The Butler County press. [volume] (Hamilton, Ohio) 1900-1946, 1924-01-11
BY B. F. PRIMMER


The city council, on the evening of
November Ia, 1928, within few
minutes time, passed three ordi-
nances: one providing for sale of
the city electric distributing system;
another granting franchise to the
purchaser of the city electric system,
and the third awarding a contract to
the purchaser for street lighting. Ex-
Mayor Koehler was present at the
meeting to sign the legislation. 1t
was reported that the Union Gas d
Electric Company had general per-
petual franchise to do business and
furnish electricity for light and power
over all Hamilton. That was urged
as one. of the reasons for granting
the franchise for twenty-five years,
because the company agreed to sur
render it's present franchise, if the
twenty-five year franchise was given
to them.
company had general perpetual
franchise to sell electricity for light
and power over all of Hamilton. We
doubt the proposition that they have
such right. In our search of the
city. ordinances, SO far we have not
been able to find such franchise.
This matter will bear further and
thorough investigation.
: 1t was claimed that an inventory
had been taken of the city electric
light plant and distributing system,
and that it was found TO be worth
only about four hundred thousand dol
lars, and that when they got the
offer of five hundred thousand dollars
they were getting rare bargain.
In November and December of 1923
we endeavored to obtain copy of
this alleged inventory, but were
shifted from one person to another,
and never were able to find the per-
son who had it, and were never able
to see a copy of it. Since the first
of January, we have endeavored to
obtain a copy of this inventory, and
have not been able to do so. The
last call we made at the city building
for this inventory, we were told that
Koehler had this inventory.
1t now looks as if there actually was
no inventory made, and that this al
legged inventory, if made at all, was
entirely fictitious, with no foundation
in truth and fact.
The property rights and political
rights of the people of Hamilton are
attacked in this electric light fight.
First, the former members of the
city council and the former mayor
attempted to sell the city's property
in face of the fact that the people
previously had voted six hundred and
fifty thousand dollars of bonds to ex-
tend, improve and enlarge the city
electric plant. The property belongs
to the people, after the long
number of years of municipal own
ership of the city electrical plant, it
is certainly breach of good faith
toward the people, in few minutes
time to pass the legislation attempt
ing to sell their property, worth a
large sum of money. The laws give
to the people legislative power by
vesting in them the right of referen-
dunn; that is, the right to have laws
passed by the general assembly of the
state or ordinances passed by mu-
nicipal council referred to the electors
of the political subdivisions for their
or rejection. The strong few
who are attempting to sell the city
electric system have done everything
they could to put over this sale, and
to deprive the people of their political
right to vote on the question OF