The Oskaloosa herald., 1917-02-22
THE MAYOR TO VETO.
WILL NOT SIGN RESOLUTION
PASSED BY CITY COUNCIL.

In anticipation of what might trans
'pire in the council chamber Monday
evening over the light and heat rate
controversy, a goodly company of peo-
pie had gathered, thinking possibly,
some more fireworks might be on dis.
play. completing the first of the month
exhibit that was brought to a close
before the matter had been threshed
out in session.
Nothing of d sensational character
developed Monday evening however,
and not word was spoken from the
audience side of the railing. In fact
the absence of number OF those who
had been prominent in other meetings.
was an eloquence unto itself and
spoke, possibly of an altered plan of
campaign.
Detail work of the council first re.
Iceived attention and the members
then took lengthy recess to the com
mittee room for consultation and adj
vice with the city solicitor H. B. Me-
Coy.
Returning to the council chamber,
Councilman John II. Pickett of the
Fourth ward offered the following
resolution given in full below which
was seconded by Councilman Snyder.
Upon being offered for vote the reso-
luton carried, four for to three
against. Ayes, Bell, Penders, Pickett
and Snyder. Nays, Fansher, Kessler
and Mendenhall.
This, Tuesday morning, Mayor j.
G.. Harold served notice upon the
City Clerk T, II. Carlin that he would
veto the resolution that he would re.
fuse endorsement of the resolution as
required by law in the formality OF
his signature and would return the
resolution to the council, unsigned.
The resolution follows:
BE 1t Resolved by the City Council
of Oskaloosa, that in asmuch as there
has arisen controversy over the
charges made by the Oskaloosa Trac-
ton & Light Company for electric cur
trent furnished to private consumers
for light and power, and over the
rates charged for furnishing hot water
heat and steam heat. and over the
rates charged the city of Oskaloosa,
Iowa, for street lighting and over the
rates charged by the Oskaloosa Light
& Fuel Company to private consumers
for gas; and
Whereas, Ordinance No. 173 being
the ordinance voting the franchise to
the said Oskalposa Traction & Light
Company and which vas voted upon
by the voters of Oskaloosa, Iowa, pro.
vided for arbitration in the event that
the city and the company shall be un
able to agree as TO the proper rates
or the reduction of rates for street
/ lighting; and, -
| Whereas, the majority of the voters
of Oskaloosa have by their votes ap
proved the said ordinance, and mas
much as the question of the rates for
street lighting shall by said ordinance
be determined by arbitration, and that
this method of determining the rates
for street lighting has been fixed by
ordinance, and inasmuch as this phase
! of the question of rates must be de.
| termined by arbitration, and fnasmuch
as the controversy has arisen in re-
gard to the proper rates for the 9th
err commodities furnished to the pub
a, lie, the city council hereby directs
| the light committee and city attorney
to prepare and enter into an agree
ment for an arbitration of all the
questions involved with the Oskaloo5a
Traction & Light Company and the
Oskaloosa Light & Fuel Company for
the purpose of determining what is a
reasonable rate for the various COM
modities.
That said agreement, if entered in
to shall provide that the city appoint
an arbitrator, and the Oskaloosa
Traction e Light Company and the
Oskaloosa Light & Fuel Company ap
point an arbitrator, and the third
arbitrator to be appointed by the dis
trict court of Oskaloosa Mahaska
County, Iowa; all three (3) arbitrator
to be approved by the judge of the
district court of Mahaska County,
Iowa. That said articles of arbitra'
ton shall provide that the arbitrators
thus appointed shall make a physical
valuation of the properties Of the com
panies and shall thoroughly examine
the books of the companies and shall
determine the cost to the company
! of the manufacture and distribution
of the various commodities furnished
tc the public and the city of OsKa-
loosa by the said companies, and
shall determine and report to the
judge of the district court of Ma
haska County, Iowa, and to the city
council of the city of Oskaloosa 4
schedule of rates for electric light,
electric power, city lighting, hot-water
Feat, steam heat and gas; and that
said arbitrators shall make a COM
plete and full investigation of all mat
tiers and things that will enable them
to establish what is fair and reason
able rate for the various commodities:
and that said report shall be filed with
kf,n 1,fxy ala,ly %p tho nsfv Of nclya Innco