Devils Lake weekly world., 1912-07-19
ALDERMAN JOHNSON REvERsEs
HIMSELF WHEN QUESTION Is
BROUGHT UP.
ALDERMAN MILLER Is VERSA.
TILES ON BOTH SIDES OF
THE tQUEsTI0N.

ALDERMAN MILLER Is VERSA
T1E-Is ON BOTH SIDES OF
THE QUESTION.
At special meeting Of the city
council, held at the city hall Saturday
evening, Ordinance No. l40, in which
was incorporated the public utilities
franchise. was given its final passage.
The vote on the question was as fol.
lows: .
Yeas-Halgren, Turner, McGurren,
Green. ohnstad, Roller, Wineman.
Nays-Johnsoh, Harris, Miller, Cal.
lighan, Harkins.
All present.
!, The franchise, il accepted by the
new company, win give the city and
citizens Of Devils Lake relief from
several things, among which might be
named exorbitant charges, arrogant
high:handedness and utter disregard Of
the peoples interests, poor light and
power service and worse telephone
service, and also put an end to what
had promised to be interminable litiga.
tion. It will also remove from the
center Of the city . plant which had
grown to be an intolerable nuisance to
some Of our citizens.
The people Of the city have been
clamoring for some time for two things
an improved service and over rate,
particularly . lower light rate.
These two things are provided for in
the new franchise. It paves the way
for new and up to date plant and It
cuts the rate for electricity from about
16 cents to II cents. IN addition to
this, We understand, that an alternat.
ing instead Of q direct current win be
installed with the new plant and this
will effect still further saving to the
consumer, bringing the rate as compar'
ed with the present one down to about
s cents.
About the only opposition which ha.
developed to the new franchise, so far
has come from the few who have con
sistenay and persistently, in season
and out Of season, opposed Mayor Nc
Glory and the present city administers
tion. When the present city admins
tration fought for municipal owner
ship it was opposed by the people who
are now placing distractions in the
way Of new privately owned light
and power plant.
When the ordinance providing . way
for municipal ownership was passed
it was promptly and indefinitely tied
up in the courts and the administra
tion was accused Of prosecuting ani
trying to rob Mr.. Kerlin and his asso
ciates in the Devils Lake Improvement
company.
Now comes ordinance 40, which wal
enacted with the distinct understand
ing that the Devils Lake Improvement
company plant would be bought Out
BY the new company at fair ani
equitable price, and we find the same
crowd, headed and led on by the Jour
nal, still opposed to any change ani
apparently working hand in glove will
Mr.. Kerlin to maintain and perpetu
ate the old outrageous rate Of 16 cent.
for electric light, and also the present
rotten and antiquated telephone serv
ice. Apparently these people are il
the employ Of Mr.. Kerlin, or else they
are "agin the government" r1gnt o.
wrong.
It is inconceivab1e that any mar
who has the best interests Of the city
and his fellow citizens at heart coult
oppose any and all attempt at RELIEF
from the burden imposed by grinding
monopoly, but this is apparently JUS
what they are trying to do.
AZ case in point we cite the &C
tion Of Alderman Avery johnson. Thi
gentleman voted in the affirmative.
when Ordinance No. 40 was given it,
first reading, again voted for it whe1
! it was given its second reading ani
put On its final passage, and then
when it was found that through F.
slight error the ordinance would hav,
to be passed again, turned and votet
against it. What happenedf
Alderman Miller, who claims to b
the champion Of the people, and VIII
posed as 9 municipal ownership man
declared in open meeting Of the eoun
Gil, last Saturday evening, that at tn
recent special election he voted agains
the proposition. Now he has Topped
around again and voted against tn
passage Of Ordinance No. 140.
Consistency, thou art indeed a jew
el and q mighty rare one in reform cir
cles in Devils Lake.
Other and more fantastic acrobati
stunts may be expected with regular
ity from now on.
The non.arrival' Of che Sarah Bern