The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1916-01-20
GAINESVILLE MIME STARTS
AGAIN.
The Mine and Light Plant Are Leas-
ed for Two Years.

EE5 ell 1Or TWO 160rSs
The Gainesville mine under the
control of Gainesville people is the
latest turn of the wheel of fortune, a
fact in which all Gainesville people
should rejoice.
Messrs. r. G. Payne and Dewitt
Green returned Thursday of last
week from Norristown, Pa, where,
after negotiations covering several
DAVIS they secured lease of the mine
and light plant, and in this way the
management of the two plants was
transferred to Gainesville people.
The lease runs for two years with an
option to Messrs. Payne and Green to
purchase the plants within that time.
Funds for the building and replac-
ing the machinery of the light plant
have been secured bye Messrs. Payne
and Green and this work is already
under way and will be pushed to COM
pletion. They have hopes to have
the light plant ready for service by
the first of the coming month, we UNI
derstand This is certainly good news
and will be welcomed by the people
lights and power.
These two gentlemen are taking a
big chance in taking over a property
which a rich and powerful corpora
ton could not make pay, and it yet
| is to be demonstrated whether they
can avoid the losses and financial
troubles encountered by the old COM
pany
They are asking the citizens of the
community to contribute $4,000 or
$4,000 to assist them in getting start
ed and pay for the expense of opera
ton which must be met at once. This
does not seem unreasonable to us as
neither of the gentlemen have any
particular capital to lean upon in the
venture. The people of Gainesville,
and business men in particular, know
the value of the mine to the town
as a business asset and we believe
will be willing to give reasonable
amounts to insure continued opera
tons. Without question the future
prosperity of the town depends in
large measures upon mine opera
tons, so when a committee calls
upon you asking your help subscribe
as literally as you can and thus as
sist in improving the business condl-
tons of the city. Whatever is sub
scribed will soon come back in added
business.
Messrs. Payne and Green report
that the eastern owners were in IA
vor of junking the property which
means that the machinery, tipple, en-
gines, etc., would be sold for what
they would bring and thus the mine
would be lost to Gainesville. Final
|ly however, the eastern people
agreed to lease the property to
Messrs. Payne and Green and in this
way this important industry was saw
ed for the town. 1t was a close call
.as the eastern people had made up
their minds to get rid of the mine.
Messrs. Payne and Green are GER
tainly entitled to most favorable con-
sideration by our people.
Realizing that the price of coal to
the local trade has been too high in
the past, Messrs. Payne and Green
announce this week reduction in
price at the custom chute to 1925
per ton. They have also mades ar
rangements with the city council to
resume service to the city, the rate
being $1.50 per light of 80 candle
power. AS soon however as the new
company can intsall so candle power
lights the rate will be $1.75 per
light. They also agree that the city
shall put on five more lights. This is
quite concession and shows that
the new company is willing to live
and let live.
The News hopes that these enter
prising gentlemen will succeed in
building up large and prosperous
business, and in this are entitled to
the best wishes and help of the peo-
pie of Gainesville and vicinity
Gainesville News.