The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1907-12-26
SHALL THE LIGHT
PLANT BE SOLD?
The Palladium, City.


4ation has sprung up for the sale of
the City light plant. This time the
proposition comes from the Light,
Heat & Power company, accompanied
by the statement that the said Light,
Heat & Power company, is losing
money. and that the city is losing
money and don't know it. and there
fore they are willing to employ firm
of chartered accountants and electri-
cal engineers. trained in municipal in
vestfgation. satisfactory TO the city
and themselves. to examine. appraise
and report on the above facts as set
forth.
You will bear in mind that within
fourteen months the city plant has
been examined by its friends and
owners. viz, members of the CONNER
cial club.
In the first place when this plant
was built, We were RECALLED with state
ment after statement that nobody
would want it. and nobody want to
purchase it. Then came along a pro
position to buy the plant. The peo-
pie decided that they didn't want to
sell it. Now comes along another
proposition from our old friends the
Light. Heat & Power company, who
through the kindness Of their hearts.
suddenly discover that the city is los
ing money and therefore they want to
nay for the services of a chartered
accountant to appraise our property,
with a view to buying it.
In the first place, if we wanted to
sell the property, it belongs to the
city. The city has all the value to
offer, both in the shape of actual
property and a franchise. They are
not peddling this light plant to the
public. nor are they trying to sell
same, nor does the writer know of
anybody who would really want to
sell the plznt when he understands
the situation fully.
In this proposition you will find
covered up the usual Trigger in the
od-piIe'' as the said chartered &C
countent and electrical engineer
would probably bring in a report that
the city Is not making money. The
next proposition would be that the
city Is paying too much for its arc
lights. Then after a sale basis was
agreed upon and the city interests
"safegua-ded" (please note the use of
She word in quotation marks) the pro-
position would be to lower the price
on the city lighting and advance the
price on the consumers probably fifty
per cent. Neither party would want
to make franchise to continue longer
than ten years. The price for private
lighting and public lighting would be
set forth in that franchise, and at the
end of the ten years 1t would be found
that the Light, Heat & Power COM
pany or their successors whomever
they might be. could not continue
lighting the city at the "safeguarded'
price. Then would come a scramble
for an increase. The city would have
its hands tied. and nothing to do but
to sit down and submit to any PROPOSE
ZION that the Light. Heat & Power
company or it's successors, would be
willing to'offer.
This is the road we are getting
ready to travel IL we go into any pro-
position looking to the sale of this
plant If we want TO appraise the
plant, there are plenty of men in the
city of Richmond competent to say
what their own property is worth.
1t wants to be borne in mind. that
this same Light. Heat & Power com
pany or its predecessors. made the
tight condition so obnoxious to the
citizens of Richmond. that they voted
3os,
plant 1t wants to be borne in mind
that this same Light, Heat & Power
company in order to get business
continues to cut the rates on electric
light. in some instances furnishing
incandescent globes to consumers
without charge, in order to get them
TO take their light. or necessary
will name one party that the writer
knows personality
1t wants to be borne in mind that
the citizens are paying for their cleo
trio lighting, probably 40 per cent less
than they would pay If there was nc
competition. II wants to be borne in
mind that there is no objection to the
compe tition OF the Light, Heat & Pow
er company. If they want to give
away their electric light. the parties
who take it are fortunate. and the
party who does take it under those
conditions. knows he is getting thai
light at the present low price. for tn,
simple reason of the presence of the
city plant. and the city plant should
have the credit for the low price it i:
making and the public should be will
ing to let the Light, Heat & Powel
company wear out their plant at the
low price so long as they want to con
tinue to furnish light at the presen
prices.
The public does not want to forge
that the Westcott hotel paid 81 .00I
when the Light, Heat 6 Power com
pany controlled affairs for light ant
power, and that under the presen
conditions they are paying $1,000 O
thereabouts. The writer can cite an
other instance where flat charge o
$4,000 per year was made for per