The Montgomery advertiser., 1902-01-21
ELECTRIC LIGHTING PLANT
 WILL BE BUILT BY THE CITY
Estimates of Cost of Construction Submitted to Council by City Engineer and
 Electrician Last Night

Another step in the direction of haiild- ing an electric lighting plant to be used and controlled by the city of Montgom- cry was taken by the City Council last night, when it received a report from City Engineer Ford and City Electrician Blakey, giving estimates of the cost of of such a plant.
 The complete report, which was re- ferred to the Light Committee of the Council, is as follows:
 ITO the Honorable City Council of Mont
 gomery:
 Gentlemen-Agreeable to a resolution adopted by your honorable body at a meeting held October 7 1901, instructing the City Engineer and City Electrician to prepare and furnish to the Council, at meeting to be held on the 18th instant an estimate of the cost of erecting and installing lighting plant of sufficient capacity to light the streets and public buildings of the city.
 On the 18th of October we communicated to your honorable body that we had writ ten to manufacturers of engines, boilers and electrical machinery asking for prices but had not received replies. and as soon as we did get replies of sufficient data upon which to base an estimate, we
 would forward same to your honorable body. We are now In possession of suf- f1cient data to make an estimate of the cost of said lighting plant. and herewith hand you the same.
 Although not instructed by your hon. orable body to make suggestions as to any other location for the lighting plant than at the pumping station, We do not think it amiss to call your attention to certain facts in connection with the phy- sical condition and the extra cost of To- eating a lighting plant at the pumping station. So much has been said about lighting the city in conjunction with the operation of the pumping station that we gave the subject the most careful inves- tigation and consideration. It Is popu- larly believed that at the pumping station there is a surplus of power and a surplus of house room which might be profitably employed as part of the municipal light ing system. First of all, the surplus room at the pumping station will be
 needed for the erection of another 5,00O,- 000- gallon pump and. in the second place,
 after a careful study of the location pro-
 posed for the lights throughout the city,
 1t was found that the pumping station is
 situated at a very considerable distance
 from what is known as the centre of dis
 tribution of the lights. The pumping
 station is situated on the Northern edge
 of the city, while the majority of the
 lights are located in the southern, east ern and western portions. Consequently, it is plain that it would require larger expenditure of money for conductors sup plying current from the pumping station to the lights, than from a station located with proper. regard to the economical dis tribution of the electrical energy. The increased length of the conductors would | mean an additional maintenance charge and a constant charge for loss sustained in transmitting energy. In the third place, the building which it would be necessary to erect, will encroach on the right of way of the Central of Georgia Railway Company; permission would have to be had from them before the | building could be erected. It Is also nec- essary to erect a two-story building to | get above high water mark. The founda- | ton and walls of which have to be made very much deeper. thicker and heavier l than would be required with lighting There is no surplus power at the pump | ing station, as it requires all the power generated to operate the present ma chinery. From this and the estimates you will see that it is necessary to con- struct an addition to the pumping station and to set up and complete another en- zine and boiler.
 Respectfully submitted, D. W. Ford, City Engineer. B. A Blakey, City Electricians The report of the Engineer and Elec- trician was accompanied by the following estimate of the cost of the proposed cleo