The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1895-10-04

being used at the big mill and costing
| not over SITS. This would cut down
the cost of fuel about fifteen per cent.
He had also learned that the city has
water available from the sand WELL
Water might also be pumped from the
river. He said also that heater
costing S165 should be added to the
specifications. The size of the engine
could then be cut down 800. He
made several plans, for an engine OF
1OO-horse power to 25O-horse power.
Aid. Zimmerman moved that the
council received bids for the COM
pound condensing engine, and this
was carried.
Prof. Shepardson said that 100
horse power engine would operate 100
to 14O arc lights of 1000 candle power.
He thought that 110-horse power en-
CINE would cost $1,000 in place, and
two engines of 6O-horse power would
cost 81, 900, so that the city would pay
about $1,000 for the additional Sc
curity. 1t is desirable to have the en-
CINE room cool, as the dynamo wears
out quicker in a hot room. AS the
present station is very warm, venti-
lating fan would be necessary. If
there was money, he would greatly
prefer to have the plant in a separate
building from the pumping station.
There was also fear of dampness in
the present basement.
The Lamp Question.
| Taking up the subject of lamps,
Prof. Shepardson said that he had pro-
vided more incandescent lamps than
would be used in order to have sup
ply for breakage. There would be
actually used SO thirty candle power,
and q fifty candle power,
| lamps. He said that the nominal q
900 candle power arc lights are prac-
tically 600 to 200 candle power. The
object of lighting is to see ones way
around, and great blazes of light only
blind one and are not so good as lights
of less power distributed closer to-
gether The extreme brilliancy daz-
zles the eye and prevents one from
seeing as well. One can see the road
better looking toward an incandescent
block away than an arc two blocks
away. The lights in this city are too
far apart, and where the incandes-
cents are block apart the street is
lighter than where the arcs are two
blocks apart. The arcs are beautiful
and pleasing to the eye. If the object
of lighting is to see ones way around,
arcs or incandescents should be placed
at every crossing. If only arcs were to
be used, one every other block, over
100 would be used. The machinery
has capacity of so more incandes-
cents and 20 more arcs. He would
like to put in the incandescents twice
as close as now, and use the other
fifty at once, making two to the block,
instead of one. The lamps should be
washed every month to give the full
light. There will be half as many
more arcs with the city plant and
twice as many incandescents as at
present. A 1000 candle power arc
gives actually $50 to $50 candle power,
while the lamps and poles cost the
same, and the saving on machinery is
half and the fuel one-third less than
with 1000 candle power arcs. The
saving in plant would be only $1,000.
Above 1000 candle power is not de-
sirable to put in for street lighting.
A Larger Plant.
In reply to question from Aid.
Andrews, Prof. Shepardson said that
if independent of the financial re-
strictions, the changes in the specifi-
cations that he would make would be
an independent plant and a boiler.
The engineer would find it much
pleaSanter to have more space. He
would also have the plant on the
ground floor, and he would add some
arc and incandescentl lights. He would
have the plant cost from $4,000 to $16-
900. He would extend the plant along
the same lines as the proposed plant,
which can be done from time to time.
1t will not cos5 more than 5000 more
to make the additions later on than
to put them in now. The difference
between the estimates on 1000 can
die power light plant and l 200 can
die power plant is only 1000, the
former being $4,000 One-half the
lights are to be cut off at midnight,
saving half the fuel.
Cost of Operation.
On the basis of a 1OO-arc plant, the
cost per light per annum will be S65
per year all night,moonlight schedule,
with compound condensing engine.
Without the condenser, the cost will
be S6S. The additional labor is
charged up to the line account, the
engineer being already there. Two
trimmers, fireman, coal, carbons,
waste, interest, repairs and ten per
cent depreciation are taken into &C