The Butler County press. [volume], January 15, 1926, Image 2

About The Butler County press. [volume] (Hamilton, Ohio) 1900-1946

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THE PRESS
OFFICIAL ORGAN OF ORGANIZED LABOR
or HAMILTON AND VICINITY
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Ohio Labor Press Association
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FRIDAY, JANUARY 15, 1926
Entered at the Postoffice at Hamilton,
Ohio, as Second Class Mail Matter.
Issued Weekly at 826 Market Street
Telephone 129« Hamilton, Ohio
Endorsed by tjte Trades and Labor
Council of Hamilton, Ohio
Endorsed by the Middletown Trades
and Labor Council of Middletown, O
SHALL THE RIGHTS OF THE
PEOPLE PREVAIL?
We wish to remind our readers that
there will be a special election in
Hamilton on Tuesday, February sec
ond, and also review the reasons why
this special election is necessary.
It is only a few months since the
ejection on November third, and at
that time an overwhelming majority
of the voters of Hamilton voted to
give a contract for coke oven gas to
the Hamilton Furnace Co. The con
tract has since been signed and the
Hamilton Furnace Company put up a
bond of $500,000 with the city to se
cure a faithful performance of the
contract on their part. Under this
contract the city agrees to purchase
coke oven gas for ten years from the
Hamilton Furnace Co. and distribute
it to the people of Hamilton through
the city-owned gas mains which the
city would continue to control and
operate.
Most of the good people of Hamil
ton thought they had settled the gas
matter at the November election, and
they would have done so if the five
members of the last city council had
not sought to interfere with the right
of the people to decide this matter.
This demands an explanation so
that you may understand why the
city has to go to the expense and
trouble' of a special election so soon.
It was known publicly for about
three months before the last Novem
ber election that the citizens of Ham
ilton would have the opportunity to
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ATTENTION EAGLES
At our next regular meeting, Monday, January
18th, at 8 P.M., BROTHER GEORGE STRINE, of
the Organization Department, will be a visitor.
His visit here will be of interest to the members.
Please attend this meeting if you want to hear
something worth while.
then vote on the gas question and ex
press their wishes at the polls.
Less than two weeks before the
election on November third five mem
bers of the last city council passed
an ordinance which was in effect
contract with the Columbia Gas Sup
ply Co. (part of the Union Gas &
Electric Co.) for the furnishing of
natural gas by them to the people of
Hamilton for ten years, and also
leasing the city owned gas mains to
the Columbia Gas Supply Co. for ten
years. This contract was entered into
in great haste, and more than five
thousand enraged citizens immediate
ly signed and filed a petition for
referendum: vote on. this action of
council.
The action of council conflicts
directly with the contract the citizens
of Hamilton voted with the Hamilton
Furnace Co.
More than nine thousand citizens
of Hamilton voted to buy coke oven
gas from the Hamilton Furnace Co
for ten years, and at the same time
retain control of the city-owned gas
system, and against this five small
minded councilmen awarded a contract
to the Columbia Gas Supply Co. for
natural gas for ten years and would
turn over, the city-owned gas system
to them.
These five councilmen were repudiat
ed by the voters of Hamilton and can
no longer oppose the wishes of the
citizens of Hamilton.
The voters of Hamilton will have
an opportunity on Tuesday, February
second to vote on this action by the
last council. We would not attempt
to advise the voters of Hamilton how
to vote at this election as we think
the people of Hamilton are intelligent
and have good common sense, and
can decide this matter for themselves
We do urge you to get out and vote
however, so that there can be no
question as to what the people of
Hamilton want.
Voting YES at the special election
will uphold the five councilmen who
opposed the wishes of the people and
will lease your city-owned gas mains
to the Columbia Gas Supply Co
(Union Gas & Electric Co.)
Voting NO at the special election
will be favorable to the Hamilton
Furnace Co., and the city would con
tinue to contract and operate the gas
mains which are the property of the
citizens of Hamilton.
Voters of Hamilton—-remember
February second—and be sure to vote
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WHY?
Why does the Union Gas & Electric
Co. want to acquire the gas-distribut
ing system which is owned by the
city of Hamilton?
