The Oskaloosa herald., 1900-12-13
Street Railway From a Business
Standpoint,

light contract under Mr. McNeill's
propositions it would have had to pay
the same prices for each light of same
candle power. This fact can be easily
verified by reading his proposition
and comparing it with prices named
in the contract, and ordinance No.
211 with Oskaloosa Street Railway &
Land Co., aside from the fact that
the Street Railway %. agrees to furn-
ish the city all the light it may need
for lighting its offices free of charge,
and the further fact that the city now
has the right to relocate all the lights
at the cost and expense of said COM
pany, when the McNeill proposition
would only allow the city about one
half the lights it needs at its.offices,
and would have. to paylMr. Mcneil
for every relocation of light which
might cost the city several thousand
dollars. The question is, would the
mere letting of light contract have
been the means of erectinglone ad-
ditional building in the city which
would give employment to labor, and
help to bear the burden of taxation?
If not, will the addition of street
railway and heating plant9 1t seems
to Tax Payer that it will, for the fol-
lowing reasons, viz:
Mr.. Chas. Phelps said in an.inter-
view that if the electric railway were
built his company would erect a. three
story modern office building, which
If it only costs S25 900 will help bear
the burden of taxation, as sure as it
is built, and the city does not have
to put in one additional light, nor
| street crossing to get the taxes on
said improvement, and Tax Payer is
satisfied that there will be other larger
and many smaller improvements as
| direct result of the electric railway
being built. Then there is!the plant
and tracks of the Electric Railway
90. to be taxed for all time to come
after five years. This on plant cost
ing 100000 the major portion of
which will be in the city, will be no
small help to the cjty's finances.
While the present light plant has al
ways been outside the city limits, it
has always drawn pay from the tax
payer of the city, but never repaid
any of it by taxation.
In the next place, you, my dear
laborer, come in for the building OF
the plant and maintaining and oper-
ating it, all of which you lose If the
railway is not built, and it can not be
built unless the propositions carry
next Monday. Therefore you should
not allow anything to send you out Of
town or remain away from the polls
Please do not forget that If the new
Railway, Light and Heat Plants are
installed, even though it went nc
farther than Beacon where it mus
go, and be in successful operation
before said company can get the light
contract) and the plant don't cos
over $500, 900, and not more than one
half of it is paid out for real estate
building, other material and labor
1t will raise the per capita circulation
about $40 to every inhabitant in tn
city, and nearly s3to every inhabitan
in Mahaska county. This like tn
$50, 900 to build the government pos
office comes from the outside. ]
!, is not like when we tax ourselves +
build Jail. While both furnish labor
the former both increase circulation
while the latter does not. Therefore
9 if the laborer owns a home he woul
:. have to be taxed on his home to hel
. pay his wages to build the jail, BIT
not in the other two cases, nor in tn
cases such as the Phelps 90. and oil
ers propose.
o Tax Payer intends to build three {
four modern residences costing aboV
81, 800 each if the electric railway
built. But my building site, while
: first. class location is little too II
= for the business man, and therefo
\ il the electric railway is not bull
D. these houses. will not be put up, al
e. the renter will have to remain doV
is town, pay higher rents and labor W
n lose the work building the same.
IN Tax Payer is going to vote for |
SC three ordinances for the foregoil
- reasons, and thinks those who re-
70 these lines ought to consider and
IS likewise next Monday, for if you a
O. a laboring man you are benefited,
of tax payer you are benefited, II
ms merchant, or property owner y
n are ben efitted, are you not? Tn
y vote yes. Tax Payer has heard mu
about our dlsgraceful street ca
~ Now IL Ordinances Nos. 30 and
he carry next Monday, and the Sire
" Railway & Land Co. has not CO
pleted the proposed electric railw
he in one year from their passage Dec
nd then said company loses all its rigl
ng heretofore granted them and the
- rights together with all the paw
~ they have heretofore paid for
m comes the property of the city. II
ed, payer would vote for these franchi
hit to pass if for no other reason tn
res the foregoing, because the city
nothing to lose and everything
I'VE gain. 1t either gets an electric r