The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1907-02-01

eantaaas fesam IAta $50

~
fAe ~raithisss meg 10 Fn~staaeipsfi
ne eiil urnha0iy atrfvg 81 Tie seiu
tion ns Why other gas ana rirCtri,
Hight plsets are bonded, and Their
are vecy few that are nor. tn,
rdeeu Gas ca. is bonded fol
sioo. 900. vet | understand, that som,
OF the bankers OF Aberdeen, as vel
as other responsible citizens. art
owners of the property. The Aoer'
deer pladt has . miles OF mains (oy
1906 directory while we lave 81.
miles and they nave nc electric light
plant, while we have 9is miles OF
electric pole line.
To Mr.. Hitchcock's assertion that
the Mitchell Gas Co. is under my
control. lie is quite right. There is
more than % per cent control owned
By me. Is it deemed any disgrace
Or sign of incapacity that such is the
case? or any reason why we should
not strive TO satisfy u customers
the same as any other tradesman
does? I think not.
In Mr.. Hitchcock's sighting re.
marks as to my business reputation
and financial ability, which mark
the character OF the hyena methods
he has resofted to in bis rush into
print attacks for the last year, [
suppose be concluded he was putting
up a knock out blow and a poser. |
have only to respectfully reply, that
I do not believe the Scotland gentle
men he refers to have aught to say
%derogatory to my business reputation
or character, because of a few little
domestic political battles which we
have had there, all of which have
Il. occurred in good earnest and so far as
I am concerned. no sore spots as a
result.
Some men in%yoluntarily resort to
villification and SANDER to. make
themselves believe they are conduct
ing an honorable fight. Ii the credit
of tue Mitchell Gas Co. and myself
we're no broader than the horizon of
some of our opponents, | should GER
tainly feel handicapped. also if the
property interests of the Gas Co. in
Mitchell are not sufficient guaran ee
for US to get the renewal of the
franchise. then / fail to understand
the meaning or benefit of having
property The Mitchell Gas Co. IS
able to take care of all the business
there is for it to do now, or in the
future. We are aware that there
has been more or less knocking by a
aw as to what we would or would
OF do, and to this in the future, as
4 the past, we shall try to mind our
WI business and let our application
to the interests of our patrons be the
record.
/ think that the concessions that
we have made in the franchise are
more favorable to Mitchell consumers
than in any other city in the state
to be compared With Mitchell.
III conclusion, | would say that we
understand and recognize that any
person or company supplying public
service, as we are doing, practically
have the field and it is right and
proper that the citizens should be
s~afe-guarded against unscrupulous
ownership. This is done by fixing
the highest rate the company can ask
for current. These properties have
been acquitted in the regular course
of business. The gas franchise was
developed by u at ii time when many
said unless Mitchell got the capital
it would amount to nolhing as a city.
We put our money in with the rest
and took chances. We bought the
electric plant after those opposing
the renewal OF the franchise had
ample opportunities to buy but did
not. Why lot, ! do not know. Be-
cause we now have it and they have
it not, is no reason our invest ment
should be put in jeopardy.
Why did not Mr.. Hitchcock oppose
the passing of the gas franchise al
the tine it Was under consideration,
If the rates and terms Of that fran
chise were not as they should have
been. He was hele and knew all
about its passage. Three are less
than one third the homes in Mitchell
using electric light, why? One reason
is that electric light is..wlth gasclassed
among the luxuries, the same as city
water service, Or bath and closet.
All do not use them because they dc
not feel able. The percentage of Gus
tom in N city is quite we'll defined
by established statistics.
Our investment we regard as suf-
iicient guarantee of good faith and
we do not imagine that if it was
found our concessions have feen toe
liberal any Of the users Of current
would feel called upon TO stand any
OF the loss. We believe we are ell
titled to a renewal of the franchise
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