The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1908-05-07
Bearing the Olive Branch
Commercial Club Directors
Visit Board of Public Works
Last Night.
COMMERCIAL CLUB Is IN
SYMPATHY WITH PLANT.
Investigation Of the Municipal
Concern Not Looked Kindly
Upon by One Member of
City'S Board.

lnasmuch as the board Of public
works had not deemed it within the
confines of its dignity to call upon
the board of directors Of the CONNER
cial club for a conference in regard
to the municipal electric light plant,
the board of directors agreed to bend
the knee and last evening called upon
the board of works at its room at the
city hall. The board Of directors
made haste to assure tIC representa-
tives of the city administration. that
it is in sympathy with the municipal
plant during its long illness and
doubts not the integrity of the city
officials and others connected with
the luxury. ThereupOn the dove of
peace, which had been cooling softly in
the cote in President Staubach's desk,
was released and spreading its wings
circled about the heads of the con-
forces. pausing momentari1y above
Webster Parry, city controller and
/
nection with the industry of the bot
tom lands.
The rain that poured down outside
and resOUnded most impOlitelY from
the tin Of adjacent roofs disturbed not
I the ardOr Of those within the com
mittee room. The clectrics gIared in
all their dazzling radiance. fit taken
Of the price of the copper connection
with the rotating dynamoes in the
/ pressed-briCk power house. The cham
delier was FURNISHED brightly, there
was a sufficient number of chairs and
after the cordial greetings had been
/ exchanged everything was in rcadi-
ness
1t was a private consultation and
no reporters were admitted but it may
! be presumed that one director lifted
the olive branch, arose and said: 1T
| IS not war we seek. but peace You
would not come to see us, SO We have
| come to see YOU"
The board of directors assured the
! board of works. its member are in
! sympathy with the municipal plant.
! Let it be understood we are not fight
ing the pIant,' said one member.
I'VE came to be told and not to criti-
else. We came in pursuit of informal
tion about this $25O.00O beauty the
| city has placed among the cabba ge
| patches of the public dump opposite
the site of the proposed magnificent
riverside boulevard. We question not
| the authenticity of the figures in the
/ report of the Honorable City C0ntrOll-
er-far be il from us to dare TO pre-
sumo so much as even to know there
is discrimination in the rates offered
| by the city plant. We care not. Is not
one Of our own number among the
chosen few?
Might it not be proper to employ
/ an expert accountant to examine the
books OF the company and an expert
mechanical engineer TO examine the
! equipment at the plant?" asked an
other director in a tremulous voice.
BanE-then came the only explosion
of the evening. 1t resembled very
much the sound caused by the county
sheriff in blowing fstumps in Greene
! township.
A rat rat, l smell rat" and Pol
onius of the yellow delivery wagons
unsheathed his sword. Bear with
me friends If there be those among
YOU who would counsel such, il is to
/ them | say YOU must have care Know
YOU not the electric trust has more
money behind it than those who toy
with the seasons and deal in ice and
coal? Think You not that if We en-
/ plONed experts. more money from our
|Ignoble competitor might employ them
to do their bidding despite what We
might pay If You must have experts
ger local men. who are qualified. else
YOU stand the chance 10 get those in
. league with the trust and We will not
get a square deal"
And then the meeting ended II
was an informal affair and results
We're nor in great demand. The direc-
tors had assured the city triumviratc
plus the controller that their attitude
is one of fairness and in the best in
tereStS Of the city plant. The trium-
virs had had an opportunity to ex,
claim: We three" Everyone was sat.
istied and no harm had been done.
Some fingered and by admiring CLAN
ces displayed their affection for the
city plant while the on and off button
near the door was turned and the
council chamber was clothed again in
Stygian darkness.