Arizona republican., 1909-12-10
MUNICIPAL
 OWNERSHIP Council Takes First Step Howard Lighting Plant URGED BY BUSINESS MEN
Small Minority of Citizens Argue Against Precipi- tate Haste But Are Over ruled-Plan is for $300,- GOO Bond Issue

III SpllG pl llt SlItliS tlltt NS 'l d small minority of citizens who opposed haste in the deciding of so important a question. the city council last night in deference to the expressed wishes of a large number of taxpayers pres ent passed the resolution inStructins the city attorney to take steps toward obtaining permission from congress for the city to bond itself for $300,0oO for the construction of a municipal lighting plant.
 After three hours of discussion. dur ing most of which the councilmen re- mained in a receptive mood and said little. the resolution was finally intro duced by Mir. Cisney and after a while, seconded by Mir. Hackett A vive vOce vote. in which one councilman did not vote. resulted unanimously in fla vor of the resolution. The assembled citizens cheered loudly at the decision and went away well satisfied.
 The meeting was held for the sole purpose of taking action on the ques- ton which had been brought up be- fore the council at it's last meeting in the form of a petition signed by some 500 citizens. When the outer room of the council chamber was nearly as full of citizens as it would hold. the mayor called the meeting to order. For the first hour everything proceeded smoothly. One after another of the business men of the city spoke in favor of the proposition. They gave many arguments, each one adding some thing to what had been said before. There was no opposition. Apparently the council could not do otherwise than carry out the wishes of the busi- ness men assembled. The proposition as first presented. was for the calling of an election to decide whether or not bonds for S200.000 should be issued. This amount was stated to be ample to cover the cost of building a plant for electric lighting. It was taken for granted that the city had the right to issue bonds for this purpose. Argu- ment after argument was piled up. one on top of another. The high price of electric lighting as charged by the Pa cific Gas and Electric company, made quate service and the large revenue the city would derive even if but half the present price were charged, were all advanced in minute detail. MT. Cis- ney moved that an election be called.
 Up to this point the proceedings had run on like a sluggish stream. without 9 ripple Then B. A. Fowler. who had taken no previous part in the discus sion. arose to advise caution and the avoidance of precipitous haste. He said:
 I have been an advocate of every good civic movement in this city in recent years. and I shall continue so. It is not pleasant to be on the un-pop ular side of any question. but I shall not let that affect me in the least. Dr Foss. who has just spoken. is firm friend of mine. but when he makes the statement that this question admits of no argument: that there cannot he two sides to it. think he Is going too far. It is open to serious argument There are thinking nen in this city who do not believe that this project as it now stands can be successfully car red out Within the past few hours L. C.+HiH. of the reclamation service. man whose judgment is generally ac- cepted and whose integrity cannot he impeached. told me that an adequate plant for this city cannot be built for szGe. 900
 Tt seems to me that the council will act hastily if they vote to take the first step toward bonding the city for an electric plant. I should think that they would want tlIc opinion of experts who could furnish them with data showing the actual cost of such plant and it's producing powers.
 Again. I do not think you will find it 50 easy to get an enabling act at Washington. There will be strong op- position there: and l do not believe that you can sell the bonds after they are issued People will not buy them with another electric plant here fur nishing power and light
 Mir Fowler added that he still stood on his recommendations on the sewer question. when. as chairman of the committee to examine into that sub ject he advised the purchase of the old sewer system with the real estate owned by that company for ss2.000. which would make the sewer alone cost about S60.000 He said that the tilA SHohiu dCIulTc q sewer SN NSAtiii pt- fore it did an electric plant-that the necessity was greater.
 Dr. Foss then said. relative to the cost of an electric plant: >'I heard MT. Chalmers, standing in this room. ask for a reduction of the assessment of the Pacific Gas and Electric company. He said that the property was not