People's voice. [volume] (Wellington, Sumner County, Kansas) 1890-1917, 1897-03-18

us tuRlut pOWtI dU TUE ullilo w AUu
horse power. That will be power suf-
1cient to operate the mill, elevator
and electric light plant combined
The only reason given so far for the
haste that has been shown 10 the
matter, is that within few days Mr..
Hunter cOntemplateS placing his
order for a new engine for the mills,
and that he wishes to know whether
the electric light company" wishes
to accept his offer for ''free power"
Now it seems to US that the crowding
that is being done to get the franchise
through the council is quite unneces-
sary. 1t also seems TO us that that
franchise should be deliberated upon
for month or two anyway. 1t will
not necessarily defer the time for the
commencement nf the work of put
ting in an electric light plant. Mr..
Ford has repeatedly stated that he
did not contemplate beginning the
construction of his machinery or the
erection of poles, ETC., until Mr.. Hun
ter had completed the Improvements
at the mill. This work will not be
finished until the last of July or the
first of August. By scrutinizing care
FULLY the proposed franchise, nothing
out good can result to he city. The
committee has beat down the price for
electric lights from 81, 100 to $1,000.
Ii they can be reduced 500 or 5000, or
$500 lower, so much the better for the
city.
The proposition of the Hunter Mil
ling Co. TO furnish power at actual
cost to induce the sO-called foreign
company to putin an electric plant
in Wellington, was no doubt intended
to draw popular applause in Mr.. Hun
ter's favor. He claimed, when he
made the proposition before the cOun.
Gil, that he was doing that solely out
If municipal pride, and that it was a
sacrifice On his part. Well aud good.
Now if Mr.. Hunter was willing to
sacrifice 50 much for the benefit of Il
foreign corporation, solely to see good
lights in the city o: Wellington, and
if he has the interests and welfare of
The city at heart, it is only fair that
he shall expect the city to look to
nim for close rates in the event that
it is known that the proposed plant is
Jeing put in in the interest of the
Hunter Milling company, Mr. Hun.
Jer's purpOrted philanthrOpic feeling
toward the city ought TO hold good
when he is dealing wirh the city. If
he is willing to furnish power for a
corporation free n order to see the
city benefit by it, he ought to be will
ling to do almost as much when he is
to assume control Of such an enter
prise as he processes to foster for the
city's good.
The Journal is at loss to account
for any reason why the Hunter Milling
Co. should get behind Mr.. Ford. Why
not come SQuarely out and state in
plain English that the Hunter COM
pany wants to put 10 an electric light
and power plant and if there is to be
any philanthropic work to be done in
connection with 1t, make il plain t.
the council and to the public. Let
the city fathers deliberate over the
franchise that has been presented, OF
will be revised and presented tomOr
row night. The council can easily
assure Mr.. Hunter that the city will
replace the gas posts with electric
lights if he is willing to hold the Same
inducements to the city that are sup
posed to be offered to a foreign CORP
Oration.n The franchise that may bt
granted tomorrow night may look in-
nocent enough when it is passed, but
as an esteemed authority on technical
tiles has said, chickens will com,
home to rOost." Conditions may arts
in the future that cannot be now fore
seen. Time and thought should b
given to question of such momen
as is now before tue council. Tn
plan to supplant the gas lights wit
electric lights has many phases an
} sides. Aside from the legal complies
, tions that may arise, and aside froT
the difficulties the city may have wit
the electric light company in tn
future, such as beng then entirely i
| the control of the electric light PEE
! pie, there is the question Of whethe
: this new corporation will give tn
D city sufficient light outside of the bu
: mess part of the city for the 81 800 &
t would make the franchise advisable
I To our mind, such an electric ligt
:. plant as is proposed being put il
e should he capable of lighting the Ell
t tire city ample and we'll. There al
G now lOl gas posts in the city-tht
:. are not very brilliant, to be sure, bl
S under the proposed franchise they a.
d not to be REPLACED. but KNOCKE
o OUT. A lamp post is better tina
. nothinU IF tho ritv is NOT IN ho