The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1911-08-03
MUNICIPAL PLANT THE STICKER
Report Of Water Company for the Year
< Just Closed Shows that it Would be
Bonanza for the Private Corpora
tipn to Take Overs

the city of a contemplated merger OF
all the public utilities of the city with
view of putting all under one man
agement and serving the people from
central plant. The rumor declares
that the men backing the deal have a
plan not only to unite the electric
light, gas and electric railway COM
pany, but that the movement also in
cludes the purchase from the city of
the Kenosha Munici pal Water Plant.
The combination of all of these com
panies would undoubtedly prove
bonanza for the syndicate in control,
but there are barriers which seem to
be all but insurmountable.
A combination of the two public
utility corporations supplying the city
with gas, electric light and street rail
way service is by no means improbable
and it is possible that such an ALI
ance may be formed at any time but
The including Of the water plant is an
the great majority of the people of
The city of Kenosha would never stand
for the sale of the water plant to
public service corporation. Attorneys
vary as to the right of the city coun-
,il to sell the plant even if there was
such a plan brought up and most of
chem agree that it would be impossi-
ole to sell the plant without submit
ting the question to the voters for a
'eferepdum. In case the plant were
20 be sold the state railroad commits
sion would be called in to determine
;he price that it must bring. No re-
bort of the water commission has been
iled with the city council for some
dme, but the report for the year 1911
IS now ready to be forwarded to the
'ailroad commission and an examina-
lion of this report reveals the fact
that the water plant is the most valu-
lble asset of the city
1t is claimed by men who have made
study of the water plant that in
forty wears this plant will pay the en-
tire Indebtedness of the city and in
addition furnish an income to the city
which will make possible great re-
suction of taxes. Private corporations
Ind syndicates controlling public util-
ties have looked with envy on the
water plant for a long time The
physical valuation Of the Kenosha
water plant would probably be fixed
by the railroad commission at about
100000, but the rentals received bv,
the company at this time is interest
on sum- of money much greater than
this The actual physical value of the
property rs shown by the report bear
ing the date July /, 1911, is $29S, 6O1. 40.
The original cost of the water plant TO
the city was $4,000 and the diff
ference between that sum and the
physical valuation of the property at
the present time, $161, Sol 40, is the
amount that has been taken from the
earnings of the company and expended
for extensions. In addition to this
the company paid off more than $4,000
worth of the original bonds Of the com
pany so that the entire investment of
the city in the water plant is only a
little over B57 900 and the interest paid
on the bonds from 1894 until they
wore called for payment last year.
The report shows that the rental
received by the company during the
year just closed reached The mark of
over $4,000 and there there are still
few collections to be made so that
the total amount will be close to
$4,000. The report lust issued shows
that the water company witch all of
its debts paid will have a balance in
the bank of more than $4,000 This
notwithstanding the great drain made
for tic payment of the bonds which
lett the company practically without
cent of money If in short space of
less than a year the water company
piled up balance Of $4,000 it will
be seen that it will be only question
OF few years when the water commits
sion if left alone will be able to raise
the money necessary to build new in
take and install such filtration plants
as may be deemed necessary to give
the city purer and more water.
These figures are the greatest argu,
ment for leaving the water company in
the hands of the non partisan commits
sion and keeping she funds of the com
pany entirely separate from the funds
Of the city council There is no de-
Partment of the city that can show
such a record as the water company
ard the great majority of the people
q the city will be bitterly opposed to
any plan which would change the man
agement of the company or which
would lead up to an ultimate sale or
combination of the business Of the com
p2ny with any other PUBLIC utility. 1t