The Oskaloosa herald. (Oskaloosa, Mahaska County, Iowa) 1885-1919, 1917-01-18
rate REGULATION
NEW ORDINANCE PROPOSED ON
PUBLIC UTILITIES

| UOJWeeu the Slll1Suo IIOISCllNS
League and the Traction and Light
Company and the first fall was award
ed to the Protective League. Ordinan-
ces for the regulation Of heat, current
and gas, presented by the League and
urged to passage were taken up in
regular form in the council, passed
upon first reading and referred to the
ordinance committee of the council.
They will come up again for report at
the next regular session of the coun-
, Gil Monday evening, February 5.
These ordinances covered every
phase of public service excepting the
hours of operation and rates of the
street car and interurban service.
An ordinance regulating the hot
water heat service makes the rate 20
cents for radiation instead of % cents,
as now charged by the company. An
other ordinance reduces the rates
charged for steam heat and makes
changes in rules and regulations of
operation.
A third ordinance takes up the sub
ject of gas furnished by the company
and makes the rate one dollar.
Electric current for light and power
is the subject for fourth ordinance
in which the rate for current opens
up sliding scale at ten cents net for
the first 20 kilowat hours.
A resolution was offered for. the
regulation of the street light rates,
for all branches of the service, arcs,
posts, series lamps and alley lights.
Another resolution authorizes the
expenditure of money by the city coun
Gil for the employment of competent
engineering service to plan and esti-
mate the cost of municipality owned
water plant, the supply to be obtained
from Ues' Moines river or some other
place.
These ordinances and resolutions
were offered by the Protective League
through it's attorney, Thomas ]. Bray
who read the ordinances and talked
in explanation and defense thereof.
Mr.. Bray insisted that the ordinances
be started upon their way to adoption
immediately.
And now began the fireworks. S. V.
Reynolds came forth with comment
and recommended that better way
out of the controversy was provided
for in the franchises under which the
company operated,-arbitratio
Mr. Lind, representing the Traction
and Light Company stated briefly but
positively that the regulations propos-
ed by the League would be fatal to
the successful or profitable operation
of their property in Oskaloosa and If
insisted upon the Company must take
such means of defending it's property
posal.
Mr.. Bray ridiculed the possibility of
court contention asserting that the
rates mentioned in the new or pro-
posed ordinances were so manifestly
fair that the Company would not dare
show its books in court.
Councilman Bell talked and was en-
gagged by Mr.. Bray in some pointed
queries. Councilman Snyder came to
the rescue of Mr.. Bell and defended
him against Mr.. Bray whose whip al
SO popped in the neighborhood of
Colonel J. H. Pickett.
The meeting was becoming inter
esting to the big crowd present for
the fray and the drives were cheered
to the echo and some shouting was
started by the more excitable.
Mr.. Snyder offered resolution that
the ordinances be referred to the
ways and means committee of the
council to confer with the Tractiol.
and Light Company to see if the sub
ject could not be arbitrated.
| This motion was lost.
Councilman l.. M. Fansher then
took charge of the progress of the
ordinances through the maze of coun-
Gil and legal procedure and offered
each and every one of the new Tegu-
lations to first reading and passage.
And each and every ordinance offered
passed it's first reading and was turn
ed over to the ordinance committee
for report.
Pending further investigation and
consideration, resolutions presented
' for the rates for street lighting and
for a new water works were not Of
fered at this time for council action.
Contrary to custom and the usual
1 method of procedure, routine business
and affairs had precedence in the city
council order of business at the reg
lular session Monday evening. Mayor
Harold knew that the big thing of
the evening was the rate regulation
movement and he desired to clear the
council decks of all other matters
pending the big engagement.
/ Claims were therefore taken up, the
list read and variants authorized.
Albert Mendenhall, chairman of the
fire committee reported to the coun
Gil of the making of the contract for
the new pumper, told of the equip
ment ordered with the machine and
reported that the total cost of the