The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1899-07-14
RATES TUMBLE.
Mankato People Will Get Cheaper
Lighting.
The Old and New Lighting Companies
are Out After Business. Competing
for Contracts.


tween the new and old companies is
threatened. Officers of the new COM
pany are soliciting contracts for light
ing and are meeting with much sue
cess, SO tney claim The con cts are
for two years as minimum and longer
contracts are made where the consumers
are willing. The new company has put
the rates down considerably lower than
what has been charged by the Mankato
Gas and Electric Light Co., and in self
defense the latter is offering lower
prices than the new company II this
is not rate war, it is near approach
to it.
The old company has been making
meter rate of fifteen cents per thousand
watts straight, or with five or % per
cent off, according to circumstances.
The new company makes a rate of
fifteen cents with twenty per cent off,
which brings the charge down to twelve
cents per thousand watts. Now the old
company comes out with a fat rate of
ten cents, no matter how much or little
electricity is used, on two year con-
tracts.
The old company has been charging
as high as dollar month for single
incandescent lamps running all night
and rs cents or less where more than
one lamp has been used, having scale
varying according to the number of
lamps used. The new company CORES
into the field with scale running from
go cents down to 20 cents for incandes-
cents where meter is not used. The
price is regulated according to the
number of lights used.
The old company is advertising the
merits of the Welsbach burner for gas,
claiming that the light is much more
brilliant than electricity, which is true
The new company does not promise
when the lights will be furnished. it's
contracts calling for their use whenever
they are started.
The Waseca county commissioners
yesterday granted a right of way to
New Ricnland for the proposed electric
road This is a distance of twenty
three miles from the county line, and
enables the road to connect with the
Minneapolis 81 ST. Louis road. The
franchise calls for the construction of
! tho road within two ware
With the bonuses offered along the
route and with the contracts for light.
ing the officers of the new company
profess to haye no doubt but that the
necessary capital to construct the plant
| can be secured in the East President
Lamm states that the grading for the
electric line will surely be done the
coming fall, even if no rails are laid
this year.
President Meagher, of the old COM
pany, states that his company is in the
| field to stay and will furnish lights as
low as anybody, if not lower. His COM
pany had not said anything until it's
patrons were approached by representa-
tives of the new company, who made
all kinds of statements to them. He
says that his company has some money
to spend and will spend it, and when it
gets done with the new company in the
city it will meet it in the country.
Mr.. Meagher states that the Wells
bach burner furnishes 60-candle power
| light when new and averages 30 to 40,
while the incandescent furnishes t.
candle power. The cost of the gas used
by Welsbach burner, if used three
hours day, is 40 cents a month,
The old company has charged fifteen
cents per 1000 watts straight for small
consumerswhere it furnished the meters
and five to twenty five per cent off for
large consumers, according to the con-
sumption Where consumers furnished
the meters, the rate was ten per cent
less. Hereafter the company will fur
the meters and charge ten cents straight
J on two year contracts. Prices may 20
still lower, so Mr.. Meagher states, and
people who do not sign contracts will
get the advantage.
The old company is furnishing very
few incandescents at other than meter
rates.