der, at council meeting, that d
proper electric plant could be put IN
for s., 900 complete, and that system
giving us at least one hundred arc
lights. and as many more as was need
ed, could be put in within the limits
of the proposed bond issue of $4,000.
In other words, the people were
caioled into the belief that the city
could do its own lighting much
cheaper than could be done by private
parties. If this is true there is no
doubt. that on the score of economy.
it would be the part of wisdom for our
city to do its own lighting. But pru-
dence would have dictated that be-
fore this question of bonds was sub
mitted to the vote of the people, that
all the information obtainable on the
subject should have been obtained.
That prior to such vote an
expert like Prof. ShepardSOn should
have been called in, and upon his
plans propositions should have been
solicited for erecting suitable cleo
trio plant, and when the amount
necessary to put in system suitable
for our city had been ascertained,
then to have gone before the people
frankly and informed them of the
amount necessary to be voted, whether
$4,000 or $20,000 and if the people
could have been satisfied that the
amount necessary to be voted even if
it was $4,000, would be an economical
business arrangement for the city, we
have no doubt but that the requisite
amount would have been cheerfully
voted; but as it is, the vote for the is
sue of said bonds was obtained under
malicious misrepresentation But
on the other hand, if the people had
been satisfied, knowing all the facts
that it was not true economy for the
city TO do its own lighting, the bond
issue would have been voted down.
This cheap lighting business re-
ceiyed black eye when Prof. Shep-
-ardSon stated to the council, after the
vote for issue of said bonds, that cities
claiming to do cheap lighting, done
so by charging palt of the expense to
other fundS-and he even intimated
that we could rid ourselves of the di-
lemma the city was put in by such
small allowance of bonds, by charging
the fuel and services of the engineer
to the current fund account. And he
also distinctly stated that the electric
plant should not be located in our
present engine house, because it was
too damp, but should have building
of it's own, high and dry. All this in
wolves expense: but it is necessary
expense, and should have been esti-
mated upon so the voters could have
seen where the economy came in for
the city to do it's own lighting We
have no doubt that the council in it's
action submitting this matter of is
sue of bonds to the people, believed
then that a substantial saving could
be had by the city by doing it's own
lighting. 1t is very questionable with
all the light on the subject now IN
their possession, whether they are
now Of the same opinion.
We agree with the article that
economy all around in city expendi-
lures should be enforced, but we do
not believe that our citizens will favor
a system which will give US less light
than we at present have.
The assertion that the FREE PRESS
has steadily made war upon the city's
credit is wholly false. We trust that
we are as vitality interested in the
credit of the city as any one, and for
that reason the FREE PRESS has from
time to time called public attention
to what it deemed extravagances on
UhS Poi " VI OuO ClUy duUuOIlUlcS dIlu
to the loose manner in which the f.
nancial affairs Of the city have at
times been conducted. There is moth
ing in this which can be tortured into
an attack of the city's credit, but
rather a move for it's protection, by
calling the attention of the people to
these matters that they may be cor
rected and avoided in the future, for
it is only by so calling public atten-
tion to such matters that they can be
remedied and public credit main
tanned.
We are all interested in case bonds
are issued to have them legally issued
so they can command the highest pre-
MUM. No more serious attack could
be made upon the city's credit, than
said article, which admits that the
bidders on the bonds are hesitating
about accepting said bonds because of
suspicion of their illegality. We
have never intimated that to the
public, and if it is true, of which we