The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1917-06-28
Philanthropists or Fools wnichq

gineers of the Wisconsin Gas and Elec-
trio Company relative to the operation
of the Kenosha city heating plant.
We have no reason to doubt the sufA
ficiency Of these figures; we have no IN
formation on which we might assert
that the engineer had craftilly mani
pulated the figures to show that it was
long past the time when this utility
should be abandoned; but we do know
that these figures raise the question as
to, whether the men who are operating
this utility are philantropists or fools.
The figures submitted would indicate
that the company has been making
about as much out of this business in
the past as the Red Cross receives from
some of these advertising stamp vend-
ing machines OF as one could get for a
plugged German mark presented at
Federal Reserve Bank in the United
States.
Invested capital is not noted for it's
philanthrophy Companies which try
Ito satisfy the law Of investors for in
creased and ever increasing dividends,
usually do not have charity fund. II
If there is to be gifts to the people and
the cause of the people, they are usu-
ally made with more or less spectacular
effect,by the great heads Of these com
panies ard they arc taken from his
private purse or his private conscience
fund according to just how well the
utility has served the people. The
average man who looks at financial
problems will be slow to accept the
suggestion that the business Of the
Wisconsin Gas and Electric Company
or any Of it's integral parts is being
operated with loss that is not com
pensated for in gains from some other
integral point. Estimated figures of
an engineer practiced in making just
such kind of figures is not going to
seriously affect the opinion of the gen
eral public. What the people will in
sist on is not fancy figures of engineer
ing experts, but some real "show
which will show just what the COM
pany is paying in cold dollars and cents
to its invested capital. It does not
matter a lot where these dividends
come from. They go into a common
pot and out of the same kind of a
common pot should come the develop
ment of the various lines of service to
be furnished by the company. The
utility company can not be allowed to
be Stacker to the business of the
people just because wartime prices
may eliminate some of the dividends.
With a view of killing the heating
plant proposition it is an open secret
that the company has not sought its
development; that it has discouraged
customers in the past, and that it is
advising them against applying for
service in the present .,n The company
does not like the hearing business. It
does not bring the maximum dividends
that the company desires to earn and
for this reason the company would
abandon it. In seeking to abandon this
line of service to the people the com
pany does not take into considera-
tion for a minute the rights of people |
that it serves.
The whole tendency on the part of
the company and the company which |
preceded it, was to wreck the heating
plant. The evidence of it's own of
fcials shows that maintenance of the |
plant was limited to necessary repairs
to keep the water running in the mains.
No effort has been made to make the |
plant modern. No move has been
taken to expend amounts set aside for
depreciation for the improvement of the |
plant. It has just been allowed to rot |
out with a view of abandonment.
Like dog in the manger, the com
pany has stood in the way Of other
people coming into the city to control |
utilities and it stands in that position |
today. It is unbelievable that rail
road commission composed of men |
who are sworn to defend the rights |
of the people, can take this Stacker
view of the petition for the abandon
ment of the plant.
Kenosha has learned many lessons |
from Lacrosse. 1t can learn one more. |
Lacrosse has a Yaroon heating system. |
It found it insufficient and unsatisfac- |
tory. The company appealed to the
commission for raise in rates. It |
raised them. The people refused to |
pay and are still refusing to pay the |
increased rate, yet the company is re
building its heating plant and furnish
ing service. Lacrosse is not any
larger than Kenosha and yet the com
pany has three hundred patrons there /
as compared with ninety-three here.
The rate people pay in Lacrosse is I
lower than is charged in Kenosha and !
yet for three years this rate has been
maintained--and maintained with real |
service. The lesson taught by Lacrosse |
NAV well be taken to heart in kenosha |
LIE Lacrosse, way over on the western |