The representative., 1901-03-07


Cicero is now paying the Suburban Wa
ter and Light company $50 for lamps
burning until 1 am :, with an agree
ment In the contract to burn all night
at $50 per lamp. Cicero also pays s240
per year for electric lights in the police
station and fire department. The re-
port states:
Under contracts by private corpora
tions for electric lighting. the price usu-
ally charged, we find, is 20 cents per kill
owatt, while under municipal ownership
the charge is 10 cents per kilowatt, and
at this latter rate it is, estimated that
furnishing commercial lighting carries
profit of AZ per cent. The city clerk of
Batavia. ILL.,. writes U.S.:
50 I might state that our price for light
Ito domestic consumers) is one-half less
than is usually charged for light by pri-
vate corporations. Our receipts from
light from this source pay all the operat-
ing expenses of that plant, so that we
get our street lighting for nothing
..
Jeffersonville, Ind, say the commits
sioners, with population of 100000, is
putting in municipal plant at cost of
$4,000 for the city and $4,000 for sub
urbs, where the 36 lights are run from
the main plants, to be paid for by bonds
accepted by the Fort Wayne Construc-
ton company. Thirteen cities in the
states named, with an average popula-
tion of 15,SO7, owning their own munich
pal lighting plants, erected them on an
average cost of $4S, 1896, which includes
site, building and installation.
Applying the fruits of their studies and
labors to the town of Cicero, the mu-
nicipal ownership commissioners say in
the report:
rs it practicable for the town of
Cicero to own and operate municipal
plant to supply itself and the inhabitants
thereof with electric light? Our pres
ent contracts for supplying the town
will expire in January, 1902, hence, if it
be deemed advisable to install and oper-
ate municipal electric lighting plant
immediate steps should be taken, so that
it may be completed and ready for oper-
alton not later than that time.
1t will be comparatively easy for the
board of trustees of Cicero to estimate
the cost of purchasing a site for and the
installation of a municipal lighting
plant-tO ascertain what the company
now supplying the town of Cicero with
electric lighting would sell it's plant for,
and in due form submit to the people
the proposition to- issue bonds in
amounts sufficient to establish or pur-
chase municipal electric light plant
AS for owning and operating munich
pal water plant, since the town of Cicero
Is within the drainage or sanitary dis
trict as to water supply, it appears that
for all time we may have an abundant
and permanent supply Of water from
Lake Michigan at no greater cost than
the charges collected of consumers in
Chicago for water furnished through
meters in like large quantities. 1t will
be no arduous task to ascertain what it
will cost the town of Cicero to erect a
pumping station on the border line of
the city of Chicago, the laying of water
mains, connections, etc.
1t is suggested in the report that after
the expense Of establishing a complete
plant has been learned it might then be
as well to ascertain what the Chicago
Suburban Water and Light company
would sell it's plant for, after which the
whole matter should be laid before the
people of Cicero and vote taken on an
issuance of bonds for the purpose of
either acquiring or erecting a plant
1t is expected the town board of trus-
tees will take up the report for consider
alton within about two weeks.