The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1895-08-23

Favors Combining the Two.
During the latter part of the coun-
Gil proceedings Saturday night Aid.
Peterson stated that the lighting COM
mittee had decided to secure Prof.
Shepardson, of the University of Min
nesota, to prepare plans and specitica-
tions for city lighting plant, and he
asked the council to hire him. A mo-
tion to do this was unanimously car
ried.
On motion of Aid. Andrews, the
council resolved itself into commit
tee of the whole on the electric light
and bond question. Aid. Peterson
took the chair.
Aid. Andrews stated that he had
contended that no plant could be put
in for $4,000, and only one man has
agreed to put one in for less than
$4,000. He would oppose city light
ing unless city commercial lighting is
done as well. He wanted to be freed
from high priced commercial lighting.
He thought that the additional money
needed should be provided for before
a plant is put in. He.would have the
council act cautiously, put in good
plant, and first see where the money
is coming from. Prof. Shepardson
estimates that plant for 1O0-light
1000 candle power system would cost
1000, for city lighting alone.
Aid. Zimmerman said that plant
to include commercial lighting would
cost $4,000. A street lighting plant
only should be put in. Everybody
who buildsa house has to pay more
than he expects, and because the city
has to pay more than it voted the
whole thingshould not be pushed over.
Aid. Bradley opposed Aid. Andrews
idea, and said that it is doubtful
whether the city could do commercial
lighting. The people only thought of
street lighting at the election.
Aid. Peterson said that the election
was only on street lighting, and
the aldermen were only elected on
that issue. Many people want COM
mercial lighting, and it will have to
come at some future day.
Prof. Shepardson was called on and
said that there are sixty to one hun
dred cities doing street lighting, and
ten per cent of these do commercial
lighting also, and the most of these
pay the entire cost of street lighting
from the profits of commercial light
ing. The reports of the cost per lamp
where city street lighting is done
alone is $50 to $3.50 year. This is &C
counted for by the towns making low
reports charging up almost everything
to water works or something else.
When these figures are analysed the
cost is always found to be nearly or
quite 800 lamp. Macon, Ca, re-
ports $3.50 light, owing to having bad
luck with machinery, which was
charged to the lights. The average is
quite little over 500 a light for
moonlight lighting, as in Mankato, in
cities were municipal street lighting
alone is done. In larger cities the
rates are cheaper, because a greater
amount of electricity is produced at
less cost. ST. Louis has the largest
plant in the world and the lights cost
S75 year. Where street and CONNER
cial lighting are done by separate
plants the cost is much more than
where all is produced from one plant,
and for that reason it should not be
divided up.
Aid. Zimmerman became suddenly
aware that the hour was late, and
moved that the finance committee
have power to negotiate the bonds, re-
marking what is the use of staying
all night" This was carried, and the
committee of the whole rose.
The report of the committee was
then adopted, there being no opposi-
tion, and the council adjourned.