Marshall County independent. (Plymouth, Marshall County, Ind.) 1897-1902, 1899-09-15


sion at the council chan ber. and a large
body of citizens were present to see the
mistakes of the former meeting recti-
fed. There was some regular business
but the main interest centered IN the
electric light contract. Mayor Jones
had previously been authorized to sign
the contract binding the city to the Fa-
nous company, providing that he found
that said concern was an incorporated
body on the date of the last meeting,
which assurance Mr.. Wickey in open
council gave them at that time. In his
own words he said: 81 understand that
our articles of incorporation have ex-
pired by limitation but immediate steps
were taken this week to reincorporate,
and learn from the Famous company
that the articles of incorporation have
been forwarded here. l do not
know why they have not arrived
unless delayed in the mails.
They certainly will be here tomorrow
morning" Mr.. WIckey asked time and
accordingly the council authorized the
mayor to sign the contract if the con-
Germ proved to be Incorporated on that
date, August 2S, 1899, as Wickey repre-
sented. Since then Wickey came down
with his articles of incorporation but
they were dated September ., 1899, and
showed that the application for incOr-
poration was not made until three days
after the adjournment of the council
meeting of August 28th. This decep-
tion could not be tolerated by our COM
mon council The Independent had
previously published the exact facts
relative to the Famous company, but at
that time the council had such conf
dence in Wickey that our exposure was
ignored by bare majority. Since
then, the facts as stated in the Inde-
pendent have been clearly verified by
the type written confessions of Mr.
| Wjckey himself, which ne submitted to
the council Monday. His appeal that
night was to get the council to contract
with the newly incorporated company
on the same proposition submitted by
the old company, whose articles of in
corporation had expired. Of course
the council would not grant his appeal
IA the newly incorporated company's
identity was entirely new. 1t had never
old In the first place and could not have
honestly been considered, even if the
council had not been convinced as tO
the deception practlced by the repre-
sentative of the Chicago concern.
Alderman Leonard offered resOlu-
tion authorizing the mayor to sign the
contract with the newly Incorporated
Famous Company as per terme in
proposition of the Famous Company
when unincOrporsted, but his resolu
tion was lost by vote of four to two
as follows: For resolution, Leonard and
Dickson. Against resolution, Kuhn
Reynolds, Morris and Harris.
DIR. Reynolds then presented the
Simons proposition and moved to &C
cept, whereupon Aid. Leonard moved
to substitute an entirely new PROPOSE
tion from the Famous company, which
proposition he took from bis inside
pocket five minutes after trying to get
the council to contract on the terms OF
the former proposition of Mr.. Wickey
This new proposition was from the
Famous company and proposed to light
the city for $62 so per light all night OIL
S4220 per light until midnight Oh
course the council voted down the
Leonard substitute as their confidence
in Leonard was very much shattered
The fact that he tried to get the city tG
pay the Famous company $72 per light
/ for all night and S4S per light until mic
4 nighi, when at the very time he had an
other proposition from the same com
pany in his possession asking to light
/ the city on the basis of $6250 anC
| $42.20, shattered the confidence of al
the other members of the body excep
Alderman Dickson. Hence, they voteC
I down the substitute and accepted tn,
| SimOns proposition.
Ths decision of the council was hap
| PLY received by the entire audienc,
with the exception of two aldermen
Mr.. Wickey and the Evening News
The people of the city are PRACTICAL!
unanimous in their approval of th'
councils action
Mayor Jones was decidedly happy il
that the council settled the matter
! without the necessity of his vote.
Mr.. Morris, one of the most conscien
tious men that ever served as council
man, voted for the Famous company q
! the former meeting, believing that h
was acting for the best interests of tn,
city, but when he became convinced
! that Wickey's assurances were unre
|. liable in the face of his own acknOwl
edgements, he was one of the most ar
dent aldermen in favor of resembling
! the former action. And he did exact.,
\ right, for which course he will receiv,
the commendation of every unpreju
diced citizen of Plymouth.
The Independent still has faith in al
enlightened public sentiment, which i