The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1917-07-30
VERSUS SHELLEY
LIGHT FRANCHISE
Shelley, July 26, 1917.
Editor of The Idaho Republican,

EulCOT OL Inc luanO hopuDllCan,
| Blackfoot, Idaho.
AS your paper is quite widely cir
culated in Shelley wish that you
would print the following in your
first issue.
| In the last weeks issue of The
Shelley Pioneer one article of Tom
Bennett and another called adver-
| tisement not signed by any one but
representing the Shelley Mercantile
company, the Shelley Light & Power
Coz, and | might say the whole Shell
ley family, and ! hope you will al
low me the privilege to answer at
least little part of it and print my
answer in your first issue since they
have found it necessary to use my
name in order to make the Shelley
people see that Shelley family is en-
titled to a 50-year franchise.
Last winter when the Shelley plant
went out of commission | was ap-
pointed on committee of seven to
consider the possibility of making
Shelley municipal or at least to own
the distributing system and buy the
power wholesale, several of the COM
mittee were in favor of building a
line to Idaho Falls and buying from
the Utah Power & Light company,
was in favor of buying Shelley's dis
tributing system and giving Shelley
contract for wholesale for num-
ber of years. There was petition
circulated in town and understand
signed by the majority of resident
owners in favor of municipal ar
rangement. With that in view not
alone but all the committee were
opposed to franchise of any kind.
1t was not the intention of the COM
mittee to put the municipal move
ment out until some time in the fu-
ture, but to start Immediately; and
/ think that is the understanding to-
day While no action has been taken
yet | am satisfied that we will buy
the Shelley distributing system right
now and give the Shelley Light &
Power company a CONTRACT ror whole
sale from five to ten years and If
Shelley Light & Power company
really have the efficiency or power
that they claim to have which will
be proven in the meantime we should
buy the whole plant. This Is the
whole situation as far as / am con-
zcerned. have agreed with several
others to raise the money necessary
to buy the Shelley distributing sys-
tenn providing the villagers not able
to do so. This agreement was with
a special understanding that not one
of the individuals that backed the
village toi9get the municipal start
should receive any personal benefit
or any compensation Of any kind
. This much for the Shelley muni-
cipal. 2s9t2gt7gs 10 pliGa b917 sIJ
j Now in regards to the statement
where n should of said that / was
willing to come in under the village
government providing" they refused
the Shelley family the 50-year fran
chise that is correct with this excep-
tion: also said, Make the town
municipal at once" lit has all been
considered for the, benefit 1of the
town9of Shelley and to give the town
a. little revenue as the taxation IN
the Shelley village is higher than
any other place in the state. 95 b7ll
Since the Shelley family are charg-
ing me personally to betthe man be-
hind the fight against the franchise
will only say that they are giving
me credit for whole lot more IN
f1uence than Ihave' and since the
Shelley family feel justified in send
ing some Of their own men to MEM
bers of the board and trying to die
tate and telling the village board
that. they. haveAgot to give them that
franchise, (if that is the, case) /
don't see that the board Shas any
choice. 1t is pretty well understood
that the Shelley family have never 4
forgot their own interest when they
did any thing for the town. y
This is ALL have to say in regards
to the 50-year franchise and the
municipal movement Of Shelley. o. \
''i. Hqog 41s uam1tlN NJ HOLM. IA