Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1903-03-21

6
from the starting of such plant. tie
plant would not sell for or be worth
more than the amount that had been
expended during the ten years for re-
pairs. Therefore we allow 10 per cent.
depreciation which amounts to 81 600
per annum, and TO this must be added
an average of $500 per annum for in
terest. We also allow S4s per annum
for insurance.
The proposed $50, coo electric light
ing plant referred to above is very
ample to supply twice as much lighting
ing as there is used at the present
time. and still be run as duplicate
plant, that is, one of the dynamos be-
ing in reserve for emergency, or in case
of break down of the other one. That
is to say, the smaller of the two dyna-
mos contemplated in the plant would
itself furnish fully twice as much cur
| rent as is being used at the present
time; that is to say, for January, the
month Of the whole year, which prob
ably calls for the greatest amount of
light. Therefore. If we dared to pre-
sumo that in the near future our popu-
latiOn would increase very materially.
or that the number of consumers.
which is more probable, would Increase.
or that the amount of consumption of
the present users would be materially
increased, or by any or by all OF these
processes, we could safely estimate on
furnishing or selling to consumers
twice as much as is now being dis
posed of to them, we would have en-
tirely adifferent problem on our hands,
for the reason that, as viii be seen
from the itemiZed expenses above, there
are some items which are Of the nature
Of fixed charges, that is, that would
not be increased at all by doubling the
output, or would be increased in a
smaller proportion than the output.
For instance the large item of depre-
citation and interest would remain the
same The item Of labor might be very
slightly increased, even the coal con
sumption would not be doubled by
doubling the output. SO that all these
things considered, it is fair to estimate
that il it were possible to dispose of
twice as much electric current as Is
now disposed of, the price might be
reduced to about Sc. or 9c, per X w.
There are few suggestions that might
be thrown out for consideration in
connection with this report, namely:
LIST. 1t is unfortunate to have to run ii
60 IA. w. generator, which is the size
of the smaller one of the two referred
to in the above proposed plant, during
a larger portion of the twenty four
hours of each day, when a generator of
Il the size would be ample, and vet,
we would not say it would be advisable
to install u smaller generator in the
place of this one, because If the larger
one should be disabled some evening or
some dark day requirements might
Justify the present arrangement. ID.
We fear that if this plant were install
led, experience would soon suggest the
purchase of an additional on third gem
orator OF very small capacity, say - X.
w. This, of course, would cali for an
expenditure over and above the $50 600
contemplated Sd. If it should seem
wise to our city council to install a
municipal Lighting plant, it might be
well to consider plant SO arranged
that one engine could run either OF the
one, two or three dynamos. or run any
combination of the three, not exceed
ing the capacity of the engine, instead
of the plant which has been proposed
known as a direct connected engine
and generator Attn While in our
above estimate of receipts from cleo
tric lighting, we have included the
patronage of the Sanitarium, and
rather presumed on an average for the
ensuing year which exceeds the aver
age of past years. it is we'll to consider
that an institution using L large
amount of electric current is Liable to
DO as other institutions have done, in.
stall their own electric lighting plant
TO be run by steam or hy gas engine
On the other hand. it has been sug,
gested that 1t the matter were thorough
ly worked mp by municipal electric
lighting organization, some current
might he disposed of to run small mos
tors in stores, shops and small manu-
featuring establishments. If we should
be SO fortunate or unfortunate as to
have manufacturing concerns in Wuu-
watosa. OF course, we should expect
our own local plant to furnish much
better service than we are getting bv
present arrangement: but are there any
small lighting plants i'm the country
that are giving twenty-four hour ser-.
vice and losing no more minutes in
twentv-four hours than is lost under
the present arrangement or which give
any steadier current? Furthermore IS
it not fact that the Milwaukee Plant
is being enlarged and improved, and
that all is being done that an unlimited
capital aud long experience together
with the services Of iitst-class engi-
ueers commanding higher prices than
we could afford to pay. can do to ita-
prove the service?
J O. MEYERS,
ITrNt3<- INFSE