The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1902-03-06
TWO LEADING QUESTIONS
FOR VOTERS TO DECIDE.

The purchasing committee must agree
to light the streets of Leon for period
of five years with arc lights of the latest
improved make, to the number of 20,
and be placed on poles so feet above the
ground at such crossings as are deter
mined by the council and manager of
the light plant. The lights must burn
every night from dark until midnight,
except such times as the moon shall
! give light or the plant shall be shut
down from unavoidable accident, and
and the price charged shall not be more
than $3.50 per arc light per month. The
said electric light company will not be
compelled at any time to extend the arc
light line beyond two blocks from the
present incandescent service unless they
desire to do so. They are to furnish all
patrons with incandescent or arc lights
in dwellings and business houses, each
evening from the time lights are needed
until II o'clock and from $50 in the
morning until lights are no longer need.
ed. Morning lights to run from Octo-
Der to March. They are to install a
tirst.class, up-to-date electric light plant
and maintain it in good working order.
| The ordinance provides that the coun-
Gil shall open the bids at the mayors
office, in Leon, on April 2, and will re-
ceive bids from 10 a. m. until IL O'Clock
noon. All bids to provide for service as
above stated and street lights must not
be charged greater than $3.50 per arc
light, and for commercial lighting 81 per
arc light and 81 per Is c. p. incandes-
| cent light. The purchaser is also to as
sumo the contract between the town of
Leon and Decatur county to furnish
water for water closets at the court
house. The purchaser shall give bond
of $4,000 to fulfill the terms of the con-
tract.
The ordinance shall be submitted to
the voters at the city election on March
3lst, and if majority of the voters
shall ratify said ordinance and the con-
tract set forth therein, the same shall be
valid and binding.
The above is in substance the proyis.
ions of the ordinance.
On Wednesday morning the council
met and reconsidered the question and
decided to withdraw the proposition on
the grounds that 1t was not legally sub.
mitted, bu, are in favor of letting the
people vote upon the question at
special election, it being the idea of the
council to have the bids opened first
and let the people know what they are
going to get for said light plant and
then submit it to the voters for their
approval,
The REPORTER is strongly in favor of
selling the light plant if it can be sold
at reasonable price, but we are not in
favor of giving it away for song. The
plant is good property in the hands of
an individual or company and can be
placed on paying basis. 1t has been
a costly experiment for the city and
many mistakes have been made in con.
Quoting it. In the first place the plant
should never have been located where
it is, but should haye been near the old
K. & w. depot where water could be
secured and coal unloaded direct from
the cars. Many dollars have been
spent in hauling water and coal which
could have been avoided. Several
years ago the voters voted on the pro-
position to sell the plant and it carried
by almost unanimous vote, but moth.
ing was ever done in the matter, and
we believe the proposition would
carry at the coming election. 1t Is
we'll known fact that the plant could be
run at considerable LEGS expense if one
man looked after it, but as it is it is no
ones business and there are many little
leaks which could be avoided. We do
not desire to criticise the members ef
the city council for on salary of Sl2 10
$50 year the members can hardly be
expected to neglect their business to
look after affairs Of the city. We will
cheerfully give space in our columns to
discussion of the proposition pro and
con. If you have any views in the
question let others hear from you.
License to Wed.
The following marriage licences have
been issued by Clerk Keller since our