Morris tribune., 1903-01-10
COMMERCIAL Club.
nEETS AND DISCUSSES THE FOW
LER PROPOSITION AT THE
CLUB ROOTS.

lh0re was an ADJOURNED meeting O
the members of the Commercial Club
I held at its rooms in the Spoonel
brick block last evening, at which
three new members, including Judge
Flaherty, were elected to member
ship, after which the meeting took
up for consideration the proposal o.
The Fowler Electric Company to sci
it's plant and property and village
franchise to the Village OF Morris al
$l6,5O0.OO.
The discussion took quite wide
range, but most speakers advised
making haste slowly. Judge Flaher-
ty advanced many and weighty
reasons, why the village should pro.
coed with great caution in matter
of such Importance. DIR. Harris
thought the beginning better be in
the way Ct getting information from
several outlying towns that own and
operate electric lighting plants, as to
whether such ventures are thought
feasible and profitable.
n. L. Smith argued that careful
and exhaustive inquiry and investiga-
ton better be first made, with the aid
of competent engineer, employed
for the purpose, to ascertain the real
merits and actual value of the
property offered for sale and the
feasibility of its ownership and
operation by the village of Morris in
connection with its waterworks plant.
+. E. Smith suggested that the
preliminary steps should be an in
quiry into the legal capacity of the
village of Morris to go into such a
venture. S. A. Siverts suggested
that about the first thing to be
looked into should be the financial
ability of the village to undertake
such a venture. W, L. Colyer seemed
to be we'll nigh convinced that there
should be no doubt that it will be
advisable for the village to purchase
and operate the electric lighting
plant.
Lewis G. Spooner expressed him
self to the effect that before consid-
ering seriously the purchase of the
property, he thought the taxpayers
would desire to be fully informed of
all the liabilities of the village as at
present existing, the nature and char
acter thereof, its sources of revenue
aud the extent thereof, and the or
binary annual expenditures INSOFAR
ably connected with municipal ad
ministration, and said he considered
himself not even reasonably we'll
informed in relation thereto and was
inclined to believe bat few axpayers
we're we'll informed as to such mat
ters. He said he believed that the
Fl 'st step should be to get correct
information touching the Financial
condition of the village, for that
until it appeared that the village is
in financial condition to undertake
large additional obligations, it should
not be thought feasible to do SO. He
said, however, that if it is ascertained
that the village is in condition to
warrant such purchase, and it then
appears that it is feasible to pur-
chase and operate the Fowler prop
erty, and that then it appears that
the property may be purchased at a
fair value, he would be inclined to
favor municipal ownership of the
electric lighting plant.
As a result of all the discussion
a motion was made and carried that
H. L. Smith, w. F. Cooley, s. A.
Siverts, D. ]. Stewart and j. W..
Harris, be appointed a committee to
obtain for the use and benefit of the
Commercial Club, and for all the tax
payers of the village of Morris, and
to be published in each of the three
newspapers of the village of Morris,
a correct, detailed exhibit of the
several liabilities of the village of
Morris; also correct detailed state
ment of all the receipts and ex-
penditures of the village during the
past year-including an estimate of
receipts and expenditures for the
current year statement or exhibit
of the whole thereof, 80 that the
same will show the sources of and
also the extent Of and the nature and |.
character of the revenues of the
village and also the extent of and