The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1902-03-06

any and all pavements and sidewalks
and excavate in the streets, alleys, ETC.,
the company to place the streets, alleys
pavements, e9c., in as good condition as
possible and continue to care for the
excavations until the earth shall be
firmly settled.
The company shall be allowed to
charge not to exceed the following
yearly rates during the term of their
franchise:
Bakery, each oven $40 to $50.
Barber shop, first chair 81 to SIS, addi-
tional chairs SIS.
Private bath SIS to $40.
Bath in boarding or tenant house S.
to SIS.
Public bath SIS to $25.
Billiard hall, each table SIS to SIS.
Boarding house per room 81 to So.
Halls So to $50.
Hose for private stable SIS to $40.
Hose for livery stable 500 to $50.
Hotels per room 81 to $40.
Offices S5.to $50.
Oyster saloon $40 to $50.
Photograph gallery $40 to $50.
Printing Office $40 to $50.
Residence occupied by one family to
4 rooms SIS to $40.
Residence occupied by one family 5 to
6 rooms Sc to S12.
Residence occupied by one family Z to
S rooms 81 to $l4.
Residence occupied by one family to
10 rooms IS to SIG.
Restaurants SIS to 500.
Meter rate 100 to 200 gallons per day
5 to Is cents per 100 gallons.
The company reserves the right to
place meter in the pipe Of any con-
sumner and charge accordingly.
That the company, their successors or
assigns, shall within one year following
the approval of this ordinance commence
the construction of water plant and
push the construction of the same as
rapidly as possible.
The REPORTER is pleased to see an
effort made to secure system of water
works for our town and believe fran
chise should be voted to the company
which stands ready to put in water
works, but the people should not be too
hasty and grant franchise without
proper conditions attached. The ordi.
nance as presented to the council and
the voters is not all we think it should
be. If the city gives the company the
free use of the streets and alleys we
think the company should be required
to furnish three or four public watering
troughs where farmers who come to
town could water their teams. 1t
should also provide for hydrants for fire
protection, and there should be time
limit fixed in which the works should
be constructed. AS the ordinance reads
all that is required is for the company
to commence operations within one
year and push the construction as
rapidly as possible. That is rather in.
definite and the work might be retarded
for several years or kept up until the
franchise could be sold out at good
profit to some other company. Then,
too, the schedule of rates appears to us
hardly equitable in some instances, and
the privilege reserved by the company
to place meter in the pipe of any con-
sumner and charge accordingly should be
amended so that the consumer has the
option to use either meter or pay the
yearly rates. As it reads it gives the
company the power to discriminate by
forcing some to use meters while others
in the same business would be furnished
water at the yearly schedule rates. The
schedule before being adopted should
be revised and rates made for all kinds
of consumers. AS it reads there is no
schedule of rates for groceries, drug
stores, dry good houses and many
otherIines of business. We want water
works and franchise should be granted
the local company in preference to any
other, but the ordinance certainly needs
revising.
To Sell the Electric Light Plant.
AT special meeting of the city coun-
Gil held Monday evening there was a
lengthy discussion of the question of
selling the city electric light plant, and
an ordinance to that effect was passed
on its first rea ling, all the councllmen
voting for the ordinance except A. j..
Jones, who voted against it.
The ordinance provides that the cleo.
trio light plant ard all its appliances
pertaining thereto, Gle ,r OF all liens and
membranes, which is now owned by
the town of Leon, be SOL on The I'd day
of April, 1902, to the highest bidder.