Omaha daily bee., 1906-11-05
STUDENTS WATCH ATLANTIC
Report on Municipal Owned Plants Of
Great Interest
RAILROADS FAIL TO KEEP UP TO DATE
TrBmc Increases More Rapidly Than
Equipment to Handle IL r. Pro-
vided--CIOsinE I'D Cam
paign.
(From a stan Correspondent

DIES MONIES, Nov 4.--(speciaL Be
cause of its being one OF the first impartial
and absolute authentic reports on the con-
dition Of a municipal plant the report Of
the inspectors on the accounts OF the city
Of Atlantic is considered by students OF
municipal affairs one OF the most Inn
portant. The city of Atlantic owns both
its water works and electric light plants
and there lis agitation at this time I'm the
city Tor tho sale of the electric light plant
The matter must be submitted to a vote
Of the people before the plant can be sold
and the sale involves with II the letting
Of a franchise to an electric railway. The
figures filed with the state auditor by the
inspectors of city accounts for both the
water works and electric light plants cover
a period from April Is, 19Ol.sto September
20 1906 In the case OF the electric light
plant the receipts from consumers were
SIS, G57.35 for the five and a half years, and
the expenditures were SOL, 1915, less 5000
which was illegally transferred to the water
works fund to help pay for the water works
plant The street lighting, which had cost
the city $3.50 month, or 5000 a year, under
the municipal ownership of the plant cost
the city but S3.O9A82 for five years and 4
half During that period, however, there
was paid into the treasury from an electric
light tax the sum of 81, 4OO.34, but the fund
has 49, 1872 a in cash on hand which with
the $1,000 illegally transferred, would make
SIP 4S224, showing that the plant could
operate and pay all expenses without tax
alton. The showing should even be better
than this, for I'm the items Of expenditure
there are a large number Of items that
really amounted to betterments and inn
provements in the plant which should be
charged as additions to the original capital
The water works plant makes even bet
ter showing. The income from water rent
ais from the period from April Is, 1901, to
September %. 1906 was $50 2O7.24, which sum
came entirely from supplying consumers
with water and making connections and
the like The expenditures during the same
period were $49. O62O6 showing a clear gain,
the plant being operated at profit and
the city getting its own water for the fire
hydrants and public buildings free.
No Action on Trusts.
It is probable that no action will be taken
against the trusts by Attorney General
Mullen His term lasts but two months
more and the time between now and the
close OF his term is hardly SUFFICIENT to
begin any litigation such as that would
Ibe. Furthermore, the evidence taken in
the grain hearing in this city recently that
might give him some information for pro-
ceeding against the Grain trust cannot be
had unless congress should vote an appro-
priaton and order the work printed.
railroads Don't Keep Up.
! With the exception of one or two small
matters the railroads have fallen far short
OF keeping their equipment up to the con-
dition of the freight business, according
to the report of the Iowa Railroad COM
mission that has just been made public
The tonnage according to this report has
| been shipped over the railroads that trav-
erse Iowa amounted to IT, per cent more
than It did back in 1890, fifteen years ago.
On the other hand, the number Of box
cars available on the same lines for ship
ment Of grain and the produce of the farm
amounted TO but 13I per cent, and freight
| engines 119 per cent. The total number Of
box cars, coal cars fiat cars, stock cars
and the like, including all cars for ship
ping freight. has increased in the same
period of years but IA per cent. Increase
| in the size of cars and the power of the
| locomotives would, Of course, make con-
siderable difference.
Rivalry for Banners.
| A stn competition is likely 70 ensue for
the Tippecanoe banner and flag that is
! given each election to the county making
the greatest republican gain and to the
county making the greatest republican
vote. At the last general election the COM
petition was so close that II was some
days after the election before the matter
l'could be determined and the banner and
flag awarded. with the recurrence OF the
custom Of the Tippecanoc club to give this
banner and flag interest is beginning 10
center i'm the occasion. II is made a sort
OF republican jollihcation following the
election, and prominent men of the party
are called in from over the state TO de-
liver the addresses OF presentation of the
trophies to the counties winning them
The Tippecanoe club has for the past two
or three weeks been into the campaign
I'm a strenuous manner I'm spite Of the age
Of the members in an effort TO line ~
straight party votes and with signs oil
success.
Many Speeches Monday.
Although the campaign is practically
over so far as the workers are concerned
the republicans win hold number Of
rallies and addresses tomorrow. Governor
| Cummins will speak In Dubuque tina
night. Secretary Wilson at his home il
Traer. Secretary Shaw at his home II
Denison Senator Dolliver at his home II
Webster county, Auditor Carroll at h
home in Davis county and Webb Byers a
his home In Shelby county and ex-Governo
L.arrabee at his home in Fayette county
Every candidate on the republican tickle
except the governor, who makes a speed
today closing the campaign, will make tina
speech at his home. on the democrats