The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1907-12-17
Entered at Richmond. Ind. Postoncs
As Second Glass Mali Matter,
INVESTIGATION OF LIGHT PLANT.


che opinion the other day that the
Palladium's support had been bought
by the Light, Heat and Power COM
pany. That such accounted for the
change of front by the Palladium and
kept it from loudly extolling the mu-
nicipal light plant and its present
management That that was the rea-
Aon we favored the acceptance Of the
Light, Heat and Power companys
proposition for an open investigation
by experts and, if needs be, the ulti
mate sale of the plant. Possibly the
most significant thing about this is,
that it is all report as far as we have
heard. The man CD who is claimed
to have uttered these accusations did
not come to our office and accuse us
directly of being so corrupted. He
Is alleged to have bravely made
these stateme nts along the streets
and in the stores and offices
to others than the principal one
involved. Before passing from this
point, we wish to say that if this man
did make the charges alleged and 1t
was a mere oversight that caused him
to neglect to show that he was real
man by bringing his charges directly
to us, he still has the chance. Our
office Is still located at the corner Of
Ninth and North A streets and We will
be there at all reasonable hours Of the
day to ram the dirty remarks and
charges he is alleged to nave made
down his throat if he really
has manhood enough to make them to
US personally. But we doubt that he
will avail himself Of this opportunity.
He has always enjoyed reputation IN
this community of being a long range
fighter. Bravest when the other fell
low was farthest away.
As far as the truth OF his accusa
lions are concerned with the public,
we feel that we will not suffer at all
by a comparison between his record in
Richmond and our own. Our interest
in the municipal plant is purely
business one. We do not mix seni-
ment with business either in the day
reason we want to know the exact con-
dition of the Municipal plant from the
lips of experts. Not that certain mem
bers of the board are not experts in
their line. One we know of, for in
stance, is certainly an expert at cor
railing the ice and coal business into !;
pretty good imitation Of a real, live
such as price boosting, etc. But we
do not want the expert advice Of an
trical plant We would feel much
more surely enlightened if further
knowledge of our municipal plant came
from an electrical expert. And that
knowledge should be soon forthcom-
ing. 1t will only be a matter of
year or two until the entire overhead
system Of the city's wires will have to
be rebuilt at a cost of not far from
$4,000. A new unit here and a new
overhead system there Always some
unexpected and extraordinary expendi-
<ure. and as is generally the case. the
bill has to be met from the city's gen.
eral fund. They show us in beauti-
fully arranged figures, that the munic-
ipal plant is making money and yet
every year seems to bring with it it's
own particular kind Of large expense.
Those who do mix sentiment with
business in their attitude towards the
municipal plant, attempt to justify
themselves by arguing that even if
the plant is a money loser it is good
for the city because it keeps lighting
rates very low. They forget, howev-
er, that the Municipal plant in which
over $4,000 has been spent to date,
must one day wear out. They do not
realize that the process of the plants
wearing out is already at work Else
why would it be necessary to rebuild
the over head system of wires so soon:
The rebuilding Of these wires is not
adding to the plant in any way to in
crease its producing power and, conse-
Quently its earning capacity. 1t is
simply replacing worn out material
with new. a process that every man
ufacturer has to face and surmouat
with a depreciation fund collected for
that cypress purpose from his profits.
The question then that an investiga,
ton must answer is this: Is the Munic-
ipal light plant making money: MAX
ing money not in the sense of so much
in excess each month Of receipts over