Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1909-10-16
Local Comment

OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES eIsIsfsxsIsISGsIeGSGSHS
II the city is in any danger of being
short of water again the council had
better order meters placed on every
service in town. No tank on earth
long with as many as 1000 leaks in it
ana that Is what the city of MARSHALL
town now permits in practically 900
unmetered services which. in warm
weather. are simply turned on and al
lowed TO run. Closets even are not re-
paired but the water left running
When the weather cools these I'M
metered faucets are not used so waste
fully and our water shortage no longer
emearrasses US. Put in the meters
first and then sink more wells if need
be. Never turn in the river.
Somebody must begin keeping cows
TINS winter or our people will have 10
resort 70 canned milk When Mr.. r. S
Patten got tired of rising at a. m.
this week TO milk nine cows before re-
porting for duty al the postoffice at
$50. he sold his herd and his Gus
toners We're turned out to wander in
a milklesS world Some Of them. even.
are wandering yet. so difficult is it TO
find supply. The way to make money
keeping cows is for wage working and
salaried men TO keep one or two COWS
and supply their immediate neighbor-
hoods without delivery cost and with
out excessive labor There is good
money in ii, this way
The city council has approved the
franchises asked in the name Of
Messrs. Darling and Schroeder by COL
onel Pratt, and undoubtedly for Jones
& Hovey. The people will be asked to
vote twenty-five year franchise of all
their public Utilities. They are prom
ised in return gas rate which in the
next five years will cause them to pay
to the gas company s2S 800 more than
under the gas ordinance already on the
books.
They are promised a tax from the
company back to the city beginning af-
ter the fifth year and running for
twenty years, which has been figured to
equal per cent interest on the s2S. 500
excess paid in by gas consumers dur
ing the first five years. but at the end
Of the franchise the company keeps the
principal
They are promised street car extern
sions TO the fair grounds. 10 the city
park, south across the creek, and west
of the soldiers home within five years.
provided the city win pay any and all
damages claimed by abutting property
owners II cost one factory owner in
this city $4,000 70 pay these claims for
the extension of switch track two
blocks, and since the street car COM
pany is TO have the right to haul
freight trains over its lines at night
the City will nave to stand enormous
damages or waive its right under the
bond to require the lines to be built
TneF are also promised "rehabilita-
ton of the gas and electric plants
which the promoters have said in a
published letter would amount to $500
600 but which is left blank In the ordi-
nances, and when Mr.. Gregory pro-
posed an amendment to make it not
less than $4,000, he was voted down
They are promised lower electric
| light and power rates than are now
owners of the utility offer these rates
! the presumption must be that the rates
offered are reasonable and the law now
gives the city council the right to re-
duce utility rates to the lowest point
that IS not unreasonable without hand
ing out any twenty-five year franchises
| for good measure.
They are not promised an interurbar
! Of any kind, but rather have the ordi.
nsnces been so framed that the inter.
urban crowd OF anybody else not work.
ing with or for Jones & Hovey mus
put up bonds for s15o,00U. guaranteeing
to build all three plants just as big a:
Jones & Hoveys and have them all il
operation in one year. and said bond
to be forfeited in case any injunction
suit or litigation should prevent thu
plants being completed within the year
These ordinances and franchises ma.
be voted by the people who do not car
what their gas bills are, but they wer
too much for the stomachs Of Georg
Herman, "Clem' McCarten, and Georg
Gregory.