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Show Mayor's Final Statement to Taxpayers j V On Electric Power Plant Situation: Fellow Citizens: Upon the eve of the Bond Election which takes place on Saturday, Juiv 13th, 1912, at the City Hall, 1 feel it my duty to make the following statement state-ment of facts so that the voters of our City may act intelligently and wis.'ly upon the important question which they a e called upon to decide by their ballots: 1. About tnree years ago the City, by its then Mayor,' Hun. James Mi.n-sen, Mi.n-sen, filed upon a power site in Pleasant Pleas-ant Creek Canyon. This was done with the sanction and approval of the City Council serving with him at tnat time. Since then the succeeding administrations have done some work and expended some money rip-on rip-on the said proposed 'power site in ' the hope and be ief that in the near j future the inhabitants of this c;ty f would want to own and operate a j y Municipal Power Plant, owing ioa: y.. sentiment in favor thereof which had J been gradually crystalizing lor a ' number of years. If the Bond E ec-tion ec-tion shall result in a defeat of the , bond that means that this work done upon said proposed power site and the money expended thereon will have been done and spent in vain and the power site should then be abandoned and our community thereafter made dependant upon the purchase of ' electrical current either from the present local company or from some outside corporation. 2. Upon a thorough investigation of the question by the City Council it has been ascertained that a majority major-ity of the Cities in the State similar in population and wealth to our own City now own ami operate municipal power plants, ' and such cities have recommended to this City that we do not overlook an opportunity to become be-come the owner and operator of our own municipal electrical power plant. It is for you to say whether we should let this opportunity pass by. C3. It should also be borne in mind that the local Company is not asking the City to buy its Plant,, but has " given the City the first chance to purchase it. The Telluride Company has been trying for many months to get the . local plant and would most likely be pleased to pay more for it than the Citizens have expressed a willingness to pay and which the local Company has agreed to accept from the City. The officers aud stockholders of the local plant have shown themselves to be loyal and fair to the City. If thcplant shall eventually go to The Telluride Company our City and Citizens will have to pay much more for light than at present. This Company's Com-pany's representatives have stated to our citizens in Mass-Meeting convened con-vened that the charge should be at least 10 cen's per Kilo-Watt, whereas where-as we are now paying 7 cents This same Company recently took over the Sihna Power Plant and has already served notice upon its patrons there, that after August 1st, 1912, the charge for electrical current will be 12 cents per Kilo-Watt. 4. I appeal to you to use your own best judgment in acting upon this most important question, and do not permit yourselves to be swayed sway-ed or influenced by any appeal that may be made to you from a biased standpoint. You know which will be for your own best good and for the best interests of the community, and should act thereon without fear or favor. 5. Inasmuch as this question may never again be brought before the people of this community, we are i very desirous that the people should ; come out on election day and express j themselves one way or the other, in order that the result of the election i may be so expressive of the will of I the tax ppyers that there will be no i doubt as to how they feel about the matter. 6. The city officers are anxious to do the citizens bidding in this matter j and thus far have acted under the i direction and guidance of the citi- zens, and will continue hereafter to do so. Again urging all the qualified voters vot-ers of our City to register their votes vot-es upon this question of vital interest inter-est to the City and its inhabitants This is respectfully submitted, James W. Anderson, mayor. |
