The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1907-12-13

cation of the Municipal lighting plant
10 ASCERTAIN its true value with the OBJ
ject of purchasing it from the city, the
three following replies were received
to date:
Editor Palladium:
l am seriously opposed TO the plan of
selling the Municipal light plant to
the Light, Heat and Power company.
A. 3. II.
Editor Palladium:
In compliance with your request I
wish to say that the proposition made
by the Light, Heat and Power company
to the city authorities. seems to me to
be eminently fair and based upon
sound business principles and good,
common sense.
A statement from electrical experts,
who are entirely dsinterested. and full
1y competent for the work, is much to
be desired, as TO the true inwardnesS
of our plant. Under the above cOndi-
tions | say sell by all means. if a de
rent offer is made. f. S.
Editor Palladium
| wish to state my views as d tax
payer and wage Garner. | voted to
build the Municipal light plant to down
a monopoly that had taken every ad-
vantage that a heartless monopoly
could. | went in with my eyes open,
and | have still got them open. and
don't propose to be blinded by any
propositions or assertions the Light,
Heat and Power company may make.
They say they will safeguard the citi-
zens' interests. Bah, They did not
do 1t before. and who ever heard of a
monopoly safe guarding any other
bodys interests but their own? If
you have worked in any of the, city
campaigns you can readily see that if
such a sale was an accomplished fact,
then the l.. Fl. & p. Co. would get busy.
Just point to the time the l.. H. 4 p.
Co has not been busy since the con-
struction of the Municipal plant. Eigh
teen months ago they inaugurated a Sc
ance similar to this. Wanted to know
how we stood. Styled it campaign
of education. Now Mr.. l.. H. & Co..
show up your books and the internal
workings of your office and plant. and
let the citizens know how bad you are
off, so we will know how much longer
we will get to set on you. You are
beat right now, for no dog will lick his
enemy's hand; but he will always lick
his masters hand Notice the style il,
which you do it; the courteous and af-
fob in ion, nC
unbusiness like called by you purely Il
businessl proposition, asking city
council to appoint committee and
employ an expert at your expense to
investigate your competitors plant.
That is gall with a big G. Virtually
saying to the mayor city council.
board of public improvements. comp
don't know anything. and on that &C
count you ought to employ an expert, a
consulting engineer or TWO. that We can
see" See? You want to show the
citizens what a poor thing they have
got, but you also want to buy the poor
worn out thing-the Municipal plant
at your own price, because we haven
any men that have a well developed
chronological bump OF business. (They
are all in the employ of the L.. H. Il
p. Co.. SO that they are able to say
whether and 2 is 4. or > and are 4
Nevertheless they will tell you it's 4
all the same. Our Municipal plant is
just what the figures say. not from any
outside ''jugglery," and any citizen
has the right to examine the books VI
demand OF council an examination
Its simply winner and when you take
into consideration the saving that has
been made on city lighting and private
light since the city's plant has been
built computed at the price paid &C
tie L.. H. x p. Co. and the prevailing
price now. tS95 per arc then and Sc
now. the difference should be credited
TO the citv's plant. because the building
of 1t caused the cut in price. II
makes it a four time winner and gooC
enough TO keep. and the L., II. X p Co
acknowledges it by making the whin
ing proposition to buy. We invited
YOU to go out of business when we
built the plant. but you chose to stay
until a brick house fell on you and il
caught you. Pull out, This is oul
town. Go somewhere that will allow
you to be the bell sheep and contro
the gang.
Suppose the city sold the Municipal
plant. The L.. II. X p. Co could 81
as far toward corrupting the city gov
eminent as has any corporation in thu
past. by making combine with thu
Natural Gas company. so that all Nat
ural gas would pass through the arti
fetal plant of the L.. II. X P. Co. AM
the artificial gas price rate be charged
the citizen consumer. Secure tn,
shortest term of years franchise. Thel
series of years of unsatisfactory ser
vice until the end of the short fran
thise Then in due time, by corrupt
ing methods. elect a l.. H. n p. clique
man for Mayor and enough council
men. TO carry out their plan. Thel
they would be in a position to nail
long time franchise at long. long price
for every commodity in the light line
right III front of the city hall. so j
would be reminder of your hearues