Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1907-05-30
ADVISE SELLING OUT.
An Unusually Frank Statement .

An Unusually Frank Statement Of
Failure by Board Of Public Service.
In an exhaustive report to the city
council the board of public service of
Bcllefontaine, o., recommended the
selling of the municipal gas plant OIL
the following grounds:
'"rhe gas plant is no longer necessary
to and does not furnish any public
service.
''Ihe mains in the principal streets
are very old and will require in the
future expensive repairs.
'sThe plant is in as good condition to-
day MS it is possible to put the present
system, and to change the system will
require another bond ISSUE
'sThe average price received from the
sale of gas is very little if any lower
than a private corporation would give
to our people, but is as low as any gov
erning board the people may elect can
make and keep the plant in it's present
condition and meet all the require
ments and pay bonds and interest, as
has been the policy of the present
management.
-Four years ago 1t was necessary to
issue, $4,000 of bonds to build a new
holder and install coal gas bench and
necessary machinery, and another Is
sue of bonds to the extent of $4,000
to pay overdrafts in the banks and
$4,000 more to put new mains in San
duslSy street before it was paved.
These bond issues should have been
unnecessary If the plant had been op-
Grated with view of self support, but
gas was being furnished part of our
citizens for much less than cost, and
the remaining citizens, even if they
did not use gas, We're compelled to
stand a bond issue for which each tax
payer became equally responsible to
get the plant OH its feet. And, as his
tory repeats itself, you will find re-
quest in the future, as in the past, for
bonds to keep the plant in condition
If the price of gas is lowered, and we
wish to say in this connection that
with the election for members of this
board almost year In advance there
| are candidates who are grooming
themselves today with view of catch
ing popular favor and riding into office
on the promise of cheaper gas. and IL
elected ON that issue ana their prom
ises and pledges are carried out you
may expect n request for bond issue,
and when we realize that we are now
bonded to our legal limit, how will the
money be furnished? And If the plant
Is permitted to get in the condition it
| was in four years ago, what would it
be worth if compelled to sell it?
'Is it right or just to tax those peo-
pie who do not use gas to keep up
this plant, either by taxes or bond is
sues, when they derive no service, Ell
tier personally or as citizens from pub
lie service, from the plant? Is it right
to tax any citizen to keep up some
thing that gives him no return as a
| taxpayer? And OH the other hand, is
1t right to compel the gas consumer
to build up plant from revenues de-
rived from the sale of gas for the peo-
pie? AS the people own this plant,
would it not be more equitable to all
the people to dispose of the plant and
with the proceeds furnish necessity
by Installing water mains and sewer
age accommodation for oil citizens?
This, In our opinion. should find favor
from both factions, both of whom at
present have just cause for complaint"