Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1907-03-20
ELECTRIC Light CO.
Presents Statement OF the COnd!.
ton OF Their Electric Light
and Water Plants.
COST CITY LAST YEAR s3,586.8s
More Water Used DuiiuR 1906 Than
Any Year In City's History. 682,-
600 Gallons Delivered to Mains.
To the Honorable the Mayor and
Board OF Aldermen of the City
of Alma, Michigan.

To the Honorable the Mayor ana
Board OF Aldermen of the City
of Alma, Michigan.
Gentlemen:
AS you are mutually interested with
the undersigned in the city light and
water service, we beg TO submit for
your information the following de-
tails covering the service for the year
1900
Lighting.
At the beginning OF the year there
were thirty-one (3D street arc lights
in commission, which number was in
creased TO thirty-four (34) in July.
Adding together the number OF hours
each lamp burned during the year
gives a total OF 35,Sos light-hours.
Cost to the city for the year SI,7o2.5o
Cos, to the city per month 1893
Cost to the city per lamp per
month .......--.---.. 400
With reference TO the service per
NIT Us to say:
During the year there has been
lmore or less adverse criticism, wise
and otherwise:
Ist. AS to continuity of service.
The only interruptions OF moment
have been occasioned by slcet storms
coating lamps, pulleys, cables, etc,
with ice, rendering it impossible TO
lower the lamps for attention until
the ice loosencd, the longest Interrupt
ton affecting a part OF two circuits
for three nights, but at no time has
. the entire service been affected, some
parts of the circuits always being IN
working order By comparison with
the reports from Saginaw and Grand
. Rapids, the Alma service was the best
. in the same dates; and comparison
for months or years with the check
cred experience OF our nearest neigh
bors on the northeast and south Is
greatly in our favor And still there
are those who think municipal owner
ship is a cure-alll
end. Quality of Light. Preference
has been expressed by certain oiti-
zens for enclosed arc lamps, holding
! the occasional flicker of the open arc
Objectionable Lighting experts are
agreed that the open arc lamp gives
stronger, more intense light than any
other design. We have placed some
enclosed arc lamps on our lines anC
comparison easily made shows th'
a open arc to light slightly greatei
q area, while the enclosed gives more
/. even distribution of light. But wher'
the distance between lamps is consd
4 erable-as is the case i'll Alma excep
h in the business center of the city
!. carrying power is desired rather thar
,. even iIlumination A watch dial ma,
e be read one block distant from tn
c iamps-try it any night-and that j
O good street lighting for an economic
s. al administration. Apparatus AM
y lamps OF larger nominal candl
power might be installed but we ar
n persuaded that results would no
1. justify tHC lliNlCdSth SNpShoN " ~
e city nor to the lighting company
r WHY feed team when One hors
e will do the work? Our taxes will b
9 high enough when they equal til
st city's current expenses.
II ard. Quality of Carbons. 1t is as
II serted by misinformed persons tina
Ie the lighting company uses the chear
/, est carbons. This is not true. w
ID have for a long time used Standar
N Copper Coated carbons of exceller
e. quality. made by the National Carlo
Co., of Cleveland, Ohio. The cit
S. clerk may satisfy the increduous b
E: writing that company. We can bu
SIS much cheaper carbons but do II,
of think il to the interest OF either II
". city or ourselves.
4th. "Ama's street lights are NJ
turned on as early as the street ligh
OF ST. Louis Why can't we hay
them .earlier?" The reply is-yc
Iss can, il the mayor requests IT. O'
he company will be pleased to light 1
n as directed by the city authoritie
*, but being on light-hour basis v
nj have endeavored to avoid the imp
Ter tation of lighting up before il W
in necessary, in order to get in larg
", bill. We follow the published sche
as ule in common use in Michigan, wi
N such minor variations as a clear
cloudy evening may suggest; and &
city authorities are probably in hs
mony with this policy, since we ha