The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1907-02-28
WANTS TO FIGURE
Gen. Manager kimbaII Of Gas. Co.
Would Submit Psices on New
Contract for City Light
BUSINESS PROPOSITION
Urges Fullest Investigation OF the Pro-
ject to Build Municipal Lighting
Plant, and Warns People
Against Rasty Action

ject of building a municipal lighting
plant to a referendumgvote al the
coming city election, has Istirred up
the managers of the gas company and
they are evidently preparing to give
the friends of the project hot argu-
ment as soon as any hguresaare sub.
mitted for the consideration of the
voters. In an interview this.morning,
General Manager Kimball of the Ke-
nosha Gas and Electric company said:
Nov that municipa1Downe rship is
before the people for consideration, it
is for the people to decide what natural
monopolies they can economically
control, but no decision should be
reached merely on the bare statement
of men whose hobby andS diversion it
! is to merely pass over these questions
specifically, and who have drawn
their conclusions from unsubstanti-
ated reports. Furthermore, too much
attention should.no be given sto the
opinions of men who are not thor
oughly conversant with the. principles
and details involved in thesmanage-
nent and maintenance of the industry
which they wish to municipa1ize.
Strange to relate, the technical de-
tails which are often brought up for
discussion, and upon which SO much
depends in reaching the aproper deci-
sion, are seldom thoroughly under
stood by the sponsors of thesagitation.
AS the result of this wrong interpre-
tation of the data under considera-
ton, the matter is paraded under false
colors, although no doubt the ques-
ton is being handled in conscien-
tious manner, and consequently the
public in general passes judgment
very often detrimental to itself.
"The question as to whether Keno
sha desires to go into the lighting
business OF not is purely business
question as to whether the city can
save any money over long period of
time by building lighting plant Of its
own. assume that if the same prices
and service can be obtained from the
Kenosha Gas and Electric company as
can be obtained from a municipal
plant the city would prefer not to take
the business risk involved in any bus
mess. The present contract with the
Kenosha Gas and Electric company
does not expire until two years from
February, 1907. This being the case
no money should be spent for figures,
plans and specifications at this time
because they would be value1ess when
the city decided to build.
s'The present agitators say that the
plant should be built at once so as to
be ready to run when the present con-
tract expires. The Kenosha Gas and
Electric Co. desires to figure on a new
contract with the city when this pres
ent contract expires and would be very
glad to agree to light the city at the
present contract price until munich
pal plant could be built if the city
and company, after thorough in
vestigation of all the points involved,
could not agree on a new contract.
Handling the question in this way
would give the city additional time to
thoroughly investigate the situation
and to profit by the experiences and
mistakes of others and also to take
advantage of any improvements in
lamps and machinery that are invent
ed during this time. The question
should be fully investigated by CONF
mittee and the fullest publicity given
to such investigation and definite
figures and conclusions should be arr
rived at before the matteris submitted
to the people as to whether bonds
be issued or not.
"Fullest personal investigated
should be given to all statistics on
both sides of the question. 1t is
natural that municipalities, after
making large investments Tin these
enterprises, should seek to justify
what they have done. The least
that can be said is that they
will be reluctant to bring to light
errors in their acts and conclusions.
A tendency to suppress the bad and
to give emphasis to the good is to be
Expected and this, as much as any
thing else, is to be watched for in
meeting these questions.
"Aesop's fable of the fox and his
lost tail here finds excellent applica-
ton. The willy old fellow wished
company in his misery and, we recall,
urged all the other foxes to cut off
their tails. He gave as many favor
able reasons as any proud possessor
of municipal plant can offer sister
municipality in urging her to do like
wise. But the assembled Lfoxes re-
membered that the loss Of tail is
easily accomplished; that the trouble
some thing is to get it back again.
Municipal, like private funds, may be
spent at any time they take flight
easily with less ease one gets pos
session of them again.