Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1908-10-27
,,,|tR@ |O PER- GENT
EARNINGS; NOT MUCH.
No Reason Why We Can't Earn
Any Old Per Cent if We're
Smart Enough
so SAYS PRESIDENT JONES
so SAYS PRESIDENT JONES
Council Committee o., Proposed Dollar
Gas and 1o-cent Electricity ordin-
Light, Power and Railway Company
| Nothing Accomplished.

The committee of the city council,
recently appointed by Mayor lngledue
to meet officials of the Marshalltown.
Light, Power and Railway company to
discuss the proposed new rate ordin-
ahce. held q session behind closed doors
dn the council chamber Monday night
President C. D. Jones and Secretary S.
Us. Hovey, of the company, were pres
ent, and the situation was discussed,
but without any satisfactory results in
getting together on any proposition.
Meeting with the committee were
Mayor Ingledue and City Solicitor
Northup. also an attorney for the gas
company.
Grants 10 Per Cent On investments.
Some very pointed remarks were
made on the part OF the mayor and the
committee on the proposition of the
city of Marshalltovn to enforce an Or
dinance calling for dollar gas and To-
cent electricity, with the result that
Mayor Ingledue submitted this propo-
sttion to the company:
That the company should permit an
expert accountant. selected by the city.
to 60 thru the conlpanys books, deter
mine the value of the plant and its
earning power: then the city council
ITO adopt an ordinance that would per-
NIT the company to earn 10 per cent
on the money invested in the plant.
Not Much-Jones.
President Jones would not consider
such a proposition for an instant. He
replied that there was no reason why
his company should not earn 90. go,
or any other per .,ehf, II it was smart
enough to do it.
Mr. Jones compared his business with
that of Mayor Ingledue. and asked if
the mayor would like to have his earn
ing power restricted.
The mayor replied that the situation
was not parallel, for the Marshalltown
Light, Power and Railway company
was. a monopoly, and that the com
pany was permitted to do business here
by the will of the people; If the peo-
PIE wanted gas Oh. electricity they must
E
and Railway company for it; if they
We're not satisfied they had no redress.
Company Will Submit Ordinance.
President Jones did agree TO one
thing, however and that was that his
company wotild soon submit an ordin-
ance to the city that it would be will
fng to accept He did not intimate
what it's terms would be. Mr.. Jones
- ts1A La -
harrassed here by the city the business
had finally reached a point where
there was no stability in it, Jones
said that the city had passed an ordin-
ance permitting the company to do
business, and he could see no good
reason why the city should be eontin-
ually harping ett it. Mr.. Jones said
that his company would be willing to
take an average Of prices paid in all cit
ies of Iowa, and make the rates in ac-
cordance.
City is Determined.
Mayor Ingledue when seen today
said that he had announced to the
gas company officials that the city
of Marshalltovn was determined in
this gas and electricity fight. and that
Marshalltown was going to have bet
ter service, AMI gas and electricity at
q lower cost.
Admits Service 10 Bad.
President Jones is said to have adj
mitted that the present service af
forded by his company is bad, but he
says that the local. plant makes the
best quality Of gas furnished in Iowa.
He was asked why there was no heat
in the gas if tie quality was so SUI
perior.
He replied that he did not know
why it was. He Yves asked something
about air in the gas, and replied that
the gas meter would not move unless
gas was used. 80
Mayor Ingle,due referred to the gas
president a bill of $7.25 for gas used
in his home in one month, and said
that in half shat time there was not
enough heat in the gas to cook a beef
steak. Jones said something about ex-
travagance, but the mayor said he
knew his wife better.
Northup Asks Some Questions.
City Solicitor Northup also took a
hand in the questioning, and wanted
tot know ho,v much it cost the com
pany to manufacture the gas it made
last year.
Mr. Jones replied he did not know.
Mr.. Northup asked how much gas
was manufactured in the local plant
last year.
Mr. Jones did not know, burt said that
hereafter the company would know.
Last year the meter was broken and
the gas could not be measured.
The mayor asked Mr.. Jones If it
were not fact that the revenue of
his company, during the past five years,
based on net receipts, did not exceed
the entire amount of capital invested
by the company in Marshalltown.
Mr.. Jones was sure that such was
not the case.
The members of the council COM
mittee were, Mcdonald. of the First;
Gregory, of the Second; Good. Of the
Third; Herman. of the Fourth, and
Psenicka, of the Fifth
GEORGE ABBEY DEAD.