The Owosso times., 1922-03-10
|OWOSSO CHAMBER
HOLDS LUNCHEON
Commissioner Reads Article
on Why Owosso Needs
City Hall Building.

At the G. of 9. luncheon City
ber of Commerce held it's weekly
luncheon Tuesday noon at the
armory.
After a delicious luncheon City
Commissioner Stebbens read ar
article on the necessity Of OwossC
having a city hall building.
The article read that if the sale
OF the present city property located
on the corner Of Park and Mair
SITS. was put through, $25,OOC
would be the highest amount to be
realized out of the sale. 1t also
read that to erect a brick building
with the necessary equipment and
furnishing with a lot that would
be suitable would cost at the low.
est estimate 5000.
Mr. Stebbens read that the pres
ent city building could be remod-
eled and with the addition of an
other story, elevators and emer-
Sency stairway it could be made
into an up-to-date building. The
third floor would be used for the
offices Of the city clerk and others
and the second floor would be the
sleeping quarters for the firemen
and headquarters for the police de-
partment. The first floor will be
used for the fire trucks and other
ilre hghtlng apparatus. If the city
chooses this plan it also should buy
the lot east of the city hall and
open up S. Park st. from Main to
Comstock. This would add greatly
to the appearance of the city hall
and it's surroundings.
The article contained another
plan which the city could use. II
was that the city buy two lots and
build a separate fire station and a
separate office building. This plan
costing, as stated before, about
three times the amount the re-
modelling of the present building
would cost. After Mr.. Stebbens
completed his reading Chas. Il
Wood of Port Huron save an in.
teresting talk and reading or
Vision"
Mr.. Wood commented on the
beautiful and modern buildings tC
be found in Owosso, saying thai
the people of Owosso surely haC
visions for the future benefit oi
the city. He told OF visit to Anr
Arbor and how it impressed hin
and also he told of hearing Mr.
Blanchard lecture on taxes anC
how they should be expended Il
the benefit of the state.
He also spoke on the lakes to Sc;
waterway, and the benefit tina
would be received by Michigan
The small amount or engineerin,
it would take would make Detroit
lcshicago, Duluth, Buffalo anC
cleveland some of the leading
ports of the world, bringing al
Increase in business of all kinds
Mr.. Wood also read absolutel.
lcorrect figures of the coal an,
money that would be saved by tn,
materializing of this wonderful
project. Also the money and Goa
that could be saved by harnessini
stations, and generate electricity
This would save our coal consump
ton to large extent.
Mr. Wood told of an eastern rail
road that had large share o
stock in coal mines operating thei
trains with steam power at cos
of $13S,000, 900. After electrifica
ton of the same road. they reduce,
their operating expenses to $40,
600, 900. This is just one of tn
many great savings that could b.
realized by using electricity 70
power instead of steam. Ii thi
lchange was made throughout tn,
United States the money saved tn,
first two and one-half years woulC
pay for expense of construction
Mr.. Wood also spoke of the tim,
that was to come when the stat,
would be at the head of our pub
lie schools. instead of each towi
having "a different school board ant
schedule of studies. He also spok,
OF the people of the United States
being too quick to criticize, say
ing that he believes Senator Town
send is as enthusiastic for the sue
cess of the lakes to sea project al
any citizen is enthusiastic about hi
work.