Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1897-04-01
Open Letter.

CENTRALIA, WIS, March so. 1897.
To the Editor: To all such in this
community who believe in the protec-
ton of their own property. who are
thoughtful in giving to others what they
must have for themselves, and to any
interested person who wishes to apply
the Golden Rule in the measurement
OF his own actions, a knowledge of the
conditions under which the Electric
Light plant IS operated will not only
sustain those who have conducted It's
affairs but will lead him TO conclusion
that cooperation and Improvement
upon that which is now planted here is
far better than the destruction or even
the depreciation Of that he can know
little about.
1t Is PLAIN 10 every person who has
an Intimate knowledge of the river and
has used the electro current, that no
water power as applied here bv the
present dams and mills can be depended
upon, during a portion of the winter
season at least.
This company has had and still main
talns the paramount right to the first
use of the water power on either side
of the river. Anchor ice, gorges, low
water and at times the intense cold
which freezes to the bottom under these
low heads are the sole and efficient
causes for all the complaints which
come from poor service. Who is here
to say he could Go better? The electrical
part of our plant will not be improved
If three or four more are built. How
Will the community profit by half
dozen plants if they do not have the
constant power to drive them? With
the water power in Its present condI-
ton the experience of those who use
1t IS Il complete answer to any who wish
to try it further.
On the other hand every household
has had the opportunity to use the
electric current at Il cost Of l cent per
night per lamp-cheaper than kerO-
sene. If he had COOL lamp there has
been less than a half dozen nights in
1897 when he could not read by it.
Where IN this state or any other place
have any people had these advantages
for all night use at such low cost.
Surely if this detested monopoly, i'm
perious, tvrannical, ready to fitch, I'M
justly managing its business to the dam
age of every citizen, whose very great
est fault was that it W9s not OmnipOtent
to produce more water or melt the ice,
has furnished light to compete with a
Kerosene lamp, what shall be said of
the thousand other electrical corpora
tons charging twice as much with five
and ten times the opportunity to find
consumers of its product?
Does anyone here know the value, or
the returns upon such investments?
Many other facts in relation to this
plant, not least of which is the cost of
operation, are open to inquiry. Go to
steam plant as at Marshtield, Stevens
Point, Wausau or New London and ask
the people here to pay the prices
charged them. A large majority of the
present users cannot do it now and it is
doubtful if they would in better times.
1t must be evident to one who can
reason at all that no Improvement which
cannot be made safely, and with some
assurance that the money invested will
thermOre, when the desired better
ments are obtained the buildings and
machinery must be permanent. Can
that be done now? And would the
most Captious critic establish a perma-
nent lighting plant using steam as an
adjunct, knowing he must tear it out
again when the head of water was
doubled.
Everyone here has been vitality in
terested in the building of the great
dam and the improvement Of the water
power. Every interest demanded 1t,
and we have all thought it would quickly
come. Such hope has little ground to
rest upon, and with it goes the uncer-
tainty of throwing money away in
building over twice. The most avail
able power can be chosen and used
permanently as far as possible.
tits the desire of the present stock
holders to dispose Of their interests in
whole if possible, i'll part if necessary.
The purchasers should be ten or twenty
of the representative men in the two
cities To such a corporation the cities
can give their municipal lighting for a
term of years at lower rate with far
better service than they can possibly do
it themselves. Imposition on the one
| hand or wrongs on the other should
have no place and there is no better
way to end them. We will transfer
this stock at the price put upon it bv
electrical experts who operate central
stations and who are to determine its
value by an inventory of its possessions,
the earning capacity of its lines and
service book.
Yours respectfully,
w. Z. MACK,
President Central Electric Co.