Little Falls herald. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1889-1950, 1916-04-28
THE WATER POWER COMPANY
T. G. GORDON WRITES OF COM
PANY'S INTENTIONS AS CON-
GERMS LITTLE FALLS

CERNS LITTLE FALLS
In response to our query Of last
week els Little Falls to be Power
Statione," the general manager of
the Little Falls Water Power COM
pany, writes the editor as follows:
April 81, 1916.
Little Falls Herald, City.
Dear Sir: ss, stns i
Is LITTLE FALLS TO BIZ A POWER
STATIONf-YES.A AND NO.
YES. We hope during the next few
years to build the west wing Of our
concrete dam thereby making it much
more efficient than is possible with
the present timber structure. In the
new work provision will be made for
additional machinery with which fu-
ture local demands can be satisfied
whenever made by users of power. We
expect to continue to meet any de-
mands made on us for power service
and use our principal resources to this
end. i.
NO. The plant of the Little Falls
Water Power Company will not be
used to generate current for distribu-
ton to towns outside of this county.
Temporarily this may be done to
limited extent GOO to 800 horse pow
cry, but it is expected that if this
business develops that the energy will
be- furnished at Pike Rapids.
We always have and always will be
glad to cooperate with anyone or any
fbody whereby the present situation
can be bettered, but we do not ex-
pect nor do we intend to promote any
manufacturing institution and not
have some general knowledge Of the
particular branch Of the manufacture
ling business. Past experience has
fproven to our entire satisfaction that
it is the height of folly to promote
and finance a local institution which
fails through its stockholders not be-
ling familiar with the necessary de-
Etails Of the particular line of manu-
featuring. We have tried them all,
including a granite works.
/ THE PEOPLE IN LITTLE FALLS
ARE ENTITLED TO SOME CON-
SIDERATION FROM ALL OF IT'S
BUSINESS MEN. The business men
here are making living off the peo-
pie and all Of them should take an in
terest in the general welfare of the
city. We have been and always will
be willing to bear fair share of Jne
burden and will always be found
ready to cooperate, but we do not ex-
pect nor do We intend to invest any
of our money or advise our friends to-
invest theirs in promotion manufac-
turing scheme where there is not
someone largely financially interested
who thoroughly understands the bus
]iness. .-----
The transfer of a part of some sue
cessful manufacturing institution to
the smaller cities in the state has
proven an abject failure, and empty
buildings used for this purpose and
built by local capital in our neighbor
ing city of St. Cloud will make local
men think twice before making any
investment along these lines. We have
tried, and tried hard, to make differ
ent Twin City manufacturers a pres
ent Of our mill building besides offer
ing much lower rate for power than
they were receiving down there. All
of our time and efforts have been in
vain along these lines, but we think
we have done something for our own
county by serving Pierz and Royal
ton with its electrical energy and we
hope in the near future to serve both
Flensburg and Swanville, and other
villages in the county. After all is
said and done our principal asset as
a commercial center is the farming
community and if we can serve them
and help bring them into closer rela
tionship with the county seat we think
we have accomplished something.
Our policy in the past has been
"LITTLE FALLS AND MORRISON
COUNTY FIRST, LAST AND ALL
OF THE TIME,'' and we expect to
adhere to the same line.
If this is not meeting with local
endorsement do not blame Messrs.
Parsons and McCague; they of course
will shape the company's destiny so
long as they continue to hold large
majority of it's stock, but they are to
a large extent guided in their policy
by reports and suggestions coming
from me and if anyone is to blame
place it where it belongs. I am en-
tirely to blame for these proposed
electric transmission lines.
We know as we'll as yourself that
our lumber industry cannot go on
forever, but the fact that we will
lose it some day is not lessening our
faith in Little Falls and Morrison
county and our stockholders will well
come the time when some Of our earn
ings will be used to pay dividends in
stead of making improvements.
Yours very truly,
II. G. GORDON,
General Mgr, Little Falls Water
i Power Co.