Morris tribune., 1912-03-22

before and 8 cents. but when asked
to mention a town in Minnesota max
ing that rate, he stammered and said
Duluth. / told him to cut out
Duluth and he said it the second
time and later mentioned another town
with water power.
There was or has been good deal
said about getting cheap light for the
poor people but we find electric light
is luxury and only bought by those
who are able to pay for it, and for
meters, installation, wiring, etc.
And l want to say to you, gentlemen.
beware, for they are gently putting
the EXETER to you as those fellows
selling plants did to them to get you
started and lined up and the result
will be the poor people will pay
for the plant and other expenses and
the users of current receive the
benefit (if any and the poor people
will not use the current. 49,.
For in our opinion the best prices
that could be made on current from a
municipal plant such as this city
would need would be on a sliding
scale from IL to Z cents and pay in
te.est on the investment, running
expenses. depreciation, loss and in
surance. In fact this is the universal
price through Minnesota, North
Dakota, South Dakota and Wisconsin.
Now as to the junket trip taken by
the committee appointed by the coun-
Gil, will say it was a valuable trip
and money we'll spent, as we saw
what others were doing along those
lines and got their experiences and
(almost) every one we visited was a
looser on the start and for various
reasons. Our business was to report
facts as we found them. From what
we had seen on our trip we decided
we knew just the plant our city would
want, if any, the building, the engine
and the dynamo and we figured the
exact cost of same at $35, 900. In
consideration of this investment we
figured we could serve the public
with current at II to cents provid-
ed we had no other plant to compete
with. On the way home we decided
to see the owner of the present
plant and get his best prices on cur
rent and also submit that with our
report and if we could not get current
as cheap or cheaper than we could
furnish it, then to recommend our
stIye and type of plant; {.
We talked with Mr.. Stewart and
asked for those prices but he did not
at that time see fit to make US those
prices unless we would accept them
and close contract at once. This
we refused to do and went On to sub.
nit our report as agreed. I knew
nothing Of recommending plant
with our report until Alderman Fin
negan asked me if we were not to re-
commend plant with our report at
the last council meeting told him
we were not and positively explained
to him that we were to submit, our
report on what we found and if we
could not get current al cheap or
cheaper than we could furnish it then
to recommend plant. Everyone at
that meeting understood it so. But
you see this part Mr.. Devenney left
out in his article and said Alderman
Finnegan voiced their sentiments and
that the president of the council saw
fit to change his mind. But / think
Mr.. Cole, the third member of the
party. will agree with me along those
lines-not but what l had a right to
change my mind if saw fit. but in
this case I did not. as l fully ex-
planned at that meeting. And / have
never changed my mind with reference
to his proposition but have always
said city plant would meet my 'ap.
proval if | found it was to the,best in
ISLCoCo VI kAlC pNOllC" buL d1ICI care
full investigation and according to
existing conditions ! can't see it that
way. And the accusation made on
the president and Mayor: Cooley in
the issue of the Morris Sun Of March
18th, 1912, is pack of rot, a de-
Ijberate falsehood, for Mr.: Cooley
or Mr.. Stewart did not know who was
to come here from the Wisconsin rate
commission or did any other man in
the city. Mr.. Cole wrote for man
and he did not know who was coming.
And he did not come here in the in
terest Of any party--only the city of
Morris. ] was the first one that sug-
gested getting rate commission man
here.
Now / wish to say to the public
have no personal interest in this
matter. have no reason or desire
to be anything but fair in the matter.