Little Falls herald. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1889-1950, 1899-02-24
Second Precinct Meeting
: Adjourns Until That
Time =
COMPANY scheme FALLS FLAT
Attempt to Influence Voters
- of the Precinct a Ridicu-
lous Failure.

At the meeting OF Second. precinct
voters Wednesday night, ie was
unanimously voted to adjourn until
"the frost got out of the ground.''
The proceedings which led up to
this are interesting and reveal some
thing OF the methods used by the
Electric 4 Water company to intlu-
ence public opinion where it knows
the people are opposed to it's claims
The Second precinct OF the SECOND
ward is strongly ia favor OF munich
! pal ownership OF tbs light and waite E
plant, a Il is also strongly in favor
OF the men who believe in that <s,r-
trine. The precinct needs fire pro
lection, and expects and wiu set it
under city ownership.
Knowing this, and believing that
the recent fires had scared the peo-
pie Of the precinct, and that there
fore they could toe "worked,'' and
also realizing that election vas but a
month away, the Electric L Water
company concocted a scheme which
it thought would have omepositicai
effect.
Mr.. Berkey, president Of the COM
pany, in pursuance of the plan, aske d
some representative citizens Of the
Second precinct to call at his Office
These we're Morris Moe, E. W. Col
Inns, I. Q.zBerg, Fred Colombo, aud
John Frederickson. These commit
tee men did not go because the citi =
z ns Of the Second precinct we're an
xious7for~ fire projections, the ttl1se
Transeript says, but because they
were asked to go by Mr.. 8erkey. In
his letter Tuesday Morris Moe pune
tured the transcripts statemen t
through and through, wHen he ga i'd
the people there we're willing TO wait
until the city could put ia the mains,
and at least until t}a., frost was out
OF the ground
Mr. Berkey "generoustv'' offered to
furnish water free Tor fire purposes
until the suits ate decided, ii the city
would put the mains in the Second
precinct. This benevolent PROPOSE
tion means that the city shall spend
many thousand dollars putting il
mains for the company's benefit. the
company getting the rev=nue from
the private consumers along theline.
How the city is going to spend the
money without having it, is a ques-
ton which Mr.. Berkey did. not an
swer. The compan' VS. object was to
have the people OF the Second pre-
cis;:t 60 ahead without consulting
the council. present a petition, and if
it were rejected, point to the council
as refusing to give the people fire
protection. Unfortunately for the
company, the committee decided to
cali a meeting instead, and set it for
Wednesday evening at che chemical
engine house.
here was a large attendance, but
No representative of the compan y
was present. One would hav e
thought that if the proposition was
good, the company would have had
eomeoue present to prove it. E. w.
Collins called the meeting to orde r,
and explained the proposition; His
understanding of was corroborated
by Morris Moe and T. @. Berg.
Alderman Martin spoke to the
people: showing the absurdit ,
jof the. proposition Of Mr..
Berkey, who wants the city
to lay water mains, and yet secure d
an Injunction preventing II from sci
ling bonds in order to procure
money to lay mains with. BE. sal d
tile statement Of Mr.. Berkey that the
Second precinct should have water
was amusing when in the injunction
secured By Mr.. Berkey iit is stated
that the city wa ter. service, IS no !
complete and as much as re- quired.
This point brough5 out great ap-
lplause.
Mayor Vasaly addressed the q eet.
ling, mphasizing chs points bronght