The Red Cloud chief., 1899-01-27
DO WE WANT ELECTRIC LIGHTS.
The People Of Our City Considerably d.
vided on the Subject Irony and Sar

V"ee VII '"e oupIeet'- irony ana oar
easm Defeats the Proposition.
We believe we should have electric
lig hts. The CHIEF is speaking of the
general public Of our city when we say
that they are progressive aud want to
see Red Cloud move ahead. We be-
lieve our business men with few keep
tions are for electric lights and will
help the project along. When our
mayor, Mr.. l.. ii. Beck, called a meet.
ing Of the citizens for Tuesday after
noon, January Gath, he did 10 for the
purpose OF obtaining tho sentiment
Of the citizens and business men on
the subject as to whether they were in
favor of a proposition for the electric
lighting Of city as submitted to
them by Mr.. L. II. Fisher of Denver.
A fair crowd assembled.at the Masonic
Hall, but many were absent on ac-
count Of business cares which they
could not leave. Mr.. A. II. Haley was
named to preside over the meeting and
Mr.. T.J. Ward was named as secre.
tary. The reading Of the minutes was
then taken up and completed by the
secretary. Immediately after the read.
ing Of the proposition the man who
went there for the purpose OF blocking
favorable consideration on the subject,
and who has shown his hand before on
occasions of this kind, rose to his
feet and stated his objections. throw
ing out the inference that he perhaps,
in the near future or some other resi-
dent or residents would like to dabble
in the seductive game Of electric light.
ing for u city. How absurd. No,
his purpose Ia that meeting was simply
to knock it in the head, kill II, whether
IL would be beneficial to our city or
not. Why were these objections put
in that cold water tone Of voice and ex.
preston? II there we're clauses in the
proposition that were not good for the
financial welfare Of our city why was
not a request made that they be elimi-
mated and others of q satisfactory ma
ture substituted? This is not what was
wanted-that cold disdainful smile and
tone of voice was there to defeat any
move which should be made to secure
anything beneficial to our city. The
man who poses as Red Clouds financial
king wishes no one to usurp his place.
The bringing in Of an electric light
company here might induce some one
to build a brown stone front on an op.
posite corner and that might not be so
conclusive to the financial welfare Of
this gentleman. Objections were Of.
fered by others present at the meeting
with all honesty of purpose and we
have not a word of condemnation to
offer against those who honestly did
not favor the idea Of having an cleo.
trio light system here. Our citizens as
q whole who are in favor Of progress.
sion hsye as great property interests
as those who are against it, and the
man who has q thousand invested here
when it comes to a show down, pays as
much taxes, or more perhaps, IS the
other fellow on a like amount. Who IL
it that has helped nj town along the
most IN the past and at the present
timer Is it the wealthy nabob who
sends out of town for his socks or 10 1t
the man in n small business who buys
what he needs at home and is alike
~patronized by otheIsr
II the people Of u city think that
we are not financially able to take up
a project Of this kind, we'll and good. |
The CHIEF does not wish to see any
project saddled upon our city that will
lead to financial disaster, but would
like our people to look at both sides Of
the question in q business like way
look at the good side as well as the
bad. Don't look ut it as you would on
a moonlight night, but look at it when
il is dark and stormy. Take the resi-
dents of the south ward for instance
they like to attend church and enter
tainments and do shopping up town
the same as other people. II they are
caught up town on n night when it IS
dark and raining as is often the case,