The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1919-02-18
SALE OF ELECTRIC LIGHT BONDS
DELAYED ANOTHER WEEK.
PEOPLE BECOMING TIRED
DEMAND OF THE MASSES OF
MADISON Is FOR A MUNIC-
IPALLY OWNED ELEC-
TRIO PLANT.

The city commission met in regu-
lar session at the city hall last even
ing with Mr.. Henkin absent.
The recent agitation with respect
to the Northern States Power COM
pany's proposition brought 20 to rs
citizens to the meeting. They were
there to study the moves the city
commissioners were expected to take
on the sale of bonds, bids for which
are now on file with the city auditor.
1t is a well recognized fact now
that Mr.. Henkin and Mr.. Schmidt
lean largely toward the acceptance
of the Northern States Power prop
osition, the former being one of tne
best boosters" hat company has in
Madison. Mr.. Henkin is outspoken7
ly favoring the outside corporations
project and just at the time when
the citizens are looking to the whole
commission to close the bond sales
transaction as they determined it
should be done at the bond election,
and proceed with the erection of 4
municipal plant.
The city can feel assured that
Mayor Robertson is staunchly back
ing the people in their demand for
current made and distributed from a
plant their money, has been voted TO
erect. The complexion of the COM
mission is now well known.
An hour and a half was spent at
last nights session and but little
was accomplished. The report of the
expert who has been figuring for
two days on what it costs to produce
current at the plant was read and
considered. This report which was
compiled after a 24-hour test show
ed Enthusiastically that Madison was
making current very close to a cost
of 3 cents per kilowatt, the price the
Northern States Power company asks.
Mayor Robertson figured that cost
directly from the report. However,
Mr.. Schmidt was not satisfied with
the test because of the short interval
involved in making il. He made a
motion that the commission engage
the services of a capable accountant
whose duty it will be to find u the
cost OF production and just what the
plant has earned from the time the
gas producers were placed in up to
the time of the fire. This motion
was duly carried. This is an adroit
move for 1T will delay the bond sale
and give the Northern States Power
people time to get in their work and
defeat the will of the people of this
city.
The bond sale which should have
come up last night was deferred an
other week ostensibly to first hear
an accountants report. All this
seems to be a strategic stroke to give
the Northern States Power company
time in which to slip their PROPOSE.
ton over and defeat the expressed
will of u interested citizens.
Mayor Robertson inspected the
contract presented by the Northern
States Power company, features oil
which do not just exactly please him
He put the question point blank tc
Mr.. Schmidt, What shall we dc
with the present plant should we &C.
cept the Northern States Power com
pany's offer; let it stand idle?" Now
that is a point of vital interest. Yes
what would we do with it? And thu
mayor put up another proposition
namely, the upkeep of that plant and
the city wiring system added to the
Northern States minimum of $4,000
per annum would carry our expense
to a point where there would be
nothing to gain in taking on outside
light and power.
Time is flying. The bonds the
people voted are still on file and &
division of opinion among the city
commissioners is causing such a de
lay that 1t seems necessary for thu
people to rise in mass and demand
the immediate sale of bonds and thu
erection of a municipal plant.