Ladysmith news-budget. [volume] (Ladysmith, Rusk County, Wis.) 1907-1927, 1917-12-14
COUNCIL MAKES
ASTATEMENT'
Determines to Have Lower
Rates and Better Plant
Controlled by People
NO REASON WHY 1T
CANNOT BE TAKEN OVER
Expert Expected to Operate Plant
Council in Unanimous State
ment Accepts Challenge


ment Accepts Challenge
The city council talked light and
lighting plant Monday.
There was unanimous agreement
on all the questions at issue i'll any
problem presented as to taking over
the plant and operating it for the city
1t may be stated that the question as
to power has been practically settled
and that the council is of the opinion
that there is nothing to prevent The
city from assuming ownership, SHOULD
the people vote in it's favor and after
an appraisement is made, and main
tanning it just as it is now.
The question has arisen as TO the
management The council agrees that
Il competent man. one OF experience Ill
the management Of plants of the same
character and equipped with technical
knowledge will have to be employed
1t is possible that the water works
will be joined with the same office and
all of the bills for water AM light be
paid through the one office.
On the matter of rates the council
refuses to recede from it's position one
jot Here is the statement made by
the Council, Mayor Thompson and
Messrs Luell and Anderson
Statement by the Council
The council based its proposition
to the Ladysmith Lighting Co. in its
rate reduction resolution on the facts
as they exist. 1t was fully cogniZant
that the rate charge by plants owned
power was obtained from water aver
aged few mills more than s cents
That difference was more than made
up by the difference in the cost of wa
Ter power as paid for by hes44ady
smith Lighting Co, which is $3.50 8
month, and the cost to the average city
| for the same power. This low power
| cost to Ladysmith Lighting CO., would
make an s cent rate as fair as 1t Is
| possible to estimate in the absence OF
1
profits being made by the present
company Any lower rate would have
| left us open to the criticism of putting
| on the screws unjustly
'.Then as to the three cent minimum
| rate, the council took the proposition
made by Mr.. Myers himself. THAI
was fixed by him and we hope no one
| is of the opinion that we are foolish
enough to raise the rates proposed by
the lighting company itself. No one
except a person stupidity ignorant OF
wilfully and maliciously attempting tC
deceive the public would have made sc
foolish a statement.
THE council will be prepared to give
| all the facts in each angle of the ques
ton to the people and when they are
given we are sure the public which
will have to answer the question will
agree on the three main questions.
The Three Propositions
list: That the city can take over
power now used and go ahead and give
as good light and as much power as is
now provided; and with skilled man.
ager there certainly would be an equal
chance of making as much money fol
the people as is now made for the Chi
cago owners. Then too the profits
would go, not away, but into the peck
cts of the owners-the people of Lady
smith.
"2nd: That based on the known
profit of the plant with the present
rate, figuring only on the s per cent
allowed by the state railroad commits
sion as profit, there could not possibly
be loss to the people with new re
duced rate of not to exceed cents as
the maximum net charge for current
and downward sliding scale as an in
ducement for greater use of current
by the regular consumers and as we'll
an inducement also for manufacturers
to locate here. We believe the people
will realize that the ownership of a
plant by the city is one of the most
conclusive arguments with The manu-
facturer seeking a new location in the
selection of a city. And again the
minimum charge for current proposed
by the council from the present high
rate of 81, to the lower one of not to
exceed IS cents and if possible to so
cents, is one Of the things which has
been refused by the present company
and yet is one. if not the most import
ant factor for the small consumer.
Now is the Time to Act
ed: That the value of the plant
as a going concern will not lessen by
its operation by the city, but on the
other hand will increase in worth and
as an asset to the city. With the Wis
ible growth of Ladysmith and based
on the present rate of profit, the
value to the owners will constantly in
crease; and if the city does not take
the plant now but at some future time,
DESTROYS of correcting conditions from
which they can get no relief by the for
~s<~ II,