Little Falls weekly transcript. (Little Falls, Morrison Co., Minn.) 1894-19??, 1896-02-07
J DON'T WANT ANY.
Three councilmen Propose :
do Away with Liants ana
water. 4.'.3

evening q resolution was passed
annulling the street lighting cons
tract and an ordinance was passed
first reading annulling the contract
for hydrAnts. Th9re are ut present
hut five city aldermen Hoffman,
Frampton, Martin. slecuskrr and
Moeglein. and three CONSTITUTES 81
majority. The action was taken by
the votes Of Martin, Mecusker and
MOegiein, and it il undoubtedly ems
dOrsed ny those In the cOmmnnity5
who have made an enviable reputa-
ton an 'iaxosiHx regulating ana
annulinR public agreements and con-
tracts in the past. 1t II not q new Y
thing In this city for any interests
tn lie q ttacked III this way-but the
action last evening contained 20
many elements displaying lack q
public responsibility and disregard
OS any rights that 1t cannot be re-
viewed by the cOuncilmen with any
great pride, The result Of the &C.
tlOn. II 1t took Immediate effect,
would be tho entire withdrawal OF
any fire protection from hvdrants
or Of any street lights. The other
party to contracts (the Electric &,
Water company had NO inforina-
ton that the terms were unsa tfsfac-
tory, or that the service was not
desired. The majority Of the council
simply fatty voted to annul the cons
tracts, and then emploved counsel
to assist the city in its case. OF
course. 1t Ia well known, that those
members desire to see an issue and.
trouble between the city and the
company. and were evidently afraid
that any reasonable proposition the
council should make to reduce ex-
penses would be satisfactory 10 all
concerned.
But they don't want an adjust
ment Of anything they are dis sa tis
fed with. Litigation and br..kehs
contracts are what they are after,
and the more public and private
interests are injured the better will
it suit their personal aims. There.
had been no chance for months to
create strife between the city and
Electric & Water company. and the.
only sure way was to cancel all cons
tracts. The three members probably
had no great expectations of their
moves taking effect at once. but they
did know that they had records IL,
ma ard they made them. M
No city Of this size will attempt to
get along without fire protection
from a system Of water works, yet
those cOuncilmen would pretend
that such was their aim. tits not
probable that any city would care
to do without street lighting, yet
the council,nen pretend that none is
needed. The whole matter is one so
entirely in the line Of record making
that 1t subjects the participants to
the contempt of every fair-ninded
citizen.
An element in the matter was, of
course, the direct attack on the in
come, and consequently the credit,
of the Electric & Water. company.
For in its existence every such cOrpo-
IA tion is dependent on public sup
port. The works are constructed in
response to a public demand, and On
the strength of a public contract.
They SIRE public necessities, and with
out public support would never be
constructed, and could not be MAIN
tanned after construction. There
was no demand by the public or by
the city's interests for such action as
was taken. and it's evident purpose
was to place all the embarrassment
possible upon the Electric & Water
company, even at the expense Of the
city's best interests.
LEAP YEAR PARTY.