The Union Gas & Electric Co..
through companies controlled by it
own all of the gas mains and pipes up
and down the Big Miami valley, from
Dayton to Cincinnati inclusive, with
the exception of the city of Hamilton
No other company can sell any gas
in this territory outside of Hamilton
and the Union Gas & Electric Co
would like to make their monopoly
complete by acquiring the gas mains
owned by the city of Hamilton.
The city of Hamilton by owning its
gas mains has had two companies
competing for its gas business, and
has made a very favorable arrange-
JOSEPH A. BECKER,
Worthy President.
HARRY W. HETTERICH,
Secretary.
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Funeral Directors
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ment with the Hamilton Furnace Co.
The Union Gas & Electric Co,
through the Columbia Gas Supply Co.,
which it owns, is now trying to lease
the city-owned gas system of Hamil
ton for ten years—and if they get
away with this it would give them a
strangle hold on the gas business in
Hamilton.
THE GAS DEFICIT
There is going to be much ado, much
said and told about in Hamilton'
daily papers between now and Feb
ruary 2nd, the date of the referen
dum election, of the great loss suffer
ed by the city in conducting its own
gas distributing business during the
year just closed. The report of the
service department clerk shows there
is an operating loss in the gas de
partment for last year. Reading the
daily newspaper items and editorials we
find the figures of the loss running all
the way from $16,000 to $77,000. It
is hard for the average person to
make out just what the loss amounts
to.
But what of it? What does it
amount to? Taking the high figure
$77,000, which it is said is really about
three times what the actual loss
amounts to, for the sake of argu
ment, suppose the department did
really run that much behind and it
has to be made up by this method or
that, the people eventually paying it
how many times $77,000 would the
people be paying eventually in in
creased gais rates if some one other
than the city distributed the gas
Seventy-seven thousand dollars means
about $1.50 for each man, woman and
child in the city. And wouldn't that
mean money well invested when one
considers what the rates will one day
soar to if we once get into the
clutches of some big corporation
Is there anyone, with any brains
at all, who is willing to believe that
we won't have to pay, and pay, and
pay some more for gas if we once
let loose of our own gas distributing
system and turn it over to some out
side concern? Just think this over
for a minute or two and reach your
own conclusion.
But it isn't even necessary that we
should have to pay the $1.50 a per
son each year to make up a deficit
of $77,000. This loss can no doubt
be prevented by paring expenses here
and there, and in a reasonable man
ner at that. It is claimed the great
est loss is due to leaking mains and
that if the leaks are stopped there
would be a nice profit in the depart
ment. Then why not stop the leak
and make the profit for ourselves?
It has been estimated that the loss
due to leakage amounts to approxi
mately $100,000 a year. In ten
years, the period for which it is pro
posed to lease the mains to the Colum
bia Gas Supply Company, the loss
would amount to $1,000,000. Former
Mayor Kelly has stated that with $50,
000 the leaks could be stopped. Mayor
Kelly may have been low in his esti
mate—say it would cost $100,000,
with the department put on a basis of
just holding its own, in ten years the
city would be $900,000 to the good in
this instance alone. Out of that the
city could pay the indebtedness of
the department and still be $600,000
to the good
In addition to that, under the new
rate of the Columbia Company, which
is 75 cents a thousand feet for the
first 5,000 feet of gas consumed, and
which is 5 cents per thousand feet
more than the present rate, 75 per
cent of the gas consumers in the city
would be compelled to pay this addi
tional 5 cents per thousand feet. This
item, it is estimated, would amount
to $40,000, or $400,000 in ten yeprs.
This amount, then, together with the
I 600,000 quoted above, would mean
IMB BUTLER COUNTY PRESS
a clean $1,000,000 for the taxpayers
and gas consumers of the city at the
end of ten years. Why turn this vast
sum over to some big corporation
when we can keep it for ourselves and
at the same time always be in the
position of being our own boss and
doing the dictating ourselves?
Think it over and don't be stam
peded by the hue and cry to be raised
about the big loss in our gas depart
ment.
