The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1903-01-23
LET THE CITY OWN ITS
LIGHTING PLANT,
The Condition of Lighting the Streets Of the CITY Has Ger
tainly Reached a Point Where an Impr ovement
Must be Made at Once.

or course it would cost the city
something to transfer it's plant from
one part OF the town to another,
but this expense could easily be paid
for the first year that it is operated
under public ownership. 1t is figured
that the city could furnish its own
alc lights at a cost Of about SO per
arc, and in this way it could increase
the lights over the city so that not a
town in the state would be so we'll
lighted as Mitchell. 1t is true that
additional machinery would have to
be purchased, but with the income
of a well patronized plant we do.not
believe this would be anything of a
burden to the council.
The situation in Mitchell at the
present time demands that it be i'm
proved, andsthe most feasible plan to
the minds Of many is the purchase of
the plant. The standing of the city
throughout the state at the present
time and for the next two years dur
ing the capital campaign should GER
tainly appeal to..thespeople that the
streets ought to be well lighted, and
it is up to the city council to see that
it is well done.
Concerning the funds with-which
to purchase the plant, and while The
Republican cannot speak with abso-
lutte authority, we believe we are safe
in saying that the warrants needed
for the purchase Of the plant will be
carried by any of the banks Of the
city. the banks being willing to help
the city out of a difficulty that is
not rejecting much credit on the
town.
The poor service that has been Civ
en- by the present company has caused
quite a few Of the business men to
discard the use of electric lights in
their stores, for the simple reason
that they could not place any DEEPEN
dence in their burning when they
liSSoSb ullShl liz "O1SU. u
in the evening the incandescent lights
have been turned Off with a store full
Of customers, and it has caused any
amount of inconvenience to the mer-
chant. This has led a great many of
them to place gasoline or acetylene
plants in their places of business,
which, under good service, would be
paying a legitimate revenue to the
electric light plant. With these
plants already established very few of
the merchants would care to discard
them after having expended between
$500 and S400 for them.
Mitchell is paying So per light which
runs until midnight. Thera are other
cities in the state where the lights
are furnished for less money. as low
as S., and the lights are turned on
in the dark hours Of the morning, a
time when they are just as necessary
as in the early hours CT the evening.
The Republican presents this mat
ter Of the purchase of the electric
light plant to the citizens with the
hope that it Will bring out a discus
sion and lead to a settlement of the
situation which now encompasses
Mitchell on the light question. 1t
certainly does appear like a safe prop
! osition for the investment, and the
returns in years to come, we believe,
will more than compensate the city
for the expense it goes to at the pres
ent time. There is no question hut
what incandescent lights can be fur
nished cheaper and this will be a saw
ing to the consumer.