The Farmington times and herald. (Farmington, St. Francois Co., Mo.) 1902-1905, 1903-03-05
ELECTRIC LIGHTS SOON.
Mr.. Bendit Of the Laufketter. .Bendt
Company Gives Out Statement
in Personal interview.
LIGHTS WITHIN 80 OR 40 DAYS.

Mcssrs. Laufketter aud Ben dit
of St. Louis, the owners of the
local electric light system, were in
Pennington Friday making all ar
rangements to push the work on
the new system to completion
within the next few weeks. They
were also making arrangements to
pay off all the old indebtedness on
the plant, which amounted to about
81 600 when they purchased it.
The new machinery for the sys.
TEN, including n 20. fue boiler, Il
generator with twice the capacity of
the old dynamo, an engine Of latest
improved type, wire and other ac-
cessories, has been on the ground
for several weeks. The cost of
this equipment laid down here was
$S, 600. The delay in getting the
system into working order has been
occasioned by the impossibility of
obtaining the brick and rock nee.
esSary to build the new foundation
for the machinery. The local deal
ers in brick have been pushed to
supply the demand for the building
of the electric railroad power
house, the waterworks power.housc
and other local works.
The contract for poles has been
let for some time. but as yet II o
poles have appeared. Mr.. Finnc-
gan, of the Laufketter- Bendit Com.
pany, has been in Pennington for
several months trying to push for
ward the work on the system, but
has not been able to accomplish
anything. The trenches for the
brick work have been dug for some
time, and the machinery has been
placed so that it could be set with
in Il very short time after the com
pletion of the foundations.
MIR. BENDIT's STATEMENT.
In an interview with n TINES
reporter on Friday morning, Mr..
Bendit said:
When we assumed cOntro! OF
electric light property, the plant
was n menace to life and prop
erty and it was our wish to
shut down at once; but at the
earnest request of the business
men we furnished light until
after the holidays. Since then We
have purchased new machinery to
the value of So 900 and expect Ia
eXpen1 81 900 more in fitting NJ
the system, making a total OF
Sl2 900. We have made every
effort to put our plant in running
order as soon as possible, but
cannot get the brick aud other nee.
essnry things. While we have
been criticised severely for our de
lay, we have even proposed to light
the business section of the city
and made application to the STREE
Commission for a permit to put
up the necessary poles, but were
refused.
Mr.. Laufketter and | are here
this week to straighten up old in
debtedDess and to start work i
possible. AS it is we have don,
much work already. Unless some
thing unforeseen happens we vii
have the system in working orde
within 30 or 40 days and within 81
days we will have the best lighting
service in Missouri outside of tn
cities. The capacity of the ney
: plant will be three times create
than the old one. We will hav
on hand an auxiliary dynamo an,
/, engine in case the regular servic
1 machinery should break down
; We have made every effort possibl
and the people should not ask fo
more. f."
Work was begun Saturday af
ternoon at the light plant and ha
e been continued this week. Tn
5 concrete foundations for the en-
gines and boilers are being put i
ond nthar raooir work 10 haip