CanÌƒon City record. [volume] (CanÌƒon City, Colo.) 1883-192?, 1899-04-13
DOES II pAY2


asked, does it pay to encourage en-
terprise to locate in our city by cash
subscriptions? Men have said and
lately too, that if any business wants
to start up in Canon let them start,
but that they could never get their
money back by helping with the sub
scription. 1t is greatly to be regret
ed that there is SO much of this spirit
in Canon. There are so very many
ways in which we get our money
back from such public subscriptions
that it seems strange indeed that
Canon has so many business men who
do not feel the Importance Of helping
along such matters.
A good illustration comes to mind
in the recent building of the Colora-
do Power Plant. Many of us remem-
ber that there were not a few in Canon
who not only were unwilling to con-
tribute to the fund for encouraging the
enterprise to locate here but some even
made effort to keep the City Council
from granting franchise for lines.
However, all that is passed. The
plant is completed and the line in
active operation and everybody salts
fed with the result. Canon people
spent $1,5OO in buying the site for
this enterprise. Did it pay?
1t PAVED, first-from the stand
point of taxation alone. The assessed
valuation of that part in Canon City
will not be less than $2l 900. The
tax rate is 72 mills. This will bring
in a total tax of $l512-more than
the amount our people put up in the
beginning. If there were no other
considerations, it payed from this
standpoint alone.
1t payed from a strictly selfish
standpoint. 1t would almost be safe
to say that every man got his money
back before the building was com,
plete. A glance at the subscription
list shows some interesting facts
The plant and lines cost $25O,OOO, Of
which $175,O0O is invested in the
city limits. 1t would be putting ii
low to say that $4,000 of this was
paid directly into the hands OF Canor
people. The subscriptions were mostly
small. Mr.. Keables gave $40. He
surely made it back from drugs ano
soda waters. Mr. Bethel contributed
$40 and if he did not make it all
back the first week the plant was be-
ing built, he is not the business mar
he gets credit for being. Mr.. Henry
Earle put up $25 and we dare say
ten times that amount of his superior
Grown Patent" flour was consumed
by the laborers working on the plant
Joe Walton put in $40 and he wa
then in business by which he coul'
make it back in single night. MI
dGK pit up $50 and his iumbe
bills no doubt exceeded this amour
many times. Mr.. Reynolds contribu
ted the liberal sum of $500 and no on
has heard Mr.. Reynolds complain o
the transaction. Dozens Of othe
cases could be shown where contribu
tors received their money back wit
big interest during the first thre
months of construction, but thes
will do. It would Lave payed tn
, contributors then if the plant ha
: been totally destroyed by fire the da
a it was completed.
4 It pays by its pertinent featur
I: and here it pays best of all. tn
( plant employs the most highly skille
d labor of any institution in the cit.
h Its salaries are high and its me
q spend most of their money in Cafiol
/ Every month the plant pays out
= salaries, for fuel and other expense
I over $500. This goes directly int
d the boarding houses, clothing stores
n groceries and other business house
= of Canon. So if we leave out tn
h question of taxation. if the contribt
e tors did not get their money bac
I from the construction, it pays we
r anyway, because every month g
: every year Canon gets more none
8 from the power plant than we cor
q tributed in the start.
8 This has been long story and ye
|. from it we should learn some goo
, things. Canon is on the verge of
? new era. Great things are in reac
! of US if we will take them. Enter
, prises will not come here unless W
give them encouragement, thoug
! they are to be had if we go afte
them in the right way. 1t PAYS, s
let us be more liberal.
Piles of clothing, hats, shoes an
furnishings thrown on the market re
nardlara of corf HAAc e. co