Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1906-11-24

| the members of the Retail Merchants
Association committee have negotiated
a most admirable agreement with MI.
| Browne when they get all of their
terms and conditions down on paper.
/ Mr. Browne is to have three per cent
| tax when he has built an inter
urban from some point on the Milwau-
kee railroad to Marshalltown, and on
northeast as far as the city park. This
is one proposition but it is not more
than half what they have induced MI.
Browne to do.
The other proposition and the ona
which is of even greater Importance
than the interurban is the agreed ex-
tension Of street railway lines to tn :
fair ground, west Of the Soldiers
| Home and a loop around on West
Boone and Nevada streets out as far as
Ninth or Twelfth streets, Including an
agreement from Mr.. Browne that he
buy the present street railway, light,
and power plant and spend enough
money on it to give the public good
! service at reduced rates for lights and
gas in return for an extension of the
franchise fourteen years. These latter
/ matters have not yet been reduced to
| writing but will be as soon as Mr.
| Browne can get here and consent to
all the details.
If the books of the present lighting
company could be brought into court
it would be discovered that the net
earnings enjoyed by Jones and Hovey
| the cost of reproducing their whole
| plant and a strong ten per cent, be-
sides, upon the value of all the inn
provements Mr.. Browne will have to
| make in remodeling the plant and
! building the street car extensions. For
these reasons Mr.. Browne has been
asked to consent to a slight reduction
in both light and gas rates in return
for an extension of his exclusive fran
chise and he has indicated willing
ness to do it. The only question unset
tied between him and the people OF
whom he is asking support is as to the
amount of the reductions and even
this is only friendly difference which
will undoubtedly disappear when MI
Browne arrives to close his written
agreement. The present attitude OF
the public is that Messrs. Jones and
Hovey have not given either the ser
vice or the terms which would justify
the extension Of franchise to them'
but if Mr. Browne will improve the
plant as suggested and give cheaper
lights and cheaper gas, at the same
time he will have become benefactor
for Marshalltown, entitled to all the
aid and business support our citizens
can give him.
X
In view Of the fact that many people
would not favor the three per cent tax
i: it meant nothing more than a rail-
road down to the Milwaukee, put WIN
be enthusiastic upon the subject ii
Mr. Browne does all he intends TO 90
in the way of purchasing the local
plant reducing rates and improving
the service, it becomes highly lmpor-
tant to have the details and terms OF
the franchise contract definitely de-
termined as between Browne and the,
merchants committee before the pub
lie conyass is made for the tax AID.
Mayor Ingledue has also suggested
that the merchants committee couiu
not deliver.a new ordinance. even II
NOT deliver a new ordinance, even II
agreed upon, unless the city council
would do it for them. Hence the
further suggestion has arisen that the
city council should be consulted at this
time. and the present members be
asked to sit with the merchants COM
mittee to sign whatever agreement IS
negotiated satisfactorily to all Sucn
a proceeding would be an added guar
antee to Mr.. Browne and a strong
support to the merchants committee.