The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1908-05-23

pay its book value for it. He says
it is a losing proposition. but still he
wants the plant, and in addition TO
this. he states. he will light the city at
$1,000 a light or $500 wear cheaper
than the city is lighting it, but he
wants a twenty year franchise that
is worth 100000 given 10 him, He
wants 10 fence IN 20,000 people for
twenty years and make them subject
| 70 his tender mercies. or the tender
mercies OF his assigns for a period OF
! time He says he will maintain the
/ present city schedule, Now, in this
period Of twenty years he is going 10
/ give YOU. providing the city don't
! grow. $50 lights. Or $4,000 less than
the city plant is furnishing, but at
the very outset he demands that We
give him $4,000 in the shape Of a
| franchise for this kindness. and in ad.
dition. We give him or his assigns we
opportunity to fence IN the town al
any rate that he or his assigns may
conclude that they may want ~
: charge as no contract can be made
with them that will bind them. This
is liberal proposition from Mr., With
erbys stand point.
Now. in order To accomplish this
| result he Will have 70 get the consent
of the citizens 20 the sale % the Mu-
niCipal pl2nt The only known way
he can get this consent is to make
the citizens dissatisfied with their
property.
The first plan adopted seems to b.
as far as developments go. about
three-Quarters finished at present. tn
last quarter OF course. yet unfinished.
Mr.. Citizen came into the arena first
with the demand that the CITY plant
should be investigated. and a plea that
We should hold up Mr. Witherby's
hands and let him help us do this with
the statement, that if we should find
wrong in the management of the
plant, that he would vote 10 sell the
plant, The general impre ssiOn is,
that Mr.. Citizen is the local manager
or somebody connected with the Light
Heat q Power plant. Should that be
the case, there is not much question
that Mr.. Citizen would vote to sell the
plant to the man who is furnishing
him his job.
Item No. in the program. InstruC-
lions TO the local manager here to go
to Mr.. Won Pein. offer him stock in
the Light Heat & Power Co, tell him
in writing that he would be made a
director in the local company. explain
to him what a delightful thing it
would be to go to New York and see
the sights, (haVe his expenses paid.
and his time paid for. and an official
and honorary position given him with
out spending any money TO get it, To
Mr.. Won PENIS credit be it said, he
rejected, and made public this propo-
sitiOn, and the writer concludes that
if Mr.. Won Pein had not been chair
man OF the committee on franchises
in Richmond, the local manager would
probably not have been able 10 eX.
tend to him the munificent offer as
| above mentioned. Evidently they got
hold of the wrong fellow, but Ger
| tainIy intended that Mr. Won Peir
| should give them value received in
| services rendered for money expend
ed. SOullesS corporations, as a rule
do not do things any other way. This
is another method of making the pub
-
l. Item No. >. Some myste rious indi
vidual who is said to be a member Of
II the Commercial club writes a letter
and invites Mr.. Glen Marston of New
| York to come 10 Richmond and make
| an address before the Commercial
club. Subject of address. State Con
troll of Public Utilities" In that let
ter he states that no expense woulC
be required of the club in as much as
| a private member of the club haC
agreed to take care of same. Club &C
cepts invitation. Mr.. Marston appear:
on the scene, properly advertised anC
instead of discussing State Control o
Public Utilities Immediately launche:
into a TRADE against Municipal Own
ership and abuse of the city plant
Object to be obtained. more public
sentiment TO be developed agains
municipal ownership in Richmond
and the Commercial club was TO bj
used TO further that object.
The above three items are open ant
| public property.
Everybody knows that the abov,
statements are facts.
Item No. T. Mr.. Witherby witt
proper blowing of trumpets announce
that he wants to speak to the cit
council; goes before the city council
and makes the demand that the Nun
Cipal plant be investigated, and tina
an incompatible board of public ar
praisers be employed for the purpos
OF examining this plant, and see HOY
much money the municipal plant
losing. His intention was, the write
presumes. that the council should ar
- point committee. order an appraise
and hire one of these appraisal board.
agreeing on a price Of three or fou
= hundred dollars. and have the plan
III appraised. Right at this point wa
n where somebody was going 10 get i
II his fine work, viz; the Appraiss
81 Board would probably be seen by tn
". proper parties, arrangements made I
he give the city the worst Of the apprai
es al, in other words, appraise the pro-