^4* i* ni n
S
THAT INJUNCTION
It seems that everything possible
that can be done to deprive the peo
pie of their rights as regards the
local gas question is to be done. No
doubt, because the daily papers saw
to it that the news was given plenty
of space in scarehead type, all read
ers of the Press and every citizen of
Hamilton knows that injunction pro
ceedings were brought Monday after
noon to enjoin the city from carrying
out its contract with the Hamilton
Furnace Company, ordered by the
people in a three-to-one vote at the
election last November. This action
was not unlooked for %nd really it
would have been disappointing if it
had not come. This isn't to be the
last court proceeding involving the
Hamilton gas question before it is
finally settled, not by any means. The
Press predicts there will be several
more before the final curtain for the
Hamilton gas contract is a big prize
for which the contenders are willing
to go to great length to obtain, and
there are some local people who are
even willing to pass up the best inter
ests of the city as a whole in order
to acquire that which their selfishness
desires.
In making this statement the Press
is not referring to the injunction pe
titioner in particular, but is taking in
a small bunch in general. The in
junction proceedings were brought by
Mr. S. M. Goodman as- a taxpayer
Mr. Goodman is a mighty fine gentle
man. He may be perfectly sincere
and earnest in his contention in the
petition wherein he states that "the
city will suffer irreparable loss and
the taxpayers will suffer," should the
contract be executed. The Press
doesn't question Mr. Goodman's sin
cerity in the least. However, if we
remember correctly, just before the
November election several letters
from Mr. Goodman appeared in the
daily papers, wherein he advised the
people on the gas question. Appar
ently, judging from the returns, this
advice was not taken seriously.
Now then, who and what is really
back of the injunction? At the foot
of the petition filed by Mr. Goodman
we find:
"I Am Security for Coats in TJtis
Cause/'
Signed* C. B. ATKIN.
Mr. Atkin is another fine fellow
well and favorably known as "Dea
con," well liked and popular with
everyone.
Incidentally, however, and as an en
ligtener we might mention that Mr
Atkin (Deacon) is the Hamilton rep
resentative of the Hamilton Service
Company, which is owned by the
Union Gas & Electric Company
owner of the Columbia Gas Supply
Company, and which company
fighting and doing everything within
its power to thwart the Hamilton peo
pie in their will to secure the gas
they desire. That's all.
to
OLD, OLD STORY
Ninety miners entombed in Okla
homa mine. This was the news
flashed Wednesday morning. It
simply a repetition of an old story
in the coal mine industry. Yet, when
miners ask for better pay and work
ing conditions, thousands of people
kept warm and comfortable because
the miners are willing to risk theii
lives every day in the underground
caverns, raise up and shout that the
miners are unreasonable in their de
mands. Still, it has ever been thus
and no doubt always will be
DAILY CAN'T SEE IT
The Hamilton daily newspapers are
giving much space to the service de
partment clerk's report, showing an
operating deficit in the gas depart
ment for last year, and to the injunc
tion petition filed to enjoin the city
from executing the contract awarded
the Hamilton Furnace Co., stating
all the reasons contained in the peti
tion, and one of the papers is devot
ing much of its editorial column to
the clerk's report, but somehow this
same newspaper hasn't, apparently
heard anything to date of the action
taken by the Fourth Ward Improve
ment Association at a big meeting
held last Friday night wherein the
association went on record as favor
ing the contract for artificial gas with
the Hamilton Furnace (Company. At
least the paper makes no mention of
the fact that it knows anything of the
Fourth warders' meeting. It is pretty
much of a cinch that the improvement
associations or any other organiza
tions in the city, if they want any
publicity in the above referred to
newspaper between now and election
day, February 2nd, will have to di
vorce themselves from any action on
the gas question that would be favor
able to artificial gas.
J* ta to hi I*
THE IDEA OF FREEDOM
*4V
There is what I call the American
idea. This idea demands, as the
proximate organization thereof, a
democracy—that is, a government of
all the people, by all the people, for
all the people of course, a govern
ment of the principles of eternal jus
tice, the unchanging law of God for
shortness' sake I will call it the idea
of Freedom.—Theodore Parker.
