Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1935-09-05
FARMERS WANT
ELECTRICITY

ships comprising parts of two coun-
ties, Burnett and Polk, in the north
western part of the state of Wiscon-
sin, on the Minnesota border line,
voted last week to set up an inter-
county municipal power district.
The vote was so decisive for the
district that it even surprised the
most ardent supporters who want
electric current for use rather than
for profit. There were 1920 who voted
in favor and 1909 against the estab-
lishment of the power district.
The inter-cOunty municipal power
district was made possible under a
recently enacted Wisconsin statute.
This law enables farmers to have the
advantages of electric light and power
as well as the people residing in
villages and cities. and certainly folks
living on farms should have that CON-
venience as well as those in the urban
districts.
Here in the state of Minnesota it
was a long time before municipality
owned light and power plants were
the village or city limits. When the
House of Representative was organ
lied progressively in the 1888 session,
a law was passed permitting NUM-
cipally owned light and power plants
to sell current within a radius of 25
miles. This was extended to 30 miles
i'm the 1895 session. Thus there is
at least an opportunity in Mime sota
for farmers to buy service from a
municipal plant if they are fortunate
enough to live near village or city
which has such plant. There are
now AZ of those i'm the state.
In Wisconsin however. it is possible
through their new law, for townships
and villages to band together in the
establishment of municipal plants
In the first power district to be
formed under the new law in parts
of Burnett and Polk counties. it en-
bodies 90 villages and townships.
The village presidents and chairmen
of the town boards will now meet to
select a board of five directors to
conduct the affairs of the power dis
trict.
A majority of the voters in 81 of
the % precincts, voted for establish
ment of the power district. Three
villages. Dresser Junction. Balsam
Lake and Midtown. were the only pre-
cincts of the 16 in Polk county that
were lost by the district. Every one
of the ten townships carried over
whelmingly and the other three vii
lagos carried by fair majorities
The village of Grantsburg and seven
Of the 10 townships in Burnett county
carried. while the other village. Web
ster. and three of the townships cast
a ma jority mo" vote.
The vote for establishment of the
district was carried overwhelmingly
in some precincts. going as high as
90 to 1.
Out of the nine weekly newspapers
located i'm the proposed Wisconsin
fnter-county municipal power district,
only one fought for the establishment
OF the district. This was the Inter-
County Leader. a comparatively owned
newspaper. published at Centuria in
Polk county. The editor. Benny Bye.
put up a mighty good fight against
the power trust and is due much
credit for the splendid victory.
The Osceola Sun made a strong
fight against establishing the district,
falling for the flesh pots as so many
newspapers do. But to show that the
people do not swallow everything
dished up by newspapers Of that type,
the voters of Osceola village regis
tered 50 for and So against the power
district In two neighboring town.
ships where the Osecola Sun circu-
lateS, the vote was ia for and 81
against the power district in Osceola
township: and 124 for and IS against
in Pennington township
1t is natural that electric light and
power service would he available in
larger cities. smaller cities. and vii
lagos before it would be available on
farms. One reason for this is that
more factories. business places and
homes are located in a given area in
urban districts than prevails in rural
districts. There are many more peo-
Ia