The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1907-05-01
Cost Under New System $47.36
Annually Per Lamp.
COST OF REBUILDING.
Estimate Is Placed at Sixty-ffve
Thousand Dollars.
Ways and Means Committee to
Consider Estimates.

Gas engines beIted to Brush arc ma
chtI-es are recommended to the ways
and means committee of the council In
the reconstruction Of the city electric
light plant by R. NJ. Freeman, cleo
tric4l engineer, at the state university,
who was employed by the city to make
recommended tons
| He advises an expenditure OF sos 600
Tho cost to operate a lamp for year
Under the Installation advised would
be s47-36. figuring per cent for de-
probation, 5 Per cent for interest on
/ the investment and loss by reason of
exer-p tiOn from taxation.
| There Is quite a difference between
the figures Of Freeman and those of
| another electrical engineer engaged
| last year by the council to figure on
this same proposition BILL the en-
gineer engaged. furnished an estimate
which contemplated an expenditure of
/ $4,000 and cost per lamp year Of
about $50 He advised the city to have
its work done by contract with a cor
I poratiol-
/ This latest estimate gives Il cost of
almost $50 less per lamp for opera
ton
/ The ways and means committee of
/ the council will probably call meet
/ ing this week to consider the estimates
made by Freeman and call him in for
4 a
| cry. City Engineer Rodgers and n. K
| Goodrich. superintendent of the city
/ electric light plant, VIII leave for St
/ Joseph Thursday and in addition to
/ inspecting the municipal asphalt repair
plant at that place Will look over the
/ city electric light plant
/ Natural gas IS highly recommended
/ by Freeman to the city council for use
! as a fuel at the city electric light
plant AT IS cents for natural gas the
I saving in operating expenses seems to
me more than for the higher fixed
I charges"
\ The CorIiss engine now in use Is re-
ported to be in first-clasS condition
and with very small expenditure OF
1 money could be made tC serve if steam
/ is used as power The report states :
/ If steam is used fer power do not
consider that the expenditure for en-
gines of more economical type would
/ be justified by the ufuel saving IN a
plant operating only AGO hours per
year -Te1-
Two different system are suggested.
/ First alternating current generated
! $500 volts. supplying Sc aTnpere series
/ enclosed through transformers and reg
/ uIators Secondly. direct current from
/ Brush are Tnachires SUPPLYING a con-
| slant current of AsampeTes to mag
netit4 faEaps- -
The first system as my estinla te
/ For the So ne number OF lights it re-
| CURES considerably more power ana
will cost more to operate Installed
with either steam or gas plant the
system would cover -cons1deFaole5 room
IRE second system is high in first
cost but shows 4 lower annual cost
With steam plant the system would
with gas plant there would be ample
/ room for increase of capacity up to 800
lamps"
TIE direct current makes a better
/ showing states Freeman The magnet
| tie lamps arc recommended because
/ tha+- give more light with less amount
| OF power as against the present closed
arc hfmps partially in use by the city
| distributed. as against some 374 row
/ in use
/ Prof. Freeman.s Report.
| -Four different plans are suggested
for reconstruction The f1rst plan: 90 ..
Cost of reconstruction - -
Cost per lamp year----,-.-------- DIV
The Second Plan -, -,
Cost OF reconstruction-------- 6o,O29 g
| Cost per lamp year---.-..------- 9Io0
The Third Plan: 80 40
| Cost Of reeOnstruc tioEl----.----- 55,t4g- -
| The Fourth Plan: .,., =,
Cost of reconstructlOn----- Sa-eLo-ul
| Plan nrovfdes the use of the
present engine beIted to a 500 K w
aIternator supplying 500 enclosed al
/ ternatfng current $50 watt lamps
/ The main Items u COLlSlI 0CGAOu
der this plan are: Repairs on build
| ing. $1,000; three horizontal boilers.
| s2s37; foundations and settings, ST.
600; heater and purifier. 1851; one
| 400 K. w so cycle 2.50o volt gener-
/ ator. $4,000; 500 A C. enclosed lamps
1 SO 500; transformers. regulators and
| switchboard, $4,000: rearranging and
extending lines for 500 lamps on eight
/ circuits. $4,000. The total is $41, 964-
| The estimate on the cost of opera
ton under this plan is based on new
bond issue Of $4,000 and an esti-
mated value of the old plant at
| $4,000.
Figuring from this the cost Of
operation per lamp year of $52.16 IS
arrived at, as follows:
Fuel. $4,000; superintendent. ST.
| 5e0- engineer, $1,000; assistant en-
gineer $500; two fremen- $500 each;
/ one trimmer. $3.50: three line and re-
pair men $4,000: repairs $1,000;
carbons. $500; interest at per cent
per annum. $500; depreciation at S
per cent. $500; insurance and lost
| taxes. $500 A total of $26.eS0.
| Plan 2 provides using the present
engine and line shaft. operating
Brush arc machines on magnetic
lamps
The principal items of cost are:
| Aaae@as