Ladysmith news-budget. [volume] (Ladysmith, Rusk County, Wis.) 1907-1927, 1917-11-16
Whole Question of Municipal
Ownership Likely to Go
Before the People
DEVELOPMENTS OF THE
LAST FEW DAYS TOLD
Some of the Things City is Up Against
and Figures on Power, Debt,
and Cost

There is no let-up in the interest in
the question OF electric lights and SER
vice for the city. A petition circulat-
ed by George Kilgore calling upon the
city council to order an election has
already received signatures of $50 citi-
zens. If there are enough signers-a
majority it is stated by council mem
bers-an election will be ordered and
the question of municipal ownership be
put up to the people.
That question will be "Shall the City
of Ladysmith buy the lighting plant
and operate it?'
History of This Case
By resolution passed by the council
on Aug. 2S last the public was notified
that on Sept Is, the council would
finally pass upon resolution calling
municipal election Oct. 16 on the pur-
chasing of the lighting plant. At that
time the News Budget published, as
usual, an exclusive story of the entire
details of the plant history. schedule
of the bonded Indebtedness of the city
and facts in connection with the Big
Falls power project not before made
public On. Sept. Is the council adj
journed, as L. E. Myers president OF
the Ladysmith Lighting Co. had writ
ten OH the 14th, that he wanted to see
the city officials and at that time
would present a new schedule of rates.
A conference was held later and the
mayor said to a reporter for the News
Budget that he would call a mass
meeting as soon as the new schedule
was received That statement was
printed in the issue of Sept. 21. AS he
had said then the mass meeting was
sented at the meeting at the court
house. 1t is well to get these things in
mind as many different statements are
in circulation as to the reason for the
mass meeting.
Looks Like an Election
1t looks now as though the resolu-
ton for an election passed for first
reading at the August meeting of the
council would be carried out. City
Clerk Edgar has sent out numerous
letters asking for information rs to
power costs. The question as tr a re-
newaI of the contract with the Men
asha Paper Company will also be taken
up as soon as Mayor Thompson re-
turns from Iowa. 1t has been stated
that the paper company did not wish
to renew the contract but had even
asked to have it abrOgated.
Can Get the Power
That does not appear to be true
There is in existence a contract be.
tween the Menasha Paper Company
and the Rusk County Construction Co
for supplying. $50 horse power to the
latter company for a period Of 1O(
years and it has over 80 years yet tC
run. Before the expiration of each
period of five years the Rusk County
Co. notifies the Paper Co. whether il
desires to continue taking the current
or not if it does the paper company
| simply goes on furnishing it. Whef
the Myers interests acquired the prop
erty of the lighting company last
June it also bought the stock and as
sets of the Rusk County CONSTRUCTION
company That is the way the present
company now gets its power. IT the
Railroad Commission appraised the
| lighting company's plant it is quite
likely that the power contract OF the
kconstruction company would go along
with it. The power contract would be
of no value to the Myers interests as
the only way it could be used woul6
be over the city lines. 1t is the one
valuable asset of the lighting company
And when it comes to helping Lady
Continued on page SIX