The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1912-09-23


do. The Mississippi River Power
company. which is constructing the
dam at Keokuk, asks for y franchise
to extend their big transmission line
to our city. Apparently they are meet
ing with the same, or similar, OBJ
stacles encountered by the Burlington
Power Co. Conditions are demanded
that they cannot and will not accept.
They are under contract to build into
Fort Madison. There is nothing be-
tween Burlington and Fort Madison
to use the service. Burlington alone
has hardly enough patronage to offer
to warrant the erection and mainten-
ance OF SO costly transmission line,
unless the c., B. & @. shops can be
secured as a patron. The patronage
of the shops alone will not pay To
pile upon these difficulties still
heavier burden by system of taxa
ton that does not include competitors
in the business of lighting and power
would be not only unfair to the COM
pany but 1T would prevent the build
ing Of the line
In this connection it Is pertinent to
examine a peculiar argument against
granting franchise to the Missis-
sippi River Power company, Of Keo.
kuk, that appeared in last evenings
Burlington Gazette. We quote:
No other electric plant can live
within the bounds of the distribution
of this power, if they sotwillsit The
power they have to sell can be
furnished so cheaply that no compe-
ltitien can live if they SO desire. and
i in accord with all the principles of
monopoly they will exercise this pol
icy should it become necessary
When the foregoing statement is
analyzed it brings to light this re-
markable proposition: Burlington
will get electricity at such low rates
that nobody can compete with them!"
! But what is it Burlington Is after?
Is it not the cheapest rates obtain
able? What more can be desired !;
what more can be asked? Is the city
Ito take the stand that it does not
want and will not consent to have the
| lowest rates?
There is no objection upon the part
of our citizens to legitimate competi-
ton. And the citizens have been as
sured by the Peoples Gas & Electric
CO. that there will be competition.
Manager C. H. Walsh has repeatedly
assured the Commercial Exchange
and the citizens generally, that he can
produce electricity at less cost at his
Edwardsville coal mines than can the
Keokuk company with its water pow
err Thus Burlington, through compe-
tition, has every assurance of cheap
electricity, as low as other river
! towns, if our people take the neces-
sarv steps to secure it. As 1t Is, we
seem to be drifting. We have turned
down home company and there are
indications that we are. about to reject
1.-THE Keokuk proposition. Then, where
will we be? Our neighbors and com
Epetitors will have. the full benefit OF
| the great water power, Burlington
will have to rely upon. other resources
taking our chances with our uncer-
4 tainties. How will such a course build
IMP local manufacturing industries and
nurse interurbans into life?
/ There is another phase of the mat
ter deserving consideration. The Keo-
.Ikuk company offers to sell current to
the Peoples Gas & Electric CO. and
let 1t retail 1t, The offer is to sell to
Burlington as cheaply as to other
[cities. This would seem to be prop.
osition of mutual advantage. The
4 Hawk.Eye is advised that it Is accept
able to the Peoples Gas & Electric
people, if the terms can be agreed
upon. 1t Is the imperative duty OF
burlington to help adjust these terms
or else take steps to secure the de-
sired benefits in some other way. The
pending franchise to the Keokuk peo-
ple is the alternative. Whether either
of these methods or some new plan,
4 should be adopted the Hawk-Eye does
mo- attempt to say; it's present cen
Itention Is that something ought to be