The daily sentinel., 1912-08-10
NO ACTION TO Be TAKEN
UNTIL NEXT NOVEMBER
Continued from Page II


Continued from Page IL
most comprehensive manner.
Former City Attorney Bucklin then
in an extended talk made a calm,
clear and very fair presentation of
the contentious of those who advo-
cate municipal ownership. He gave
his views fully. He declared there
was no i'll feeling in the matter. He
wanted everybody's rights protected
and justice done to all. He gave his
reasons for believing that the city
I could most successfully operate the
light plant. He cited laws govern
ing the city's rights and power in
such important matters. Mr.. Buck
lin hoped that friendly negotiations
could be entered into with the COM
pany. He was perfectly willing to
defer the matter as far as the coming
election is concerned, in view of the
petition filed.
AS a result OF the action of the
council yesterday. the matter can
\ not now be called for a vote before
six months from August %.
The following is the statement
made by Mr.. Noble at the meeting
/ yesterday:
l did not intend in coming here
/ this afternoon to have anything to
say, or to take part in any discussion
which might arise. | don't care to
enter into any extended discussion,
but from the remarks Of Mr. Vor-
beck it seems to me it might be ap-
propriate that a brief statement be
made of this situation as the electric
light company and the Grand juno
tion & Grand River Railway conany
look at it.
Power Plant Contemplated.
| came over here four years ago,
! think IL was, this summer. ! came
here for the purpose of promoting a
power and irrigation plant up the
Grand river which would develop and
generate sufficient electric power to
furnish this whole valley with
pumping power and commercial pow
er, for street lighting and anything
that demanded that service. That
promotion failed because of reasons
unnecessary to explain, but growing
out of conditions that existed then 1t
was conceived that a street railway
In Grand Junction would be n CON
sumer and customer of the electric
company. and out of that idea there
grew the fact that franchise was
asked for, for street railway, in
tending to build from Grand Junction
to Palisade. That was accomplished
| solicited from the council then in
existence this franchise. Mr.. Buck
ling participated in the discussions
before the council at that time, and
this question of municipal ownership
of public utilities was talked of, and
ii was understood to be a living fac
tor in this community, but we cama
here. as has been said, with our eyes
open, with an understanding that
this condition existed, but we relied
in the grant of that franchise. and in
accepting 1t. on the protection which
the statute and the terms of the
franchise put about us in the way of
our investment, to-wit: that within
certain intervals only could the city
exercise its right to forcibly purchase
or compel us TO forcibly sell. but
always having the right for negotia-
tlons for purchase at any time. the
same as any other individual or cor
poration Is concerned. Out of that
development of the street railway
there grew, in the failure of the pow
er scheme, the idea of an interurban
I railway. and as n matter of business
/ there was combination effected with
/ the existing light company, the eX-
/ listing railway company and the ad-
/ junctive businesses of the light com
| pany whereby the Grand Junction 4
/ Grand River Valley Railway compa-
| ny came into being, and as a matter
of suggestion and good business il
/ was thought desirable and advisable
/ in the establishing of the securities
of this interurban railway that there
should be among its assets, as
/ desirable feature of this concern and
as one of its branches, growing,
Z mn yfp,r nrnHto hip
Prospects Were Good.
/ 1t will be remembered that at that
/ time this valley was enthusiastic over
\ its prospects. | was engaged for a
/ time in gathering data and statistics
with reference to what might be
| the probable result of such an invest
ment, and the establishment of an in
terurban railway, and 1t was so ia
| vorable, not in view of the then pres
ent conditions. but the future devel-
opments which we anticipated, be-
cause we look back for four years
from that time and saw that there
had been a very remarkable growth,
and evidence of future growth exist
ed at that time sufficient to enthuse
us. as well as you people here. with
what might be considered a fair es-
innate of the immediate future. The
Immediately preceding four or five
I years had been years of prosperity
and years of announcement, enough
to make us think that this country
was going to develop as it had de-
veloped. ON the same basis. The four
years succeeding were years of
drouth and loss and disappointment
to us. We had, although We antioi-
pated that there might be shortage
of traffic, sufficient not to be remu-
nerative, losses, yet, we thought that
would be overcome shortly and that
our investment would be profitable
one, but 1t has not been.
Invites Inspection of Accounts.
The only profitable asset of the
Grand junction and Grand River