La Junta tribune., 1905-03-29
seee aevsa.ss.ss.

coneeded BY the champion Of mu-
nSeipal Ownership that tie present
dnnncial condition Of La Junta does
not warrant the city in assuming
any new burden. taking any chances
o. trying any expeFiments with .
mnnicipal electric light plant. At
49, nothing Is urged in the way Of
thets and figures To show that The
city is in condition to undertake
sueh venture at this time. ! do
not believe in being ''vacillating or
uneertain," nor do l believe that
d. taxpayers of La Junta will be
vaeillating or uncertain. but l do
believe that they will be cautious
and circumspect when it come to
the matter of trying experiments
with the public funds. These ele-
uasnts of caution and circumspec-
ton are what make men accumulate
property and become taxpayers-
Fourteen years ago the people Of
this city, or such Of them Is were
here at that time. were exceedingly
giad to have the La Junta Electric
Company invest its money here and
were very anxious TO give the COM
pany permission to use its streets
and alleys for twenty years for the
erection Of its poles and the string
ing of its wires. This right has
nsver developed into BONANZA nor
has it proved = profitable invest
msnt. II the company had its
money back. which It has sunk in this
city. it would be only too glad to
rslinquish its valuable franchise"
for the remaining six years It has
70 run. to anyone who wants to
undertake the proposition Of light
Ing the city Of La Junta.
Il is now conceded by the cham
pions of municipal ownership that
The proposed issue Of so. 600 Of
bonds will not build plant sufficient
70 supply the city with light and
power. This admission knocks the
lest prop from under their position.
When this matter was brought be-
fore the council and since that time
and until recent article in the
Tribune. all advocates Of municipal
ownership have claimed that SO. 900
would build the plant. The council
thought it would when it passed the
ordinance. but now, after the mat
tc7 is submitted to the people, it is
found that there will be but half
snough money to build the plant. In
other words the city will have half =
plant to start with and the money
FOR The cosnplstion Of it win have 70
come out Of the pockets Of the tax
payers by direct taxation because
the law will not permit the city to
bond itself for more thae three per
cent Of its assessed valuation. for
anything except water works, and
81. 900 will be the limit for lighting
bonds.
In The article in the TRIBUNE
above referred to. il was stated that
"Whsn the present contract for
street lighting expires the city can
furniah its own street lights At the
cost Of production" The article
failed. however. to state that the
present contract does not expire for
two yean and . half. nor that II the
bonds carry there win be the specta-
Gle q La Junta with IN electric
plant II half the capacity necessary
for effective work. with no use to
put it to for two and one-half years.
and q tie same time paying interest
on 3d. in electric light bonds
and buying light from the present
company. just where the taxpayer
is coming in on that kind Of . propo-
sition I fail to sre.
Fgurss on the cost Of q plant
suffiejsnt for the purposes Of this
city hsve been received from three
diffeeunt houses, and their Offers
vary frum 81. 900 to $45, 900. depen-
dent upon the quality Of the ma
chinsgy furnished. and this exclusive
of III building. in the lowest esti-
mats given.
H. trouble with the advocates Of
the bsnds Is that they deal in
theoeto instead Of cold. hard facts
and 6gurss. E. w. HAskINs.
oooso cosaev esspss ese6s~so.