The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1918-02-28

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wards was az follows:
LIST 2nd 3rd Total
For bonds 81 % 18 1O3
Against Al AZ SO l19
During the past week the merits
and dement's of the proposition had
been quite thoroughly discussed from
various standpoints. On Thursday
evening . mass meeting was held at
which Mr.. r. M Burtis, Of Chicago,
one of the directors of the South Da-
kota Light & Power Co., explained
the condition of the central plant at
Armour, the causes of the deplorable
service that they have been giving
US, and the steps that are being TAX
en- to put the plant in shape. Mr.,
WEIGH. an experienced engineer from
DEBORAH. Ia, has been placed in
charge of the plant, and is having
the machinery thoroughly overhauled.
A new 300 II. P. engine has been or
dered, and he showed the letter from
the manufacturers promising to rush
the order as fast as possible. Mr..
Burtis assured the people that within
thirty days much better service
would be given, and within four
months the new machinery would be
installed and there would thereafter
be no shortage Of current.
Mr.. Lund. of the Electrical Devel-
opment Co., Of Sioux City, was pres
ent on the same evening, and ar.
rapgements were made to have him
address mass meeting on Monday
night, giving estimates on the cost of
municipal plant. cost of operating,
and the possibilities of making the
plant financial success. A large
audience greeted MIR. Lund Monday
evening, and in a. gentlemanly way
he presented the matter. giving fig
ures and estimates which appeared to
be fair and reasonable. His estimate
9f the cost of q plant adequate for. a.
town the size of Scotland was about
$50, 500, This, with an engineering
fee of So, 900. would be $50, 500
The cost of operation he estimated at
about $1l. Coo year. The revenues
from Scotland at the present time are
approximately $4,000. This appar-
emily would show q deficiency. but he
predicted that with an improved SER
vice at present rates the revenues
would increase to about $l3, 900,
which 10 about an average consump-
ton for town tire size of Scotland.
Following Mr.. Lund's address there.
was general discussion in which the
experience of numerous towns having
municipal plants was given, some
plants having been successful and
some proving to be expensive luxur.
les The example which excited most.
interest was that of Tyndall. 1t had
been proclaimed and circulated that
the Tyndall plant had paid all run
nang expenses; had given the city
free street lights and water pumping.
and had paid the original cost of con-
struction in full out of the net earn.
ings in seven year, without costing
the tax payers a cent. In answer to
this; figures were presented, furnish
ed by q city om,i al of Tyndall. show.
ing. that the cost of the plant had
been nearly all paid, but by the levy
of extra taxes. Tyndall has an ex-
ceilent plant. and it has given fine
service at reasonable cost, but it was
not secured without cost to the tax
payers. s
The suggestion was made by a
pusher for the bond issue, that the
bonds be voted, but with the under
standing that they be not sold until
the S. D Light & Power Co, had
been given four months in which to
make good their promise Of better
service, and the meeting adjourned.
These who opposed the bond issue
did it, not because they thought the
city should submit to the kind of SER
vice that we have been receiving, but
the prospects of improvement in that
service are better than they Fave ever
been before. and before putting so
large burden upon the tax payers
they felt that the present lighting
company should be given reasonable
time to make good. They also felt
that at this time, when our country
is at war and strict economy is being
urged. when our secretary of war has
expressly requested that all municipal
improvements not absolutely necessa-
~ should be deferred until after the
war. that to install a.. plant at this