Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1899-02-02
THE COMMITTEE REPORT.
FOR TWIN CITY ELECTRIC COMPANY,
New Steam Plant Estimated to Cost S20,-
900. Power House VIII be Erected
on CentraIia Side.

! for the Twin City Electric company.
which report was referred to in the
last issue of REPORTER though not
then ready for publication. is herewith
submitted. We are informed by a
member of the committee that the
! power house and motive machinery
for the proposed new plant can most
advantageously be located in Centra-
liza and that in all probability it will
be put in there. Here is the report:
Grand Rapids, Wis, Jan. 2S, 1S99.-
To those interested in the Twin City
Electric CO.-Gentlemen: The Twin
City Electric company was organized
about one year ago, and the following
officers were elected at the meeting on
Jan. ). 1898, tO-wit:
PreSident-F. J. Wood.
Secretary-E. P. Arpin.
Treasurer-GeO. NJ. Hill.
The other directors being John
SChnabel and j. a. GaynOr.
At that time the board Of directors
resolved to put in an electric light and
power plant as soon as practicable.
Pursuant to this resolution Mr.. j.
\. GaynOr secured favorable franchises
from the two cities. A committee
was appointed to see about securing
power to operate the plant. Several
projects for power were entertained,
discussed and abandoned. Our main
hope was to secure a contract with the
Consolidated Water Power company.
The absence of one Of the principal
officers of that company in Europe,
and the litigation pending as to their
power caused several months delay in
our negotiations.
A proposition from the Central
Electric company to sell their plant
was carefully considered by the board
of directors. The proposition itself
was very indefinite: the price was eX-
cessive, and the plant itself was con-
sidered inefficient for present use, and
with the increased amount of service,
would necessarily have to be enlarged
and remodeled Therefore the nego-
tiatiOnS with the Central Electric
company were abandoned.
The impression at the time Of first
entering upon thcfT duties prevailed
with the board of directors that cheap
electric lights could only be furnished
by water power. However, upon in
yestigation and inquiry, the directors
have been led to the conclusion that
those using electric lights desire,
above everything else, to have them
efficient and reliable. They have
found. upon inquiry, that there are
very few places where a reliable electric
light plant can depend wholly upon
water power The uncertainty of
water in the Wisconsin river and the
effects of anchor ice would make that
source of power for our plant very un-
reliable and unsatisfactory.
The improvement in steam engines
and boilers made during the last few
years, and the corresponding reduction
in the cost of steam power, now rem
ders the same more desirable. the in
crease in cost being more than cOun-
ter-balanced by its great efficiency
and reliability in service.
From rough estimates made, it is
probable that the plant we now have
in view would cost in the vicinity Of
$4,000. This would be for a modern
plant, that would anticipate the wants
of the two cities for some years to
come.
The change in the plans from that
of the contemplated water power to
that of putting in steam plant ne
cessitates an increase of capital and
other changes in our original plan of
organization.
Before securing the plans and speci-
fications in detail for our new plant,
the board of directors deemed it best
to submit the new plans to the original
subscribers OF the stock for their APP
proyal.
\ committee has been appointed to
call on these subscribers soon, and if
the sentiment is favorable, a meeting
for the election of officers will soon be
called. j. A. GAYNOR,
E. 2. ARPIN.
Committee.