The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1917-07-30
sHELLEY's ELECTRIC PROBLEM
The Village Board Should Act for the
Town Of Shelley First, Last
md All the Time

i md All the Time
In last weeks issue of The Idaho
Republican there was comment in
favor of the Shelley Light & Power
company being granted a 50-year
franchise, by parties interested finan-
cially, directly or indirectly, endeav-
Oring to gain public sentiment in
favor of such franchise.
l think the village board have
business ability enough and are cap
able of acting either for or against
such franchise. They were elected
| by the people to act for the people
in such problems that come up for
their consideration from time to
time. All the board members when
elected took the oath of office to
discharge their duties impartially
and to act at all times in behalf and
for the good and welfare of the town
of Shelley.
Mr.. Bennett stated in his article
of last week that no member of the
town board should let any personal
matter enter into the case Of grant
ing a 50-year franchise, and l think
he is right in making this one state
ment, altho it might be pretty hard
for one to hold back his personal
feelings and to act unselfishly when
they are personally financially inter-
ested in securing such franchise.
The Shelley Light & Power com
pany have 10 years of an unexpired
franchise in the town of Shelley, and
that should be sufficient to test out
their present canal system thru
which they secure water to operate
their plant which froze up last
winter and kept the town in darkness
from three to four months.
Personally / am not in favor OF
the Shelley Light & Power company
being granted a 50-year franchise at
this time, until they have gone thru
another winter, so that they can
prove beyond any question that they
have a system that is worthy OF such
franchise.
Municipal ownership is what the
town should and can have, II the
town board would put as much
thought and time towards securing
same as they have discussing fran
chises. About all that has been done
since the new board took the oath
of office is to cuss and discuss the
proposed 50-year franchise pf the
Shelley Light & Power company, and
to table it from one meeting nlgnt
to another, and it is high time this
matter of franchise be disposed OF
one way or another at their next
regular meeting so that the board
can get down to business on matters
far more important for the good and
welfare of the town OF Sneliey.
| have been informed that the con-
tract with the Shelley Light & Power
company have with the Woodvlile
Canal company thru which said light
comDanv obtain their water is only
a 2O-vear contract why should the
Shelley Light & Power company ask
for a 5O-year franchise on such
contract? and why should the town
hoard grant such franchise sucn
being the case?
have also been informed by en-
gineers who have investigated the
intake of the Woodville canal that
the width and depth of said canal
is not sufficient to keep from treez-
ing ND solid under severe continued
cold weather such as we experienced
last winter.
am in favor of the town board
nurcha sing the distributing lines and
equipment from the Shelley Llght q
Power company, and to buy us elec-
tric energy at wholesale, and TO oper-
ate it's own municipal distributing
system. and to purchase said electric
energy from the Shelley Light d
Power company providing they can
deliver us at all times SUI
ficient electric energy, for the same
Drice that it can be obtained from
other companies.
connection is what we want ana
must have, if Shelley ever makes tne
kind of progressive town that the
nponle of this community are en-
titled to. -, o
Some of our citizens will say we
haven't the money for these Things
which is true; we don't have 1t. at
the present time, but we can bona
Tho town and that is just what we
should do, and we shoulo ponu ~
enough money while we are at IL 70
nut in permanent and depemuaple
water system, the town or Shelley
can bond for $4,000 Just as easy I
as the Shelley Light & Power com
nanv can. and as far as the interest,"
IN the bonds is concerned the lnnaD-
itants of the town will have IT 10
nav in either case, either directly OF
Indirectly. so if we bond the town
we nav the interest directly and IL I
the Shelley Light & Power company