The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1905-04-06
4 LESSON FROM BROOkINGs.

a LESSON FROM BROOkINGS.
In these days Of strenuous attempts
atgcivic, reform and so many failures
in the face of opposition sof local
grating, looked upon by many as
love of country, it is,real refreshing
once in a while to read of civic prog
ress, the real thing. A statement Of
successful municipal ownership comes
from Brookings, S. D. The city is
bonded for SS6,5O0, divided as follows:
Waterworks, $4,000; electric light,
$4,000; telephone, s1S, 900; FIRE depart
ment, 81. 500. For the year just ended
the receipts of the waterworks depart
ment were 81, 1859; expenses, includ-
! ing interest on bonds, $3.50. Is:
showing a surplus of ST, 625.53.
For the telephone plant the receipts
were 81, 769.97; expenses, including
interest on bonds, 81, 144.O4, showing
a sum on the right side of $685.. O3.
The electric light department took-in
$13, 465.87, which includes $3.50 real
lied from sale of fixtures; the expenses
were S11, OIL. 95, showing a surplus of
81, 554.92. For the year ending March,
1904, the heating plant showed loss
of about $3.50, but this is explained
from the fact that it was then wholly
an experiment and the charges were
made too low, thirty cents per foot of
radiation. The charge was raised to
thirty-two cents, with the result of
about doing away with the loss. ;
Here is statement that many small
villages that are not able to see of
what value hydrant is to a village,
had better hang up in their council
chambers, it is this: The city is
charged S75 a hydrant as rental for
thirty hydrants. This is figured
as fire protection on the basis, of the
lowest charge a private company
could be expected to give the service.
Consumers are charged meter rate
of twenty-five cents a thousand for
water, with minimum charge of .S12
a year for $4,000 gallons Or less.
Brookings claims it can pump water
at four cents a thousand gallons.
The surplus of the city funds is con-
verted into a sinking fund and is
used in extensions and improvements
of plants. "
The city is charged ST, 500 per year
for its street lights. Brookings like
many other places, has few knock
ers' and grumblers who insist that
the plants should not be credited with
what water, light heat and telephone
service they furnish the municipality,
but such individuals are either thick
headed, and dull of comprehension or
they have Interior motives.
Brookings seems to be solving the
problem of municipal ownership, and
it is high time other small cities and
villages attempted at least to follow
suit.
Anent the fact that there has been
some criticism on the increase by the
Princeton council of the charge per
1000 watts to twelve and half cents.
the Union would say that it ad-
dressed letter to the city clerk of
Brookings inquiring the rate charged
by that city for electric light service,
and the reply was that Brookings is
charging at the rate Of twelve and
one-half cents per 1000 watts for an
an-night. service. The city clerk of
Brookings says he doesn't think the
all-night service would pay them if
they did not operate a heating plant
in connection with the electric light
service. It will be noted that Brook
ings furnishes heat the same as it does
water, lights and telephone service.
An Immense Saving!
Senator. Won1,c hill o1o1;.b;.. ~