The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1912-08-28
WHEEDLED, BAMB0OzLED,
BLUFFED OR BULLD0ZED
CONTINUED from Page One.)

plain of those who are trying to help
the town, should 60 back and sit down
long enough to form a resolution to
do unto others as they would have
others do unto Them This shoe may
be worn by anyone who desires to
put it on.
We resent the charge that it is the
purpose of the electric light company
to wheedle, bamboozle, bluff or bull
Goze the city council or anybody else.
We think the owners of the electric
light company represent about as
much fidelity toward the city as the
knockers in town who are constantly
prosecuting the plant. Why on earth
is it necessary that because person
happens to be competitor OF the
Bulletin in business that he must al
ways be held up to scorn and ridicule
and pointed to as one who would take
advantage of the public, when in
feeble way he is trying to serve the
public? We know it is customary to
answer suggestions of this kind with
the statement that people 60 into
these public improvements as an in
vestment, but we wish to say to the
Bulletin or to anybody else, that our
stock in any public enterprise in Den
ison is for sale, and we will sell at
sacrifice. in order to secure little
peace of mind from knockers.
Since the last issue of the Review,
light has been thrown upon the facts
surrounding the fire Of two weeks
ago, when it was represented to the
city council that sufficient water was
not furnished in the tank to put out
the fire which was reached by the
fire department only after the build
ing was beyond control.
A leading citizen of the city, who
was on the ground and conversant
with the manipulations OF the fire
company, reports that an effort was
first made to attach the hose to one
hydrant and no flow of water could
be secured, that the hose was then
attached to another hydrant and but
q slight flow of water was secured. A
second hose was attached to another
hydrant and a sufficient flow of water
and enough to put out the fire was
Immediately secured. Why did not
the chief of the fire department and
the representative Of the Bulletin,
who went before the city council, tell
about this experience? Did the fire
chief get off his wagon and make an
effort to secure the proper attach
ments with the main, and did he him.
self superintend the making OF con.
nections with the hydrant and see
that everything was properly attend
ed to? Had the fire company been
instructed and thoroughly drilled in
the art of attaching the hose to the
hydrants, and will the fire chief tell
how frequently the hose had been at
tached to the hydrant used on the
night of the fire within thirty days be-
fore that time, and had the main and
hydrants been found free from OBJ
struction and in good working order?
What is to be said as to whether the
hose leaked or was out of repair. This
mo
streets in the last few days and 1t
might be important to have some light
thrown upon the subject. II 1t is
worth while to go before the council
and make cmplaint of dereliction on
the part of the electric light COM
pany, would it not have been we'll to
have stated all of the facts concern
ing the action of the fire chief and
those who reinforced him in max
ing complaint to the city council?
The owners of the electric light
company have simply grown weary OF
the persecution which they have suf-
fered by people who are no more in
terested in the welfare of the city
than the stockholders of the company,
and by people who, if they would
stop and think for moment, would
understand the difficulties of con-
Quoting public utilities when they
must be carried on entirely by the
help of others; that machinery is
liable to get out of order or the help
may sometimes disappoint you, and
there may be other causes which may
temporarily interrupt the perfect
working of the plant. 1t is hardly the
proper thing when slight Interrupt
ton occurs to forget the months OF
faithful and effective service and
seek to persecute the owners for the
one commission. We assert without
fear of contradiction that the owners
of the electric light plant have given
as much personal attention to its op-