The daily palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1904-1905, 1904-08-02
the year ending June 1st, 1905.


and impartial trial before final iudg-
ment is passed. Due credit should be
given for every saving that can be
traced to it. Among other things the
return to the people Of Richmond by
the L. H. & P. Co. of some $4,000
or $4,000 of the peoples money it
has held for years without interest.
and which at this late day it proposes
to return on presentation of certific-
ates of deposit. 1t is hardly probable
that the money would be returned at
this time if the L., II. & P. Co. did
not have the competition Of the city
plant, and was trying in every way to
retain its old business, and get other
customers.
The claim made that the lower
prices now prevailing is result of
improved methods, and not caused by
competition, does not seem to work
when it comes to street lights. Mr..
Storrs in his communication in Sat-
urday's paper says, that the price of
$4,000 per light as paid to his COM
pany under its old contract is ''alto-
gether too high today If this is so
and the L., H. & P. Co., is making
rates lower simply because of lower
costs Of production, and not because
Of competition, why does it still hang
on to the $4,000 a year yer light,
which it says is altogether too high
today?
Mr.. Storrs says: GAS a matter of
fact, in the city Of Richmond, there
prevails the lowest scale of prices ex-
listing anywhere in the state of Indi-
ana" This was not the condition of
affairs before the city plant began
business, but on the contrary Rich
mond prices were among the very
highest in the state. Give the city
plant at least part Of the credit for
reduced prices.
In the matter of street Ii lighting, no
one could have expected the city
council to renew it's contract with the
L., H. & P. Co. even if it had made an
offer even less than the $50 or 500
per light.
The city owns its own plant, and
the items of interest, depreciation and
labor will be about the same to the city
whether its plant carries a light or
heavy load. AS much will be paid
for interest, about the same
for labor, and depreciation will
be about the same with IS lights as
with 275 to 800. The only additional
expenses Of any consequence will be
the additional coal bill. Without the
city lights the city plant would make
very little more than enough to pay
running expenses, and the tax payers
would pay the interest and deprecia-
ton accounts.
A farmer has so bushel of grain to
haul to market. He OWNS a fine new
wagon, and a good team Of horses,
able to haul load of 100 bushel. He
has his driver hired by the year. He
has agreed to take % bushel Of grain
for neighbor for which he is to re-
ceive pay, and is anxious to get an
other 25 bushel to make up full Dad.
He has the 25 bushel and part of
his own so bushel in the wagon when
along comes another man with a team
about half as good as the one owned
by the farmer and says: [ will haul
your so bushel for cents bushel,
which is a good deal cheaper than you
can haul it yourself. The farmer sits
down and calculates the interest on
his investment, depreciation on his
outfit, amount paid for driver, and ex-
ira food required for a team pulling
full load, and concludes it would be
cheaper to hire his grain hauled, and
he sends his team off to town with the
the Is bushel he has agreed to haul
for the neighbor, hoping he will be
able to get enough more along the
road to make at least a half load sc
that his team will earn at least en-
ough to pay the driver, and the feed
bill. We say the man was foolish
that as he was going to town any way
he could have taken his own load with
very little additional expense.
Richmond has a fine new electric
light and power plant of ample ca
pacity to furnish all street lighting
and do a large part of the CONNER
cial lighting of the city. We have oul
Supt., engineers, firemen, and line-mer