The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1911-03-10
CITIZENS DEMAND
CITY OWNERSHIP
CITIZENS DECIDE FOR MUNICIPAL
OWNERSHIP OF ELECTRIC
LIGHTING PLANT.

Are Against Reputation of Any Part
of Outstanding NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
Pleas for Peace and HarmOny-City
Will Pull Through Is General Opin-
ion.
A meeting of business men, taxpay-
ers and citizens of Caldwell was held
at the city hall Tuesday evening in
pursuance of a call issued by Mr.. E.
H. Plowhead. There were present be-
tween sixty and seventy citizens.
lively interest in municipal affairs was
expressed by those present At the
meeting on motion it was voted that it
was the sense of the meeting that the
city should own and operate it's own
lighting plant, and also that there
should be no reputation of outstanding
obligations.
The meeting was called to order by
Mr.. E. H. Plowhead who stated the
pun pOoC VI IIlO sotlIlASlA mo ~hA' L NV
head said the meeting was called at the
solicitation and upon the advice of
numerous business men and taxpayers;
that the purpose of the meeting was to
discuss municipal affairs; to arrive at
determination of what the people
wanted carried into force and effect by
the, next city administration; the best
way of solving the problems with
which the city is confronted.
On motion Mr. Plowhead was made
chairman of the meeting. J. L. Davis
was elected secretary. After organizing
free discussion of city affairs was in
vited by the chairman.
The first matter to be taken up was
that of finances. Upon the invitation
of the chair Mr. c. j. ShOrb, city clerk,
informed the meeting of the financia,
J condition of CALDWELL From Mr..
/ Shorb it was learned that in round
numbers Caldwell now has an out
standing warrant Indebtedness of $46,.
900; bonded Indebtedness of $142,-
600; an improvement district bonded
Indebtedness of $4,000. There is
$751; 600 on the delinquent tax roll
which in fact leaves a warrant indeb,
tedness of $2S,000 In explanation o.
the warrant Indebtedness Mayor j, b
Gowen explained that when the pres
ent city administration took over thu
affairs of the city there was warran
Indebtedness of $4,000 outstanding
and that the flood last spring necessi
tated an expenditure of $4,000. Thi
/ latter sum was spent In repairing tn
: damage done lry the flood and by max
{ ing improvements to protect against
: re-occurrence of the damage, particr
Z larly In en'arging the bridges acros
: indian creek.
c The finances of the city provoke
81 some discussion of the best methods I
conducting municipal affairs. Mr.,
II, GIBSON advanced the idea that thel
: could never be an economical bushes
Il like administration until the city pa
!. its mayor a salary sufficient to justi
him devoting his entire attention to Il
~ city, He thought that the salary
N the mayor should be about $4,000 yes
81 Mr., Gipson said that he was convinc,
,e hat tire thousand dollar man cou
he have saved his salary and ten thousal
to dollars more during the past tN
h years.
6. Mr.. ]. ]. Plowhead he'd the opini,
II that the commission form of COVER
ne ment would solve the problem, a
III spoke at length on legislation enact
at the last session of the legislatu
in response to the crying needs
- municipalities, Mr. Shorb was L
:. much taken with the legislation ena
az ed at the eleventh session and
ev stated Messrs. r. Farrar, Jan
nd Harris, George Crookham, ]. b, Cow
Id and others entered into the discussi,