Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1907-06-28
]. c. PERRY
CITY LIGHTS ITS BUILDINGS.
Electric Plant In ST. Louis Paid For
Itself In Less Than Two Years.


Itself In Less Than Two Years.
About six years ago an impromptu
posse OF indignant citizens attended n
session OF the city council In ST. Louis
carrying ropes. They threatened to
hang certain members OF the municipal
legislature unless a bill for the relief
OF the situation regarding the lighting
OF the streets was passed Immediately.
The bill was passed at that session. and
the hanging did not take place. Like
other cities, st. Louis felt that II was
paying entirely too much for its street
lighting, and when the lights We're cut
or altogether In the best residential
section OF the city as a part OF boo
ding scheme in the city legislature
some OF the citizens took the matter In
hand.
Three years later the city itself be-
gan TO make an experiment In munich
pal lighting The streets were still being
lighted by private concerns. and still
are, for that matter. The city proposed
10 light its own buildings, including
the city hall and other structures con-
veniently grouped. from a plant TO he
established and operated under munic-
ipal ownership. The St. Louis Post
Dispatch thus describes how that plan
was carried out with signal success:
For more than three years past ST.
Louis has been operating municipal
lighting plant. furnishing light TO city
buildings. In that time the theory OF
municipal ownership has been put TO
practical and exhaustive test right here
at home and has shown remarkable re-
suits. The cost OF lighting the build
ings supplied by the municipal plant
has been decreased, better light and
more OF II has been supplied, good sal
aries are paid 10 the employees. and
they have proved competent although.
eonfessedly. political influence had Its
share in securing their appointment
"Chief Engineer Wood or the city
service has charge OF the plant and is
constantly receiving inquiries concern
Ing II from all parts OF the country.
The plant is In the basement OF the
city hail. the old heating and ventilat-
ing plant having been added TO and
utilized. 1t lights the new and the old
city halls, the -Four Courts building.
the courthouse and No. o engine house.
When II became certain four years
ago that this plant was 20 be estab-
hshed, the lighting company voluntari-
B reduced its bid for lighting those
buildings from IS to 81 cents per kiio-
watt hour. That was the initial vic
tory for municipal ownership In ST.
Louis. But II was a victory with
string 20 II. The reduction had the ef-
feet the lighting company evidently In
tended. The city's move 10 establish
municipal plant, for which the money
had already been appropriated, was
temporarily arrested.
Then the light company put it's
price up TO ~ cents per kilowatt hour.
Result. the municipal plant was built
Ia spite OF further opposition. Since
then Engineer Wood has produced light
at an annual average cost OF a little
over cents per kilOwatt hour, and now
II Is costing less than / cent per kllo-
watt hour. In the first twenty-three
months OF Its existence this plant paid
Tor Itself In the difference between the
cost OF the light II furnished and the
seven and half mot the thirteen)
cent rate the lighting company was for
merry charging the city"