Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1919-02-15

Complete rehabilitation of the city
electric lighting plant, or the building
of a. larger and more up-to-date plant
with the ultimate object of furnishing
electricity for commercial purposes. In
competition with privately owned
plants, or to acquire competing sys-
TENS and serve the public generally
Is the object of petition circulated In
the city. calling ON the city council to
hold a special election to determine
the mind Of the public on the question.
The petition reads:
I'VE, the undersigned, electors of the
city Of Marshalltown, hereby respect
fully petition the honorable mayor and
city council Of Marshalltown. and ask
that an election be called to determine
whether or not bonds be issued for
the purpose of extending, maintain
ing and operating the present electric
and power plant. now owned and
operated by the city. We want the city
Of Marshalltown to own and operate
municipal lighting and power plant to
light our streets and to furnish electro
city to its Inhabitants for all
purposes"
Claim Enough Sisners Secured.
NJ. M. OBryon, who Is said to have
drafted the petition and put 1t IN
circulation, said Friday that the petit
ton he carried now bears the names
OF a sufficient number of voters to
secure the election, besides four other
petitions known to be in circulation
and to have been freely signed. 1t was
safe that fifteen or more petitions
were to be put in circulation to reach
organized labor. The petitions which
have been circulated, 1t is stated. have
been signed only in the business dis
trict of the city.
Altho no intimation was given as to
the time the petitioA would be filed, it
was said the circulation of the papers
might be speeded up to get the petit
ton before the council as soon as pos
sible.
Rehabilitation Of Plant Necessary.
That the rehabilitation of the city
electric light plant soon will be neces-
sary is the opinion Of city officials. 1t
is probable that the question Of the
rehabilitation or complete rebuilding
of the plant will come before the voters
within the next year or so.
Members Of the city council have
emphasized the need of new light
ing plant. but whether they would go
to the extent of increasing the capacity
Of the plant 50 as to complete with
privately owned plant to furnish light
and power for commercial purposes Is
not known.
Strictly from the standpoint Of the
city lighting system. there is need Of
immediate improvement Of the plant,
according to members Of the council
and the city electrician. The present
plant is taxed to its capacity. 1t is
impossible to increase the number Of
the complete breakdown Of the aystem.
Rehabilitation Might Cost $4,000. !;
According to one member Of the
city council the rehabilitation of re-
building Of the plant to meet the real
needs Of the city, might cost about
$4,000. It was his belief that the city
should be bonded to this amount and
entirely new equipment installed to
care for tho demands on the city for
years to come.
The council constantly is petitioned
to install street lights In various parts
Of the city now without lights. but of
necessity these petitions have to be
turned down. City Electrician Brown
advises against installation of more
lights, pointing to the danger Of over
taxing the plant. It Is felt in city
circles that no matter whether the
nresenk odmfni ri "a tiOn Ia refajned In
office or whether a new set of city
officials Is to assume control Of
affairs April 1. the new administration
can not escape the problem Of fur
nishing more light for the city and to
do 50 new plant must be installed or
the old one entirely rebuilt. Insofar as
the city Is concerned, however, the
present administration has considered
the problem only from the standpoint
Of street lighting system and not with
the object of furnishing light and
power to individuals.