The log cabin Democrat., 1914-02-20
ALDERMAN WRITES
OF C|TY'S AFFAIRS
M'CULLOCH OUT OF RACE
DISCUSSES LIGHT AND WATER
REPORT AND STREET
IMPROVEMENT

After commenting upon the repor
of the city light and waterworks sys
tenn which is published today anc
giving his views on the question OF
street improvement, Alderman R. B
McCulloch, chairman of the light anc
) water commission, closes a communi
cation to the Log Cabin Democrat by
stating that on account of the de-
} mands of his business upon his time
he will not be a candidate for re.
election. He states that he is strong.
ly in favor of building permanent
streets and believes the future earn.
ings of the light and water plants
may be used for this purpose. His
communication follows:
Editor Log Cabin Democrat:
The report which has been submit
ted for publication by Supt. E. V.
Leverett today shows conclusively thai
the light plant is all right and when
run on business principles has exceed
W NiiN iiOoN sang uiilc expectations Oh
anyone. This report shows what has
become of every cent of the money
collected. So | hope that the ward
politician who has been charging that
| would not have given the plant the
time that | have unless | was getting
something out of it will see that be-
cause he is CRATER there are still
patriotic and honest men living. This
report is merely summary of the
monthly reports which have been
made each month to the council. The
finance committee did not check them
iup as promptly as they should, which
shows that they had confidence in the
management and knew that all the
money was handled by checks and the
probability of graft was eliminated,
had there been any desire to do so.
think the plant should be taken out
of politics and continue to be run on
business basis.
As to the streets, the towns money
should be spent from business stand
point. This town was Incorporated
40 years ago, and ever since then,
just before the election of each new
council the aforementioned gentle
men has gotten busy and howled about
the money spent. What has become
lof it," etc. Even some of the fell
lows who are going out want to be
reelected take up the howl, just as
if they did not think their constitu-
ents thought they ought to know. |
can truthfully tell you what has be-
come of your city revenue 1t has
gone just as all former collections
have and the streets have grown
worse all the time This is caused by
the increased traffic and they will
continue to grow worse as long as you
try to make this mud make streets.
Now, you have experimental long
enough with mud to see that it's Just
mud and go to building rock roads.
You can put in crusher at the hill,
install motor and connect same to
the light plant to furnish power to
operate it, You can get quite a lot
of free hauling, use what money you
have and slowly build your streets.
Or you can form an improvement
district of the whole city and do it
at once. | will sign a petition for
the latter. Can you get a maj ority of
the property owners to sign? Don't
you think the honest ward politician
who is bowling graft will say my
taxes are too high" and the $4,000
collected-of which you are paying
now over $1,000 in salaries-is all
the money needed. You can howl
cheap but it takes money to build
streets. If all the candidates for the
different offices in the city will sign
petition for street improvement dis
trict we will not have to get many
more signers. What do you say, boys,
let's go in?
! Referring again to the report of the
| light and water system, | want to say
a word in reference to the superin-
tendent, K. V. Leverett. | have been
working all my life in and around
machinery, and | think | know when
man understands his business from
a mechanical standpoint. | can truth
fully say that Mr.. Leverett is most
competent and efficient superinten-
dent, though the report he has submit
ted proves this without additional tes-
timony on my part. In addition to
this, have found him to be energetic,
absolutely honest and gentleman in
every respect.
In conclusion, | wish to thank the
mayor and each and every alderman
for their cooperation in the recon
struction of the light plant AS to my