The Marshall republican., 1913-10-10
LIGHT FRANCHISE
continued from page ~

Wv NV O"Nh'i b''''''t NHHN 49,
people would have cause for COM
plant If all meters registered correct
~ the amount OF electricity and the
amount of gas that we consume and
provided further that this excess
$500 interest per year (Which Is .
per cent on tho $4,000 water that
was injected into this bond issue ltI
1860 was eliminated.
Again. the applicants for this fran
chise offers the city the option OF
taking this plant over within ten
a at It's fair aud equitable going
value
Inasmuch az we are not familiar
with going values" Wa prefer that
the proposition involving the city's
taking over these premises be couch
ed In language based upon n just and
equitable actual value.
am speaking particularly in be-
half of the citizens of the second ward
who have discussed these propositions
aud II was a bare instance that this
meeting was called. We had reached
the conclusions as outlined heretofore
aud We thought II was but fair that
the applicants FOR this franchise be 81
ven a fair and respectful hearing and
TO explain away II they n the oh
jcctionable features. which | have
hcreinbeforo brought out.
MIR. Fleming also said that the pre-
sent owners OF the gaB and electric
light plants nj Marshall are the Mis-
souri, Gas and Electric Service Com
uany and he had n letter from Sccrc-
tary OF State Roach. In which he was
informed that the light company was
Incorporated for 100000 and that
%s25O.OOO had been paid up. lie refer
rcd 10 the estimates made by reliable
engineers to the mayor and city coun-
ell. In which they state the present
plant can be duplicated for $4,000.
Mr.. Fleming In closing said that he
did o believe the present ownership
or the plant had mlsappropriatcd
funds.
Mr.. Arthur Downs was then called
upon and made nm argument M Ia the
value or the plant aud the amount
charge. lie asked n 10 cents per X W
Il reasonable profit or IL II an over
charge. Docs the city pny on wntered
stock as 100000 Ia To 100000. lie
said Il was enough 10 pay fair Ovid
onds on the amount that IL wo,.ing
The leading question 10 he answered
~ the product sold ut a fair and rca
sonablc price. In the franchise fair To
wards us. does II give NJ the service
that H. worth tho money. Ito said Tia
people OF Marshall wanted a fair un
d%erstandlng OF the nature OF the pro
position.
Mayor u. n. Mitchell vas the mex
speaker. He said that he would firs
give an Outline OF what tho mayo
and city council had done In relation
10 Investigating the matter OF u re
uewal OF the electric light franchise
He said they had first prepared quef
ton blanks containing list q
questions In relation TO electric ligh
plants In towns about the size OF MAJ
shall and sent them TO about 10
towns. They received answers froi
about nfty--35 OF which were pr.
vately owned plants and 10 wei
owned by the municipality. All OF Oh
10 municipal owned plants state
that the operation OF the plants WI
satisfactory except two. Tho privatel
owned plants were mixed some wei
satisfied but many answered that ~
conditions were not satisfactory. IT
prices ranged from 10 TO 20 cents.
A committee OF four members
the city council was appointed To
into the details OF the matter con
posed OF J. j. Mitchell. n. Il. Pen
berton, j. NJ. Rose and J. NJ HUI
Mr.. Pemberton being unable to lea'
his business the mayor and Mr.. Hu
took a trip west they first visite
Carthage. This city had municip'
ownership for IL years. II has prove
n great success. The mayor produce
the balance sheep showing the bus
ness OF the Carthage plant. lie sa'
the rate In that city was 5 cents u
said the Carthage balance sheet sho'
ed an allowance OF $2i02 for depr'
citation and a profit of $4,000. The
went over In Kansas, first to ottav
did not investigate plant but IL WI
successful, They next went to Emp
ria. where they found a leased plan
The city owned the plant but leased
TO a company In order 10 get a sire
railroad. The railroad was not bul
and the city receives $4,000 Tor !
lease ana nays $4,000 for stre
m lshts'i JgL