The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1897-08-01
BID FOR ELECTRICITY.
TERMS on WHICH TACOMA CAN sE-
CURE THE SUBTLE FLUID.
Cheaper to Buy Than Make lt-Ta-
coma Railways Company the only
In Tacomx-Politirinn Keep Sem
ator Wilson busy.

Special Dispatch TO the Pos.-Tnteiligencer
TACOMA. July 51--The COMMIT ssieaer OK
public works opened bids today Tor ehe
furnishing Of electricity for the term c1
i've years TO operate the cisys eIecSrlc
light and power service The Tacoma
Railways Company put in the cniy pa,
accompanied cy a certified check Tor w."
as q guarantee that the contract VIII De
signed il case il IS awarded 10 mat conn
raay.
The Tacoma Railways Company esNl-
mates thar /, viii cost upwards OF s',ooV
- rearrange lis buildings and machinery
10 accommodate the cIty's Gynamos,
which ara TO Dc Used TO furnish me eie'-
tricity- Il Is estimated that il VIII COST
the company an additional sea or sle"1
10 repair the large engine and pulleys
which were destroyed by the recent ny
wheel accident. The proposition IS based
On the city paying $3.50 towards making
thu necessary building changes. the
railways company al agreeing 10 pay the cai-
ance Of expense and 20 stand the cost OF
repairing the ! aSo-korse power engine,
which is no. needed by the company Tor
its own work. and which will not be re-
pared unless the contract is made with
the city for electricity
The railways company bid III cents
per kiioWaf hour for the electricity in
case the city pays $3.50 toward the cost
Of building and machinery changes, or
the company will charge l.s-ie cents per
kiiowat hour for the electricity ana stand
the entire expense fer all changes and re-
pairs. This extra charge OF = cent FOR
the five years is supposed to be equivalent
u $500 IN cash, and the company pro-
poses that II the contract is continued
longer than FIVE years. the charge VIII IN
10 event be greater than Ia cents
after that time. The company agrees that
rgt .
time. provided ii pays s7.5ca towards the
expense of getting ready 10 run the ciry's
machinery, or II II will pay slso per month
for so much OF the five year period as
shall not have expired when the contract
Is cancelled. The company also proposes
that II IL should operate the machinery
by water power during the continuance OF
the contract. SO much OF the electricity
as is used for operating the city lights at
night Will be placed at the citys disposal
during the day for operating its water
works pumping plant al a charge not 10
exceed IS per cent. of the lowest rate
made for electricity for lighting purposes
during the night.
Electricity manufactured at the city's
own plant has been costing heretofore up
wards OF %. cents per kilowat hour. and
the city's steam plant is in bad condition
and will require the expenditure OF con-
siderable money for repairs, or else Tor
the purchase of new machinery, unless il
decides TO buy its electricity II Is esu-
mated that for a hve-year period the Ia
coma Railway Company's bid Will save
the city over the present cost of operat-
ing It's plant from $40 900 TO s5ooeo. In the
citys reports of the cost of manufacturing
electricity nothing was figured in for the
very considerable amount Of water used
at the city station for steam and condens-
ing, nor for insurance, which for the city
station is high. as IL is considered quite
a fretrap.
BY accepting the proposition made by
the Tacoma Railways Company the city
viii save not only on insurance ana losses
on its wires but will also collect enough
from the company for water during the
term of the contract 10 more than pay the
$3.50 charged for machinery and building
changes, leaving the net charge for cleo
tricity for the whole period about IL
cents per kilowat hour.
Commissioner of Public Works Doherty
has referred the bid to the city council. as
required by the resolution calling for the
same.