The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1892-09-15
WILL IT Be A GO?

Mill IL Dh A W!
The Redwood Falls Electric Light Co..
About to be Organized.
Submits A Proposition for the Con-
sideration Of the City Council.
President Paul Martin, of the West
Side Electric and Construction Co., of
St. Paul, reached Redwood Falls last
Saturday, and at once commenced ag-
itating the question of placing in an
electric light plant in this city. Sat
urday afternoon Mayor Dickinson,
Aids. Bager, Peck and Schmaal held
an informal meeting in the Mayors
Office, and listened to statement from
Mr.. Martin as tojust what he proposed
to do. The gentleman stated that his
system was an amalgamation of the
Thomson-Houston and the National
systems, and that he could place eth
or an arc Or an incandescent system in
the city. With a 500 light dynamo, he
said, he could wire for 1000 lamps of
sixteen candle power each, the aver
age run being only about 700 lamps.
Mr.. Martin stated that he desired the
cooperation of the business en,they
to take any amount of stock in the new
company they desired, and he to take
the balance. The company should be
known as the Redwood Falls Electric
Light Co. The Council, he said should
give the company a five years. fran
chise, at the end of which time the
city could purchase the plant "a
Board of appraisers fixing the amount
the Board to consist of one member
to be appointed by the Council, one
by the company, and these two to Sc
lect third. In regard to the charges
for electric lighting he stated that
sixteen-candle power incandescent
light would cost about 81 per month,
when not run any later than II o'clock
p. M, or a rate of one cent per hour
for each light might be fixed. In case
he puts in arc lights 1900 candle
power until midnight would cost
about $40 per month and until IL
o'clock about 1915 per month. A one
hundred candle power incandescent
would cost only $3.50 per month.
Mayor Dickinson informed Mr.. Mar
tin as to the city's position in the mat
ter. He believed the citizens wanted
the electric light plant, but it had a
power house built for water pumping
and electric lighting, a foundation for
the latter plant being already in. He
thought it the sense of the Council
that the two should be operated to-
gether, thereby reducing expenses of
both the company and the city. Mr..
Martin thought the carriage of fuel
might be a serious drawback to such
a scheme. He preferred place close
to the railroad tracks.
The informal discussion continued
and it was finally agreed to visit the
pumping station in the afternoon and
hold a general meeting Monday after
noon.
The station was accordingly visited
and on Monday afternoon another
meeting was held at Mayor Dickinson's
office, Aids. Bager, Burmeister, Peck
and Schmahl, and Messrs. O. B. Tur-
rell, G. A. Francois, F. w. Philbrick,
G.. E. Mckay, H. A. Baldwin, G.. w.
Vaughn, DR.. Pease, Geo. B. Hughes,
and His Honor, the Mayor, being
present. Yhe electric President stated
that the station had it's advantages
and disadvantages, but that there was
nothing to prevent it from being used
for an electric light station, in connec-
ton with the pump works. He sub
mitted draft of an ordinance, which,
if passed, would give the Redwood
Falls Electric Light Co. an exclusive
franchise for five years; then the city
has six months in which to purchase
the plant, and if not in that time the
company is to have thirty years ex-
istence, but not exclusive. The cd
nance was too favorable to the com
pany to suit the Council, and Mayor
Dickinson informed the gentleman
that the Council would hold a special
meeting at an early date and new
ordinance drafted and acted upon
All present were enthusiastic over