Saturday news. (Watertown, S.D.) 19??-19??, 1919-03-06
Council Rejects the
Light Company Offer

Light Company Otter
Continued from Page IL
provision in the civil code Of 1908. he
averred, whereby the city of Water
town can compel a showing of the bust
ness of the Watertown Light and Pow
err Co, and under the law the city couh-
ell unquestionably has the authority to
adjust the rates upon the basis of the
plant and the legitimate operating eX-
lepnses.
There is no question concerning the.
powers granted under the law. said Mr..
Hanten. aud all the city needs TO do 10
enforce a square deal from the electric
light people is 10 proceed under the.
statutes 10 compel an accounting. lie.
suggested that the legal department
get busy, for, said he, the pending suit
over the recent increase of rates af-
fords Waterfowl an ample ~opportun-
lily TO invoke the law to protect itself
and its people from injustice at the
hands of the electric lighting company,
In conclusion said Mr.. Hanten, Il
want to say hat | ave not been re-
tanned, at any time, by the electric light
people, or any one else, to appear in
court or elsewhere in their behalf
What l have done and am doing is done
upon my personal responsibility as a
citizen of WATERFOWL beca use the city's
interests are necessarily my interests, y
- Nh,
S. Y. Way followed Mr.. Hanten,
pointing out, as he expressed ii, that
| WATERFOWL is paying a higher rate for
its electric current than any city of its
class roundabout is paying for the
same commodity.
Mr.. Way said that the high rate in
WATERFOWL is throtsling manufacturing
enterprises because in order TO acquire
manufactures it is necessary ~ pro
| vide CHEAP power. He said we woul
better build a second, or even a third,
| electric light plant and afford an OPP
portunity Tor getting factories and other
business ventures thai to hay but the
one of its policy is such as TO discour-
axe these enterprises.
John IL. ConIey
John II. Conley presented some us
ures regarding he lighting of his store.
Last month, he said, he had used Sos
SlIowatts of electricity. Based upon
| these figures, the old price, before the
recent increase would be $31.10. Under
the existing schedule the bill for TINS
amount of current is S39.37. Under the
| proposed new schedule it would amount
TO s46.12. This, said MIR. Conley, shows
that instead of reducing rates even from
the presert high schedule, the company
proposes to increase them to. the large
consumer. Only the small consumer Will
be benefited, continued Mr.. Gonley,
while the large users will pay more
than they are required to pay under the
present rating.
ID. M. Bannister
D.. NJ. Bannister offered a few re-
marks along the line of cost under the
proposed new schedule in comparison
18th the existing rates. saying that as.
IL appeared to him even the household
rate would be increased if a users bill
approximates seven TO eight dollars a
month.
Council Acts
No other person offering any sugges-
ton. the mayor said that the council
had been assured by a representative of
the company tMr. Manlovel that the
rates would be readjusted so that the
cost to business houses would be less,
whereas it appears that under b com,
| panx's proposition they will be increas-
| ed, which does mot harnlonize with the
assurances given.
Alderman Hagna thereupon moved
That both propositions tthe proposed
| schedule and the proposition TO sell to
the city, be rejected. The motion was
seconded and carried by unanimous
vote.
The Mayor Talks
Mayor Hopkins then offered a few
| observations, calling attention to the
controversy with the company. He said
that IN his opinion the people of Water
town are paying twenty thousand dol
lars d year more for electricity thar
they should be required to pay. He
held it to be the duty of the city To
bust out d it.''Sana to go ahead with
the building of an electric lighting
plant. 1--WE ought to walk right through
with IT" he declared. This indefinite
gouging on the part Of the electric
Light people ought to be stopped
Section 784, Civil Code
Mr.. Hanten again took the floor fol
q few minutes to declare himself IN
enuivocally against duplicating our pub
nc utilities. Regardless Of what rates
may he fixed under municipal owner,
ship, we cannot escape increased taxa
ton. he ayerred. Provision must b
made for meeting The ailnnal interesi
charges ana sto provideaa sinking funi
h any ven ana this must De me
through the process ~ taxasion. From
this there ~ no escape. II We van t
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