Fergus County Democrat. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1904-1919, 1913-04-08
CLUB HOLDS
MONTHLY MEETING
INTERESTING DISCUSSION FOL
LOWS THE BANQUET AT
THE BRIGHT,

The monthly banquet and discus
sion of the Outlook club at the Bright
last Wednesday evening was enjoy
able and interesting as all the gather
ings of this club are
Following the repast o. F. Was
mansdorff gave an address on "Physi-
cal Valuation Of the Property of Public
Service Corporations Mr.. Wasmans-
dorff covered the subject thoroughly
and showing that reasonable and
just valuation was necessarily the
basis for fixing a proper capitalization
and for bond issues, allowing a fair
return on all capital invested and al
lowing for interest, sinking fund and
depreciation.
Herbert L. Sackett, by request, gave
an address on Government Owner
ship of the Telegraph" Although Mr..
Sackett was not on the program for
this, he made very interesting talk
and seemed to favor the plan suggest
ed by John Wannamaker years ago
for the leasing by the government of
telegraph lines for ten-year periods, to
be renewed If desired. Official fig
ures as to the result of government
operation of the lines in England and
elsewhere did not show much adyan-
tage over private ownership and ope-
ration, so far as the public was con-
cerned. In England, where the rate
OF cent word was in force, the pa
tron was required to pay for the ad-
dress, filing time and signature, while
IN our country about thirteen words
were carried free on each message.
AS to the time required for sending
messages the advantage was with this
country. In England. too, the lines
were operated at loss of about six
million dollars annually, to say moth
ing OF depreciation. In general the
government work was not so satisfac-
tory as that done by individuals. As
an illustration OF this, Mr.. Sackett re-
fered to the federal building at Chi
cago. This was really begun under
the last Cleveland administration and
had dragged along until it was just
completed. Yet, just as the last work
was being finished the first work done
years ago on this building was being
condemned. The state capitol at
Albany, recently destroyed by fire,
took as many years to complete as it
took months to complete entirely the
great Woolworth building in New
York City.
Australia was very notable excep-
tion to all this. There the operation
of utilities under the government was
a complete success from every point
of view.
The discussion of these topics then
became general and was very inter.
esting, two of the clubs guests, Austin
w. War; and David Hilger, in addi-
tion to the members. making ad.
dresses.
Those present were DR.. F. F. Attix,
o. w. Belden, H. B. Cutler, w. A.
Hedges, j. C. Huntoon. Dr. ]. H. P.
Gauss, E. G. WINS, E. C. Lincoln, o. o.
Mueller, A. N. Nadeau, E. C. Russell,
H. L. Sackett, T. T. Taylor, Paul r.
Trigg R. Won Tobel, o. F. Wasmans-
dorff, G. l.. Wait, and the guests,
Messrs. War; and Hilger and Resident
Engineer Eddy, of the Great Nor
thern.
The clubs next banquet will be on
the first Wednesday in May, when w.
A. Hedges and ]. c. HuntoOn will give
addresses on "The Decadence of Eu.
rope" and Elliott C. Lincoln and DIR.
F. F. Attix will speak on "The Rise
in the Orient" Developments in both
these sections since the subjects were
assigned last year will make them of
special interest now.