The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1896-03-19
MAYOR FARR S ADDRESS.
He Nerves the Council to Keep up With
the Spirit OF Progress of the Past Two
or Three Years.

TO the Honorable Council: There
are debts and there are debts. The
amount Of the old city debt is $170, 900.
By paying $4,000 a year principal on
the city debt, in thirty-five years the
city will pay principal $4,000, inter-
est $l53 600, making total Of 1928
000 This is a debt 1t is like paving
for dead horse.
To speak of the Water-b bonds as an
Indebtedness, in comparison with the
above, without taking into considera-
ton its earnings, is Willful, malicious
misrepresentation of the facts. In its
infancy, in the first six months of its
existence, the water works show an
annual earning sufficient to pay the in
terest and principal each year, as well
as the operating expenses, besides
leaving a balance in favor of the city,
or a profit of about $1,000. Then, in
the construction Of the water works,
look at the enormous sum of money
paid to the laboring men, and in turn
paid to our merchants and citizens.
Consider our fire protection. But for
the water works the Sterling factory
would not be located here. That beau.
tiful plant would not now grace our
city, and today give employment to
our friends, neighbors and citizens. To
be sure our Business Mems club, aided
by the able assistance of the Hon. Il.
G.. Simmons, contributed much to their
coming, but no inducement could have
gotten them to locate in Kenosha If we
had not had the water works. Before
another year the Sterling will employ
500 men, and the best part of it all is,
that they pay good, honest wages.
Sieg & Walpole could not have To-
Gated here without sure prospect of
plenty of water. The pay roll OF these
two factories is about $4,000 per week.
With such results would any sane or
honest man call the water bonds a
debt or class them with the old city
bonds, when in six months the annual
gross earnings Of the water works show
$12, 900, an amount sufficient to take
care of itself and pay its own bonds. In
a few years it will give to the city a
large revenue. Remember, the water
works were condemned because we had
that great, big, horrid old city debt.
The water bonds cover only the water
plant, nothing more in the city. But
the old city debt is a mortgage on
every house and lot. The success, fl
nancially, OF the water plant is largely
due to the wise management OF the
water commissioners, and the efforts of
it's able superintendent, j. B. David
son.
Our ability to give sewerage, water
and fire protection will stimulate the
building of houses. If the preceding
councils and the present council had
not followed their own Judgment where
would we be today in comparison with
other cities? In five years Kenosha
will be the banner city" of the state.
Only one citizen has been manly enough
to appear in person and state his opin-
ion on the Wheeler proposition. Now,
if it can be demonstrated that the
lighting plant can be placed upon the
same oasis as the water works, that in
four or five years we can get our light
ing for nothing, and earn enough from
commercial lighting to pay the oper-
ating expenses and in the future a
revenue, then this is the time and no
other, to grant W. H. Wheeler & COM
pany franchise.
Right here let me say, no matter
what his object, selfish or otherwise,
that the man who slurs or speaks i'll of
W. Fl. Wheeler & Co., is not worthy
of the name Of man.
Once more in relation to debts. Sup
pose we received and accepted one Of
the present electric light company's
propositions, namely, to run all night
130 arc lights at $1l, 900 per year, (Why
did they not say $4,000 per year and
be done with it p for ten years. Is that
not non-interest bearing debt? By
making such a contract it creates an
obligation of $119,600, and what would
we have to show for it?
The time has now come by an ordi-
nance for this council to hire it's city
engineer. The city engineer is also
compelled to act as superintendent Of
the water works and clerk for the wa
ter commissioners.
The chair desires to state that two
years of close attention to city affairs
has shown the Importance of having an
engineer The chair is fully satisfied
that city engineer by his knowledge
saves the city the amount of his wages.
The old city debt was assumed by
this city to help build a railroad that
would connect with our city. 1t is on
ly few years that tnat railroad has
been any benefit to us. Tonight it is
in your power to pass an ordinance that
will connect railroad with this city, q
through line, and giving us four miles
of local service that will not cost the