The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1911-11-30
ONE TOWNS TRIUMPH
With a Population Of Only 1900
1t Has City Ownership.
EVERY CITIZEN A BOOSTER.

Okla, to Publicly Conduct Water ana
Lighting Plants, Making It the Best
Kept Town In the State.
Sixteen years ago the first street
lights of Pond Greek, 800 miles south
west of Kansas City. in Grant county.
Okla, were the campfres CT the set
tiers, says the Kansas City Star. That
was the night Of the opening. when
thousands of home seekers rushed
madly across the prairie. The 4.CO0 or
more persons, mostly men, who stop
ped on the town site OF Pond Creek
were not disposed TO give the street
lighting question even as much as a
thought. They were interested in find
ing homes, establishing d business and
supplying the immediate necessities Of
life.
Sixteen years after the opening a
visitor stopped in Pond Creek several
days. His first night there was a rev
elation. Here was Il town Of 1900 in
HaoHanlS ENJOY H-S every tIl"- mat ne
enjoyed in the city. There was al
electric light at every corner, and OF
his way downtown he passed COM
Portable homes, surrounded ny groves
Of trees and large lawns, Kept green
.,,. l.4-. ,-..... ~, ,.,.,..,...... ,,..,..
~
9't0G' 'He 'i>''o' ON I'll
groups OF men t'-NAaE III lronO Oh INC
poStChlce ana me Two dFu- Stores.
Lhey were quiet enough NO b.'iuS
We're marching down me street but
why was the street SO bulAdndy HgAt-
ed:
rs there anything going On here TO-
night"
There would be Wt!d west aA'" Ill
town tomorrow, the Pond CreeAer loid
him.
But You don t put UP H9LJS Ike
those for show:
Not unless the show comes to stay
and then maybe it might claim them.
The city man had just one more QueS-
ton:
How do you do 1t with only L0OV
population TO pay the blll! ne asked
Municipal ownership"
The city man stood in the middle OIL
the street. In front of him were SIX
great electric arches, reaching from
one sidewalk to the other. Each arch
contained twenty-five hlgh power IN
candescent lights, Whlle from the
store windows others lighted the side
walks. Merchants down the street
were washing off the cement walks
with hose sprays.
The next day a business man eX-
planned how Pond Creek could afford
these things-electric lights and wa
terworks-that much older and larger
places feared to dream OF, much less
enjoy.
About six years ago the question OF
fire protection and water supply was
agitated by a few of the progressive
business men. The town council called
special election, and the people au-
thoriZed a bond issue for $4,000. a
pumping station was built, wells were
sunk, mains laid, and steel pressure
tank was placed in corner of the
public park on Nam street. Ihree
years ago second bond issue of Slo,-
600 was voted, but only $1,000 Of it
was used, to extend the water mains.
The entire water system IS controlled
by a committee appointed by the coun-
Gil, and the service is both adequate
and excellent.
a promoter obtained franchise for
an electric light plant lie planted a
few poles and strung wires on them,
but the old gasoline lamps on Main
| street continued to initiate electric are
lights. The promoter had failed. and
the city was forced to assume the
| control of its second public utility.
With the remainder Of the $4,000
bond issue the council purchased the
w