The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1903-07-31
Municipal Ownership Agitation Low.
ers Price of Light in Winona.
Present Contract Is Satisfactory to
the People of That City.
Ex Mayor TarbeIl Advises Mankato
TO Follow Their Example.
Business Mems Association PROPOSE
tion Finds Very Little Favor.
From Tuesdays Daily.

rIOh lueSudI DdllN.
Agitation in favor of municipal cleo
tric lighting plant was the club held over
the head of the Winona Railway and
Light company and forced that corpora
ton to reduce the price of its commodity.
The first cudgel was the drafting of the
act to give cities of 10000 inhabitants
and over the right to install municipal
plants. This having failed of its pur-
pose the measure was introduced in the
legislature. But even this and its sub
sequent passage did not bring the COM
pany to terms. When the council of Wi
mona took the first step toward the in
stallation of plant which was to be
operated by the municipality and bids
were received for its construction, an in
junction was served on the aldermen to
prevent them from proceeding with the
awarding of the contract. 1t was then
that the citizens of Winona got together
and decided to recommend to the council
that a fair and equitable contract for
lighting be entered into with the local
company The committee which had this
matter in charge was composed of the
heaviest taxpayers, men who have made
W'inona what it is. They succeeded in
bring to an end the war which had
been going on for term of years. The
result is that Winona has succeeded in
securing its street lighting for $6S per
arc light per year where in the past $S4
PER arc had been paid. This contract in
cludes a reduction in the price of COM
mercial lighting as well, and there is
general satisfaction expressed over the
arrangement which has been entered
into. Even the advocates of municipal
ownership agree that the contract is one
which no one should quarrel over, and it
has brought to an end the chickering's and
knocking" that had long been one of the
disagreeable features of Winona's social
and business relations. The contract
covers a period of ten years.
The company will at once remodel its
entire plant and expend at least Sl25,OO0
in order to install the machinery ncces-
sary to carry out the provisions OF the
contract The latest style inclosed arc
lamps will be used and other improved
paraphernalia will be introduced. The
company also owns and operates the cleo
trio street railway, and the line is to
be extended to the golf links.
active and prominent part in bringing to-
gether the warning factions, and who
had much to do with getting up the con-
tract with the lighting company is l.. l..
Brown, mayor of Winona. Prior to
his election as mayor Mr.. Brown was as
sociated with Mr. Finklinberg, the city
attorney, in defending the suit brought
by the taxpayers to restrain the council
from installing the municipal plant. After
his election to the mayoralty Mr.. Brown
used his good offices to bring about the
results which have been stated above. Mr..
Brown is a member of the well-known
law firm of Brown, Abbott and Somen-
sen. and those who have the pleasure OF
his acquaintance will be convinced that
he acted from the best of motives for
all parties concerned. The lighting COM
pany in Winona is owned by Boston
capitalists, and they are interested in
concerns of, the kind located in eighty diff
ferent cities of the United States. 81
There exists no entente cordiale between
the lighting and gas companies in Wi
roma. The one is owned by foreign
capital while the other is controlled by
local men entirely.
Winona. like all. other towns has with
in its limits men who believe in munich
pal ownership of public utilities. Among
the advocates of this policy is F. Z. Hig-
Gins. treasurer of the WinOna Wagon
company. gentleman of ability andwh
has served as an alderman in that city.
Notwithstanding his views he stated to
The Free Press and Aldermen Roemer,
10. os,I hat ha1 ha
been member of the present council he
would have voted for the adoption OF
the contract referred to, believing it to
be a good thing for the City and electric
light consumers. When the proposition
of the Mankato Business Mems associa-
ton was presented TO him, Mr.. Higgins
without stopping to give the scheme
much thought, said it was an elegan,
plan. Mr. Higgins explained that it had
been the intention OF the Winona coun
ell to build a plant which would cost
from $4,000 to $4,000, but this plant
was not to do commercial lighting. 81
under the circumstances the private con
sumers were not to receive any benefit
They would be forced to pay the oil
price Mr.. Higgins was not prepared t.
say tnaC llgntuiS pidnl cdPapio VI Aui
nishing municipal and commercial light
ing for city the size of Mankato coul'
be constructed for $4,000 or $4,000
If anything he doubted that it could
He was free to admit that there wer
arguments against municipal ownership
(,ne of these was the fear that the light
ing plant would be dragged into politics
and there was fear of incompetent man
agement.
Former Mayor E. X. Tarbell wa
very much interested in the visit of tn
aldermen to Winona, and he discusse
the lighting proposition freely with then
Mr.. 1arbell is not strong advocate Q
municipal ownership, and was one 9
the heavy taxpayers who assisted
getting the council to adopt the contrae
there He advised that if Mankat
could secure fair and reasonable cor
tract it should accept it in preference
going ahead with municipal plant. M
'larbell has made pretty much of stud
Of the question of municipal Lighting an
has attended about all the convention
held in late years where the question hs
been considered. He felt that Winon