The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1916-06-15
LIGHTING PROBLEM
To BE EXPLAINED
FROM ALL ANGLES
COMMERCIAL CLUB AUTHORIZES
COMMITTEE TO TELL PUBLIC
OF FINDINGS.
FOLLOWS POWER CO.'S LEAD
CITY AGENTS INSTRUCTED TO
KEEP CITIZENS INFORMED.
THROUGH HERALD,

ACCORDING TO all ndlcaC1OnS, c1C1-
zens of Sank Centre are to receive a
liberal education as to the merits and
dement's of municipal lighting and
power plants before they are called
on to decide whether Sank Centre
wants it's own publicly-owned electric
lighting and water power manufac-
tory.
The Minnesota Light & Power Com
pany of st. Cloud, controlled by the A.
G. Whitney interests, which took over
the local lighting and water plant
from the Central Minnesota Power &
Milling Company on June first, and is
seeking contract renewal from the
city after May 1, 1917, some time ago
began campaign of advertising to
instill into Sank Centreites that NUM-
cipal electric and power plants cannot
pay the cost of operation if the same
or lower rates are charged than
would be asked by private company
which manufactures it's "juice" by
water power and delivers it by trans
mission line. The company announces
that it will soon issue a pamphlet for
circulation in the city containing
"facts on municipal ownership in 268
towns and cities"
On the other hand, the Commercial
Club, at it's regular June meeting last
Friday night in the club rooms, in
structed the special Investigating
committee composed of members of
the club and the city council to buy
space in the Herald and give to the
people every bit of information which
they have obtained as to the municipal
ownership in their visits to cities hav-
ing municipal plants, or in visits
which they may make in the future,
or any information which may be pro-
cured from any source, whether fav-
orable or adverse.
The decision to establish the NUM-
cipal publicity bureau was reached by
the Commercial Club when it was
demonstrated to the members by V. l..
Burgess, who is also member of the
investigating committee, that the
Whitney interests in their last weeks
advertisement in the Herald did not
go into details which might account
for the reason why the Ellensburg
(Wash.) plant chad to raise rates or
quit
Mr.. Burgess visited in Ellensburg
for week about one year ago. He
stated that it was boom town and
had mushroom growth which
brought the population up to $4,000 or
$4,000 persons in short period. The
municipal lighting and power plant
was extended to meet this population
and also far out into the valley. Then
the Northern Pacific railway moved
it's shops and the boom broke. When
Mr.. Burgess was in Ellensburg the
population had been reduced one-half.
Scores of business. buildings were
empty and bore placards announcing
that rent would be given free one
month to any tenant. He said that
practically the entire town was bank
rupt and that he did not wonder that
the municipal ightingand water plant
could not swim with head above wa
ter with it's equipment for a city OF
at least 10000 and a population OF
only half that number. 1t was on the
recommendation of Messrs. Burgess
and Wedge, following the statement
of Mr.. Burgess, that the publicity
campaign was authorized. The pub
lished recommendation of the commit
tee asking citizens not to sign any
contracts was endorsed.
Mayor Hennemann and Councilman
George O'Gara made an informal re-
port of their trip to Estherville, iowa.
and stated that in the near future the
committee would be prepared to give
detailed report of all findings up-to-
date.
A communication from C. E. Stone.
general passenger agent of the Great
Northern railway, was in effect that
the Great Northern officials could not
at this time see their way clear to
stop No. 20, the early morning west
bound train, at Sank Centre, though
it makes stops at Osakis and Alexan-
dria. The matter was referred to
committee.
The. following were elected to men,
bership in the club: D. H. Keenan,, A.
J. DuBeau, Herman Vennevitz, Carl
Ekbert.