Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1910-04-06
Reply to Misleading Statements Con.
corning the Proposition.
SPECIAL ELECTION TOMORROW
Letters From Waverly and VintOn
Concerning the Quality of the
Gas, Its Cost and the Men
Seeking the Franchise.

corah will vote a franchise for a
gas plant in this city. The develop
ments thus far have been explained
in detail in these columns. Messrs.
Donelan of Waverly and Boyle of
Vinton, who are operating plants in
those cities came here several weeks
ago, interviewed the business men,
looked over the city, and then asked
the CITY council to present the mat
ter of granting their company a
franchise to a vote of the people
The special election called for that
purpose will be held on tomorrow.
When this matter came up few
years ago we were opposed to it for
reasons which afterward proved to
be valid. We thought, first, that
the person asking the franchise
ought to pay the expense of the
election; second, to give some evil
dence of his ability to construct and
operate satisfactory plant;
third, to show that he meant bust
ness and was not asking for the
franchise solely for the purpose of
barter. Subsequent events proved
that we were correct. He did not
pay the cost of the election, and the
Mayor refused to sign the franchise
voted by the people, and he neither
gave evidence of knowledge of the
business or intention to build a
plant. Another reason was that the
Upper Iowa Power Co. was just at
that time developing a great water
project which needed and was en-
titled to the support of the people.
We have always boosted every
thing that we believed to be for the
best interests of DEBORAH. Now, the
conditions are different, and we are
again boosting" for DEBORAH.
There is a field here for a good
gas plant. Our people want gas for
cooking, for heating, and for various
purposes that electricity is not
available for. Here is a chance to
get something good without the out
lay of cent of expense. 1t will
give us great modern convenience
will employ local labor, will bring
in more people into the city, and add
an expenditure to the city of $3),-
900 to $4,000, which comes entire
ly from outside capital. without
asking for the sale of stock locally.
With reference to the statements
in the Journal last week, there is no
reason for alarm in singular in
stance. The money to pay the ex-
pense of the election is in the hands
of the city clerk; and the other pro-
visions noted will be demanded, of
course, before the franchise is grant
ed. just as they were before. Mr..
Donelan asks only six months time
to complete the plant, and a reason
able time limit will be placed before
the franchise acceptance is complete
as before. Besides, an agreement to
extend the plant to the corporate
limits of the city where a reasonable
amount of business may be secured
will be made. Further, the company
will not be foolish enough to make
poor quality of gas, that our peo-
pie will not use. They are depend
ing entirely upon the voluntary
patronage of the people for the sup
mort of the plant. and do not ask
for city nr county contracts. The
mayor refused to sign tie former
franchise agreement until all these
provisions were added, and We have
his assurance that he will do the
same in this case. There is scarcely
any doubt that the franchise will be
carried, with but few votes against
it,
When We heard the statements
referred to above, we wrote three
letters, asking about these things.
We wanted to satisfy ourselves, and
here are the replies:
Waverly, Iowa, Mch. IT, 1910.
Friend Green:
| am pleased to inform you that
the gas is as perfect as / can mag
inc, though | have no means of
comparing it to any other. / do not
know how ii is made, but ! can tes-
tify to the delight of using it for
cooking purposes, for | personally
have been making provisions for the
morning feed at our bungalow for
several weeks. 1t gives an intensely
hot blue flame, and | have yet to
discover the first sign of smoke or
odor. In fact, | do not yet know
what it smells like. Our gas stove
bakes wonderful bread. and my wife
has baked potatoes in fifteen min
utes. / used to think one had to go
the lity to get perfect beefsteak,
but our gas stove has dispelled that
delusion completely. We have no
gas lights, but my observation is
that they are wonderfully luminous
With reference to its cost, / can say
that last month our bill was but
$1.40, and this despite the fact that