The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1904-09-15

AUXILIARY FOR ELECTRIC PLANT.
Council Holds Special Meeting to Get Next
on New Plant at Power House.
There was special meeting of the
village council last Monday night to
listen to the bids submitted by several
electric companies for the auxiliary
plant at the power house. There were
seven or eight representatives present
and they submitted their bids and
plans and specifications to the coun-
Gil, but most of their talk was purely
technical and was like so much Greek
to the council. After the bids had
been submitted the electric contingent
retired and the council got down to
hard pan. Mr.. Galley wanted to know
where the money was coming from to
pay for the plant, as the bids submit
ted were for cash payments Or practi-
cally the same. There was an empty
treasury and no more money in sight
for some time. It was explained that
the village had voted all the tax it
could under the antiquated charter.
The discussion brought up the charge
the village was making for lights on
the meter system, which is ten cents
per kilwat and has been that price
ever since the plant was started. The
council stated that most villages in
the State charged all of fifteen cents,
and some more. Mr.. Borden said
that the plant including the water
plant, had earned during the last eight
months about 81, 700 and the cost of
operating the plant was about the
same, but this figure did not include
the credit to the plant for the village
water used for sprinkling streets for
charge, nor for any street lighting
which is for the benefit of the people
of the village the same as the lights
in the private residences. A retrench-
ment and reform feeling came over
the council during the discussion and
it was thought that the village street
lights should not burn any later than
ten or half past ten at night, and the
arc lights at the depot and along
Depot street and in some other places
should be removed as there was no
need for most of them now that there
were no night trains. No one sug-
gested that if the council proposed to
go back to crossroads ways that there
would be any need of additional power
at the electric light plant, for if
large number of the street lights were
removed and the lights turned off at
curfew time or little later the present
plant would answer the purpose very
we'll. No one suggested that the peo-
pie of the village were of the opinion
that the place was growing and fast
assuming the proportions of a city
and that the village was entitled to
have plenty Of good street lights and
have them as late as any other enter
prising and growing places in the
State or any other state. If the viii
lage has got to that point where it can
duOiu w Sptuu lOG VI uOuoy Oh
stone crosswalks and spend money in
divers other ways and cannot afford
to properly light the streets it had bet
ter get up petition to be annexed to
Zimmerman.
But to resume: It was suggested
that an arrangement could be made
with the company selling the village
the plant and get two years time to
pay for the same, the estimated cost
being little. over $4,000. Another
way out of the difficulty would be for
the council to give the banker it's II.
O. w. and then settle with the elec-
trio supply company on cash basis.
The council adjourned to meet Tues
day morning at which time it was de-
cided to appoint committee consist
ing of T. b. Galley and Jos. Craig who
will 60 to the cities and look over
some of the engines and dynamos that
they think would be the proper kind
To install