The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1911-10-06
SUBMIT LIGHT AND WATER
PROBLEM TO VOTERS
Council Takes Actioa BY Resolution to
That Ead, and 1ax-Papers viii Like
y Be 6irsa Opportunity to Ex"
Themselves al Special
Election.

special light and water commits.
sion asked to be appointed by
ordinance by upwards Of three
hundrer voters, a copy of which
together with the names attach.
ed was given publication in our
issue of September 18th, con.
ference was held in the city hall
Monday evening between city
officials and members of the pro.
posed commission, those in attend.
ance being Mayor Hawkinson
City Attorney PORTER, President
Osborn and Aldermen E. G.. A.
johnson, H. O. johnson, Staff,
NOLAN and Heritage, and Messrs
NJ. A. Murphy, A. N. Thompson,
K. J. McGhee, Carl R. johnson
and Conrad Mattson, for the pur-
pose Of considering the probable
action of the council relative to
the ordinance and to see if some
method might not be devised to
bring the question of municipal
ownership before the people at an
earlier date than would be pos
sible under the provisions of the
ordinance if either passed by the
council or becoming effective
through vote Of the taxpayers at
a special election.
An expression from the mem
bers of the proposed special com
mittee was in effect that they
stood ready to refuse to qualify
as members Of the proposed board
if the council would take up the
matter of public ownership of the
utilities named and through the
engagement of experts estimate
the probable cost Of purchase of
the present plant or Of the in
sta llation Of a new system in the
near future, that the proposition
of purchase might be submitted
to the voters on reliable basis
at the coming February election,
|. President Osl'orn expressed his
opinion favorable to special elec-
ton on the proposition at as early
Il date as possible, and such pro-
cedure would eliminate all ques-
tion of legality Of the proposed
ordinance and the powers of the
committee named hereunder or
the right Of expenditure Of money
by such committee in the attempt
to arrive at the desired figures:
Attorney Poirier gave his opinion
that the council had the right to
employ such experts as might be
deemed necessary to get at the
probable cost Of light and water
system, either the present or a
new plant, but did not believe it
would be legal for the council to
delegate such authority to any
special committee appointed by
ordinance either by vote of the
council as a body or the people
as whole. Other members pres
ent expressed themselves in favor
of action on the proposition at
this time, and this idea was dom
inant at the meeting of the council
Tuesday evening when the ques-
tion came before the body in regu-
lar session, leading to the passage
of a resolution introduced by
Alderman Boylan authorizing the
city attorney to at once prepare
such proceedings as may be neces-
sary and proper for the calling of
a special election at which time
the following propositions will be
submitted to vote Of the people
l. Shall the city Of Virginia
let a contract for the construction
of new light and water plant
for the furnishing of light and
water to the city and to all the
Inhabitants thereof?
Il 2. Shall the city of Virginia
acquire, under the right Of emin
ent domain, the water works anC
electric light plant, and all ap
purtenances and equipment con
nected Herewith, now owned anC
operated by the Virginia Electri,
Power & Water Company, anc
operate same as a municipal
!, plant?
3. Shall the city of Virgini;
acquire the present light and wa
ter plant of the Virginia Light
Water 4 Power Company under
the procedure as specified in Or
; dinance No. 10, being a franchis,
:. to Virginia Light & Water Com
pany!
4. Shall the city of Virginia is
sue bonds in the sum Of not t,
exceed six hundred thousand dol
lars, either for the purchase of ;
new light and water plant or fol
the purchase, by condemnation
Of the plant of the Virginia Elec
trio Power & Water Company
and for the improvement and ex
tension of same as may be neces
sary?
In conjunction with the pas
u