Webster City freeman. [volume] (Webster City, Hamilton County, Iowa) 1884-1946, 1922-03-27
WEBSTER CITY
Makes Us Weep
Under Above Caption the
Manchester Press Tells
its Readers a few
Facts.
ELECTRICITY PRICES
Manchester let Corporation
Grab it's Water
Power.

Manchester Press COincident Will
rllmors that the Iowa Electric com
,mny. which furnishes Manchester Will
electric current for Light and power and
With steam for heating, is about tt
put into effect reduced rates for these
commodities. some Interesting figures
regarding rates in effect elsewhere have
come TO light. Manchester. it will hi
borne in mind. is now paying II cents
per kilowatt hour for electricity for
lighting purposes. 8 cents per kilowatt
for power and cents for electric st owe
current.
Webster City Shining Example.
The most conspicuous example of
what municipal ownership of public
utilities can do for Il community. when
inteli.Tntly directed is to be found
in tne experience of the town of Web
ster City. with Il population OF 5000
The residents of Webster City own
all of its public utilitics-water. lignt
and gas. They are rim so efficiently
that the town enjoys il Z cent electric
rate-jnSt one-half that paid in Man
chestcr-and still lights its streets for
nothing. On top of this startling Snow
ing, the Webster City plant makes
money and the tax levy for the city
shows Il steady decrease. Municipal
ownership has always proven Il sue
cess where honest. capable manage
ment is assured. That is the one big
factor in making a municipal plant pay
keeping it ouf of politics. holding
down overhead expenses and Operat-
ing on a buSincSSlike scale. Webster
City has been able to accomplish this
TO better advantage than any other
city that we have knowledge of.
Rock Rapids Cuts Rates.
Rock Rapids. another city where
municipal ownership is in effect. has
cut the price of electricity from II
cents per kilOwatt to 10 cents, and has
= -
cents. The Manchester power rate is
cents. with Il sliding scale adjustment
which affects only large consumers. If
Rock Rapids can make its own electric
NY and sell ii for power at } cents
Yer kilowatt it is Il cinch that the town
is not losing any money. The Web
Ster City and Rock Rapids rates for
electricity make M int eresting cOmpar-
ison with tie figures paid by Nam
Hearly 100 per cent more for the same
service. However. so long as no pro-
test is uttered. the Iowa Electric IS
justified in assuming that everything
is serene along the Maquoketa. Wei
are about rs patient and willing :,
set of Mountaineering goats as ever
called ourselves Il modern community |
Perhaps we have it coming to us. as |
we sat around and saw the Iowa Eloc-
Uric grab off two fine water powers
right under our noses. The town not
having gumption enough to protec, itsI
own interests.
Liberal John.
Our neighbOr, the Democrat. which
appears to he in the good glaces and
confidence of the Iowa Electric, saws
that John Reed manager of that com
pHny. has made Il proposition to thaI
Manchester council to reduce electric
Lighting rates here. Johns reduction
consists in drop of / cent per kiI0-
watt that is, from il to IL cents.
while on the other hand the mini
mum rate has been boosted from 81
per month to S1.2J If the council
accepts this offer its members are
softer in the head than We think they
are or ought to be. Manchester should
not pay over 9 or ut the outside 10
cents per kilowatt for electricity. At
cents there is Il huge profit in the
service. and at II cents-wOw Bat
the town Is in no position to kick II
has no recourse. no defense All il can
do is to take what the Iowa Electric
gives ii and look pleasant Our only
hope is that John will keep boring into
us until our folks get good and mad
and put in a plant of their own.