The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1907-01-11
AGREED ON A SCHEDULE

AN appreciate ReQuCtlOn IN Rates
on Electric Lights Goes With
New Ordinance.
After numerous conferences held
by the light and ordinance COM
mittees of the city council with G.
Q. King, president of the Mitchell
Gas Co.. relative to the reduction
il. rates for electric lights, which is
to become part of the contract in
connection with the adoption of the
ordinance, the two have agreed on a
rate that shall go into effect with
the adoption of the ordinance.
81 never fully expected" said..one
of the members of the committee.
Ito secure the concessions from the
company that we did and not only
the city hut the consumers of electric
lights as we'll will be the gamer to a
very great extent as a result Of the
agreement
The new rate that has been agreed
upon is as follows: 1000 to 100000
Filowats, 10 cents per thousand;
20, 600 to $4,000. IA cents; 50,00o..to
100, DOC, 10 cents; 100, 900 to 300, 600,
IL cents: 300, 900 to SOC, 600, IL cents;
500, 600 and over 10 cents. This is
a reduction from a straight 20 cent
rate, which had the usual discounts
when a certain amount is used. So
far as the arc lights ar concerned it
is agreed that the charge shall be SIS
per month. Under the ordinance
the city secures from the gas ON
pany 3 per cent Of its gross business
outside Of the amount paid for street
and i'm connection with the
reduction on the incandescents will
be a good saving to tie citizens.
The question that is receiving the
attention OF a certain number Of citi-
zens is whether the city shall control
it own Lighting plant Or whether the
asked for shall be granted
to the electric company. Enough
Investigation has been made into the
ownership idea to show to
the people what difference there is in
the operation of the plant by a phi
waite company and one owned by a city.
To make this comparison a state
ment was secured from the city audi
tor of Rehield, which plant is
operated under municipal ownership,
showing the rates which were and
which are now in force. Under
ownership it is not sup
posed that the city seeks to make
any money and that the lights fur
nished its citizens at cost, first lay
ing aside a sinking fund for future
plant equipment.
AS a comparison between the Red
field new rate and Mitchell's present
and contemplated rate it shows a
preponGelance in favor of the rate
this city is 10 get in the future.
1 AXE the University, which used for
November, 1906. $50, 500 kiloWats
With 220 lights Under the Redtield
rate it would cost SS1.57 per month:
under the Mitchell present rate it
would cost SOB 81, and under the
new rate S7l.S2. In residences, w.
g. Upton has 40 lights, used 20, 100
in November, and under
Redneld's rate it would cost bin 81,
Mitchell S present rate would amount
to S4.O2, and the new rate would
.ost him So In Geo. a. SilSby's
residence there are AZ lights, with
4 consumption of 20, 200 kilowats, the
would be S7.33, 81, and So
respectively under the three rates.
Under the ordinance the company
required to keep up a voltage Of l04
to the point where the wires enter
The residence or business house, so
that i'm case Of defective wiring or
t re wires ave unable to carry such
a load III. voltage a be ascertained
outside Of he house.
Another + allure of the municipal
ownership of Redtield is The "maX-
ium demand system" Under this
rate consumers are required to use all
the lights in their houses for the
first hour to secure the Is cent rate,
all of their lights for the second hour
to get the s cent rate, and the same
for the third hour to get tie 8 cent
rate. ANY time they fail to comply
with the demand system they lose
out on the cheaper rate. In addition
to these rates % cents a month is
charged each consumer for the use of
the meter in the house and also %