The Bellefontaine Republican. [volume] (Bellefontaine, Logan County, Ohio) 1855-1905, 1903-07-14
Should Be Taken Towards
Selling or Leasing
Either Our Gas Works. Our
Electric Light Works. Or
Our Water Works.
Hands OffI Hands Off Hands OffI

There has been no call or demand
from the people, that would author
ize the proposed lease of our Water
Works.
1t was not done in the interest of
the people.
1t would be but a stepping stone
toward leasing our electric light
plant and our water works!
1t is an attack upon municipal own
ership.
1t would be followed by the Stand
ard Oil or some other big Trusts sub
leasing all our works and leave the
people in their powerl
What are the reasons given for
leasing our gas works?
1. That the Council cannot make
contract to buy gas.
2. That it has a right to lease the
gas works.
8. That it would give us cheap
fuel.
The answers to these propositions
are, that the first is an assumption,
the second Is not according to the
facts.
The code has been quoted to prove
that the corporation cannot make a
contract to pay out money, unless
the money to meet the obligation is
in the Treasury at the time the con-
tract is made. This is true as to
contracts in general; but the section
quoted has several provisos, as fol-
lows:
provided, however that the Coun-
Gil of any city may authorize and the
Council of any village may make a
contract with any person, firm or
company for lighting the streets,
alleys, lands, lanes, squares, and pub
lie places, in the municipal corpora
tion:" or leasing the electric light or
water works plant, "of any person
firm or company ''and the require
ment of certificate that the neces-
sary money is in the Treasury. shall
not apply to such contracts"
Under this clause, cities make con-
tracts with gas, electric light, and
water companies. And there is no rea-
son why our city could not enter into
a contract to furnish gas for fuel and
light. Such contract might pro-
vide that the city distribute the gas
through its holder and pipes and pay
a stipulated sum for lighting.
When the gentlemen owning the
Bloomfield gas well came here they
offered to furnish gas at 1sc. Now
the proposition is to furnish at 25c
or upwards as the Council might see
fit to do. Why this changer Has it
been made in the interest of the city?
With gas furnished at 1sc and sold
at 25c the profit to the city would pay
for the maintenance of our electric
light system. Why should this be
turned over to company.
1t is prorosed to lease our works to
a company, and give it six months to
see if it can find a supply. Mean
time if any wells should be discovered
nearer or better, our hands would be
tied.
Why be in a hurry to lease our
works to company that does not
know that it has supply? The pres
sure, shown to those who have gone
out there, has been when the pressure
had been shut of for several days,
and 1t might not show nearly
strength enough if left to blow off for
a day or two.
| We may get gas at less figure.
A company is furnishing 1t to Marion
for 20c, and it had to put down its
own mains in the streets.
We want natural gas but we want
the city to get it at rates that will
enable it to furnish the gas at the
lowest possible rate to the people.
For these reasons we ask the hon
orable gentleman of the Council to
safeguard the city's interests and not
ratify any lease of our public works