Saturday news. (Watertown, S.D.) 19??-19??, 1919-02-06
FACTS on the Question Of
SPECIAL Election for Bonding
for Municipal Electric Plant.


The question before the voters on
Tuesday, february 18th, is perhaps
one o. the most important elections
ever he'd in the city of Waterfow1,.
Livery voter should make sure he is
registered and entitled to vote at this
election. h city of Watertown has
an opportunity that perhaps if pass
ed up at this Rhine, will be gone for at
least ten years. The contract be.
tween the city OF Watertows. ard tlle
Electric Light company 70. street
Lighting will expire May list. 1921, and
the city council will be compelled to.
enter into a new contract with the
Light company before that time, or
be prepared to light its own streets,
II 6; new contract is made, it will I'M.
doubtedly be a contract for Il period
OF TEN YEARS. and in that c,,se the
city would be in no position TO estah.
Isl a municipal plant until tie end
CT that contract. 1t is purely a bust
Iess proposition with the city REGARD
ing a municipal plant. The present.
$500 VI an liS.t CCiillJiilS, IlV.ltos
as n Go in Omaha, are not interes i,
ea in the up building and welfare OF
the city, except to the extent OF get
ting every dollar possible out of its
people to be used by them IN bu: d,
ing up the city of Omaha where Nleg
have their homes, Tho Electric Light
company through it's manager, M, A.
Harrison, would like to dictate the
policy OF the city OF Watertown alone.
these lines. Mr.. Harrison is Net
evcsl O VOTER of Watertown and
none of the stockholders are electors
and AVE no VOC i'll the affairs of the
city government, yet they desire to
say what tie city of Watertown
should 90 along this line. We cannot
see wherein the Electric Light com.
pany or the gentlemen from Omaha
have any right at this time to dictate
to the City of Watastown. The city
Las made no effort to set aside its
contract, or to cancel Their franchise,
but has simply asked authority of the
people of WATERFOWL to issue bonds
for tae purpose OF building a light
plant OF its own to light its own
streets and pump water n Sewerage.
Why should the people of Omaha
care if the city of WATERFOWL as a
business proposition, desires to oper-
ate thcir W light plant instead Of
buying current from the present com.
{pany. About the only persons that
lave become excited about this cleo
ton are Mr.. Harrison and Mr.. Man,
love, both representatives of the On1a
ha people. Their own representative
ADMITS that the RATES in Water
town are TOO HIGH. ana that the
pcpoie OF this city are entitled to 4
much cheaper rate, yet, up to this
time the company has made no move
TO reduce the rates or to even promise
a reduction. Watertown is entitled to
a ten ct. rate the same as the city Of
Mitchell, SIOUX Falls and other cities
in the neigllborhood of WATERFOWL
II the BOND ISSUE CARRIES, Wa;
tertown will l,ave a TEN CENT rate
within a very short time, or at least
will have a very material reduction,
in rates. The city of Sioux Fails.
voted bonds for q municipal plant
and Immediately the light company o.
Sioux Fails reduced their rates foul
cents per RY making l1e rate niif
cents per XIV. WATERFOWL will have
the same experience, If the bond issue
is put across with a big majority.
Municipal ownership of light plant.
has been growing steadily for the past
.tcn years and at the present time
about 35 per cent of the plants in the
United States are owned by municipal
corporations. The rate of the mum
cipal plants throughout the Unitee
States is lower than the rates of priv
ate owned plants. The city %
Brookings. Redfieid, New Ulrn, Mime
sofa, Rochester, Minnesota, THE,
River Fails, Msnnesotl, ani many
other cities that could be mentioned
have municipal plants and they are
success in every instance. and il any
person doubts this statement, e
would appreciate it if he would write
to His friends In the several cite
mentioned Or in any city having 9
municipal plant and make inquiries
regarding the rates and service, aTe
we are sure that the reply receive
viii support the municipal pant oySr
the private owned plant OF course
there are Some TOW NJ taatah We beer
unfortunate In their mu5i3ip I p an
tile some as Waterfowl a. Zen VI
fortunate in ha~ysnspeepse Ct 0naaa
own its private plant. Bat yet as
whole, the municipal pats "a {
been a success and have not on
reduced t~he@ratss, but havs earnet
sufficient to make all He essari
i e~xtens.ons and Keep the psaat II Fir
eiass eud..tsca ss= 8 8
The city 81 Watertown ras an op
portunity at this TINA to take & se
forward. and erect Plant far stree
EsS i i aasf sss sses
saving thecity pt N7aterta0n9a iasT'
sun 81 nloney, now paid to NJ 81
the city of Omaha, and at tsae San.
time gs.vc the people WasertoHI