Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1901-12-02
Grinnell Investigates the Cost Of
Electric Lighting in Various
Iowa Cities.
Agitation Of the Question May
Result in City Owning Its
Own Plant.
Something About the Relative
Cost Of Private and Public
Ownership.
special to Times-Republican.


Grinnell, Dec. 1.-THE city council
has just completed an investigation
which is of more than local interest
and Importance. 1t is in regard to the
problem of municipal light. Some
time ago the Grinnell Electric Light
Heat and Power Company appealed to
meter rate charges and its charges for
arc lights in the city. Pending de-
/ cision in regard to their request the
city council took up the matter and has
made the investigation referred to.
Mayor Spaulding has correspondent
with mayors in a large number of the
cities both in Iowa and in surrounding
Il states of such size as to insure similar
conditions. The results are given be-
low. It will be seen that the cities hay
ing municipal ownership of light plants
have the best rates.
Cities having municipal ownership:
Galesburg, Ill.-Meter rate, 90 cents
per thousand Watts. Arc lamps cost
city about $4s per year.
Galena, Ill.-Arc lamps cost city
about $40 per year.
Hastings, Neb.-Meter rate from s
to 20 cents per thousand Watts. Flat
rate 81 per month minimum.
Austin, Minn.-Meter rate 12h cents
per thousand Watts for incandescents,
$50 per year for arcs.
4 Wayne, Neb.-Meter rate 10 cents
per thousand Watts. Flat rate 30 cents
per is candle power light.
4 Fremont, Neb.-Meter rate 10 cents
per thousand Watts or As cents per
100 lamp hours. Minimum fiat rate SO
cents for first lamp, As cents for all adj
ditional. Arc lights cost city about $50
per year.
Ames, Iowa-Meter rate 15 cents per
thousand Watts. with Is per cent dis
count for larger consumers. City pays
1925 per year for so incandescents and
IS arcs Of so and 1900 candle power
respectively.
Rock Rapids, Iowa-Meter rate 10
cents per thousand Watts.
independence, Iowa-Meter rate 10
cents per thousand Watts, street incan-
descents $12 per year.
4 Eldon. Iowa-No meter rates. Rate
per month for. 16 candle power lamp
is So cents. Where 20 lights or more
are taken by one party the rate is IS
cents per Is candle power. Churches
and lodges pay but So per month. The
plant has paid the city neat profit
each year besides furnishing street
lights free of cost. u
1 Indianola, Iowa-Meter rate 10 cents
per thousand Watts. Flat rate so cents
each for first ten, 80 cents for each ad-
ditional lamp. For residences so cents
for first lamp, 80 cents for all adj
ditional. Arc lamps cost city about
$50 per year.
Alta, Iowa-No meter rate. Flat
rate, so cents per month for first lamp.
rate per lamp decreasing proportionally
| up to six lamps; all over six. Is cents
each; 8 to 10 candle power lamps for
bedrooms or closets, 10 cents per month.
Profit from consumers keeps up all
expenses and pays fair rate of inter-
/, est"
Mount Pleasant, Iowa-Meter ratio
10 cents per thousand Watts. Flat rate
i so cents for first lamp, 35 for all in adj
dition. 80 candle power lights for
street cost city S24 per year for all night
service. Arc lights, 1900 candle power,
$50 per year, burning till IL p. m.
! Cities having private corporations
furnishing light:
LeMars. Iowa-Flat rate 80 cents per
month for first lamp. 5 cents less for
each additional light up to six, and; SO
cents each for all over six lights. 50
per year meter rent where meter is
used. 80 candle power incandescents
cost the city SIG per year Arcs, 1900
candle power, $72 per year.
Hampton, Iowa-Meter rate one cent
per hour, fat rate, SO cents per light
for lamps used till midnight, 81 for all
night lamps. City pays $24 per year
for 80 candle power lights. $50 per year
for 1900 candle power arcs.
Decorah--Meter rate, is cents per
thousand Watts, fiat rate, 60 cents to 81
per month. City pays $l2 per year for
/ 32-candle power incandescents and $72
per year for arcs. Cost of lighting the
city in 1899 was $2.365. and in 1900. 50, 400.
Waterloo-No meter rate. Flat rate
is 40, so and IS cents per light. The city
is lighted with arcs and the cost for
each arc $65 per year. The arcs are of
1000 candle power.
Jefferson City, Mono meter rate.
Flat rates, Is cents per month FOR 161
candle power lamps. Two thousand
i candle power arcs cost the city $S5 per
! year.
Pipestone, Mlnn.-Flat rates, Is cents
per month for 16-candle power lamps.
Arcs cost the city STA per year for
moonlight schedule. Lights burn till
1880. Says Mayor Rutyway. Never let
/ the franchise for lighting your city.
Better bond the city and let the city
own the plant. This is in my opinion
the only satisfactory way"
Watertown, S. D.-Meter rate q cents
per hour per candle power. Fifteen
cents Per thousand Watts Flat rate 60
cents for lights used till 10 O'Clock, 70
cents for those used till midnight and
s1.25 for those used all night. City pays
i 81 per month for 80 candle power lamps
used on the street, all night service.
For arcs rate is s120 per 1900 candle
power lamp burned all night.
MITCHELL, C. D.-Twenty cents per
thousand Watts and minimum charge
of 81 per month where lamps are used.
City pays $96 per year for 1000 candle
power arcs.
Mitchell, S. D.-Twenty cents per
year for 1000 candle power arcs.
i Trenton, Mo-Flat rate. so cents per
light. City pays $3.50 per year for 80
candle power incandescents and $50 for
1900 candle power acrs.
i Mankato, Minn.-City pays $21 per
year year for 80 candle power incandes
cents and $74 per year for 1000 candle
power arcs.
-. ~ q ArA Il p