Richmond daily palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1876-1904, 1901-12-23
ELECTRIC LIGHTS.

te1Ody III the WdttcT
Some Progress
Made.
The meeting of co Incil yes terday
afternoon at the Office Of City Attor-
ney Jessup had all members present
except Nessrs. Norris, Neff, Deuker
and Dobbins.
MIR. Kehlenbrink presided.
Mr.. Ashe by request gave his ideas
as to the best plans to be pursued to
make the new electric plant paying
one. He strongly presented the lea
of having the works operated on a
contract plan so far as operating is
concerned. The plan would be to
make a contract with a company
familiar with the work, to use the
plant, delivering to the city the cur
rent at an agreed price per
hour delivered at the switch board
at the plant. There were many
cities and corporations, he said. who
did this and found it to pay better
than to operate the plant themselves.
In that way the best of management
is assured, that will be interested
directly in the output of the plant,
it's efficiency, and all that could tend
to make it successful, and at the same
time the city is relieved of all annoy
ance. The city would then know
exactly what their electricity costs,
and could base their price to the con
sumer on those figures.
Being asked by Mr. Leftwick if
contractor could be secured to run
the plant that way, he replied that
it could be done with mea who would
file ample bond to do all that they
are required to do by the contract
He said also that this will be by far
the largest and best municipal cleo
trio light plant in the state, and that
it would be closely watched by other
cities in the state. Many of the con-
tracts of cities with corporations
throughout the state for street light
ing were expiring and If the plant
was a success, as he hopsd and be-
lieved it would be, these cities would
adopt our plan. He pointed out
many of the difficulties the city would
have in operating the plant herself
and which could be avoided by con
tracing with some one else TO oper
ate it as he had suggested
Being asked by Mr.. Muhl ii be
meant to suggest the leasing of the
plant he said He did not. His sug
gestion was that the pl.nt be
contracted to persons familiar
with the work and under bond,
to operate the plant and to deliver
the current To the citys switches at
so much Ier hour, the city
to do the balance. He attributed
the fact that muniscipal pants
failed n lack of proper manager 1T
in lat regard. There we're TOO
many leaks that would creep 10 be-
cause what was everybody's busi-
was nobody's business and the busi-
ness is not watched closely enough.
This plan was not new and he knew
Of many places where 1T was sue
cessful While electric light con-
tracts were considered the very best
of Investments all over the country,
municipal management had not been
a success for the reason that city
councils are so little familiar with
the actual work and business. BY the
system he proposed the council
would know just what it would cost
them to produce the current and
their work would be to secure pat
ronage sufficient to pay that cost
and afford the profit which the plant
should earn to the city.
Mr.. O'Neil thought the first thing
to be done would be to elect a COM
petent manager, not a cheap man. but
a good man at good salary. The
works were TO be in the hands OF
commission on June 1, and he had
no fears but what they would be
business men who would know how
to conduct the plant so as to MAKE 1t
a S ccess. BY MIR. Ashe $ plan all
the profits must be divided with the
con tractor who would be a mldoie
man. He wanted the plant In the
hands of a commission, not oil the
council.
Mr.. Leftwick thought the salary
of a asuperintendent would represent
The amount paid to the middleman to
run the plant.
Mr.. Curme wanted an ordinance
passed the first thing that was done;
the commission should have absolute
control of the men employed.
Mr.. kennepohl wanted a super
intendent employed the very
first thing. Mr.. Leftwick
save the impression in bis talk that
there were parties ready TO take the
plant as soon as completed and pay
Sl15. 900 for it and supply the street
lights at $65 per year. :,
Mr.. Kemper felt that there should
be superintendent right away. SO
did Mr.. Muhl, that contracts for cur
rent could be making so that when
the plant was ready to start it would
have something to do. The commits
sion should be appointed and should
select the superintendent.
Mr.. kehlenbrink. Mr.. Wheian, Mr.
Gem. in fact all present expressed
xnollr- q motion