J* Pft
GREEK CONSTITUTION
UPSET BY DICTATOR
Athens, Greece.—Backed by the
military group, General Pangalos has
assumed the powers of a dictator
and declared the Greek republican con
stitution null and void.
This is official recognition of actual
conditions since last July, when Pan
galos practically assumed control of
the government. Italian Fascistis, un
der the direction of Mussolini, aided in
this attack on democracy. Another
factor is the growth of communism in
the northern part of Greece.
HARRY STRAUSS
Attending Furniture Show
To Buy For Spring
Trade
Harry Strauss, oi tne Harry Strauss
Furniture Co., is visiting the big fur
niture show going on this week in
Chicago. Before returning he will
also visit the big furniture show at
Grand Rapids, also being held this
week. While attending the big shows
it is the intention of Mr. Strauss to
make extensive purchases of furniture
to supply his usual big spring trade.
Before leaving on Sunday night Mr.
Strauss said when the purchases he
proposes making on this trip arrive
he assures the furniture buyers of
Hamilton that his store will be one
of the most complete stocked furni
ture stores in the city, and that the
stock will be of the most modern con
struction and style.
ARTIFICIAL GAS
FAVORED
Rebuilding of Electric Plant
Also Urged By Fourth
Ward Improvers
The Fourth Ward Improvement
Association held an interesting meet
ing last Friday night. Despite fierce
weather conditions the meeting was
largely attended, showing the keen
interest of the Fourth ward residents
in affairs concerning their ward and
the city in general.
The meeting was attended by a
number of the city's new officials, in
cluding Vice-Mayor William J. Gard­
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ner and members of council, Leo J.
Welsh, Edward Mick and Fred Stit
singer. •*The officials promised that
careful consideration would be given
every wish of the association.
Two questions were given much at
tention and aroused keen interest.
They were the gas and electric ques
tions. After much talk and discus,
sion the association voted u*-favor of
a contract with the Hamilton Furnace
Company for artificial gas as approv
ed in the initiative vote taken last
November. Much indignation was ex
pressed that some should try to with
hold this contract after the people
had expressed themselves so emphat
ically in favor of it.
The association also voted to urge
the rebuilding of the electric light
plant as voted by the people several
years ago.
There is no question about it, but
what the Fourth Ward Improvement
Association, although last to get in the
field of improvement associations, is
going to prove one of the city's livest
organizations, and will be much heard
from in the future in all matters
pertaining to the interests of the peo
pie as a whole.
Wmore
E, as optometrists, are
than specialists in
prescribing and grinding of
lenses. We are artists, as
well. The selection of the
particular style and shape
of frame best suited to the
individual who requires aji
artistic appreciation is a
master stroke with tis. We
fit you for good looks as
well as for better vision.
SCHIPPER
Jewelry & Optical Co.
156 High Street
WHEN von NFjKI
THE SERVICES OF
A RELIABLE hRUC
STORE
CAM. ON
RADCL1FFE
The Rexall Store
Cor. High and Second Sts.
LET US DEVELOP
YOUR PICTURES
The W. C. Frechtling Co.
The January Store Wide
IS NOW IN FULL SWING
Serviceable and Spriiig Styled Merchandise offered away un4er price
Advance Notice
Quality Brand Aluminum Sale
NEXT TUESDAY—JANUARY 19th
All large pieces, values to $3.50, Fo^m„...„„.
Needed smaller utensils all at .Jk
SEE WINDOWS"
8
lite W. C. Frechtling Co.
"v
I j"MEBT ME AT FRECHTLING'S CORNER"
4«'MEET MB AT FRECHTLING'S CORNER
3
On Every
Doorstep
We wish we could put a
message under the door of
every house iu this pity and
country.
If we could make everyone
appreciate how safe our insti
tution is, how well it serves
the people with modest sav
ings to invest, if they all un
derstood the building and loan
plan and knew our rate of
earnings—why, we would have
a thousand thrift accounts for
every one now on our books.
However, our host of
friends is growing rapidly.
The Peoples Deposit
Improvement and Loan Co.
Rentschler Bldg.
E. F. WARNDORF, Secretary
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