Omaha daily bee., 1908-08-12
AFFAIRS AT SOUTH OMAHA
Columbus Concern Submits Proposal
for Electric Light and Power.
PLANT TO SELL TO THE CITY
offers TO Bald and Equip Water
Power Plant Developing Fifteen
Thousand Horsepower Plant
for S2,5OO,OOO..

council Monday night. was the proposition
of the Nebraska Power company Of Column
bus. offering to furnish the city with 1900
horsepower electric current for municipal
use. The estimated cost of the plant, IL
purchased. would be s2,5OO.0oO. The power
is to be generated at Columbus from water
Of the Loup river, one Of the most reliable
streams for water flow in the west. The
following is the proposition:
The Nebraska Power company which
owns a perpetual right to the water Of the
Loup river for the purpose OF developing
power, proposes to construct a canal from
5 5ss LS Genoa Tiye Ne tSapP anSS t brin siy the at ws q eGiP to
its reservoir which Is located about three
miles north of Columbus, Neb., and there
construct for the city of South Omaha,
Neb., a hydro-electric power plant of 1900
horsepower capacity.
The said power company will construct
said power plant at or near
Neb., and equip It with the most modern
machinery and also construct all transmits
sion lines from the power plant to the city
station and the switch board in the city
of South Omaha for the distribution Of the
power; but all e9uipmentt al Tor svo 20 he . fuTss
When the construction OF this plant is
fully completed, the said power company
with the perpetual right to the water IRON
the Loup river sufficient to operate salo
r. IsS M boTsepoWer a day TO be distributed
throughout the day and night IN such man
ner as will be found most conVenlenI Ior
the quantity of power used as ABOVE set
forth in no case to exceed 1900 horse
power at any one time. And said power
company proposes TO construct said plant
and convey II, together with a perpetual
right to the use OF said water upon sucn
reasonable terms as may be agreed pc
tween said power company and said city
OF South Omaha.
The said power company suggests 70 pro-
rose: First, that the city OF South Omaha
vote bonds in the sum OF $2,OOO,OO ana de-
liver said bonds to said power company
in such manner as may De agreed uRot thIa
payment for said power plant; OF II tnls
can not be arranged said power COMPANY
il willing to enter into a definite and plnd-
ing contract with the city OF South. Omaha
TO construct said plant and put II in oper-
alton ready to deliver power with the un-
derstauding that the city VIII purcnaSe
said plant and pay for II IN yearly lnstall-
ments of not less than 100000 each year t0r
a period Of ten years; all unpalo instal-
ments to bear interest az the rate o. Pc
All installments to be paid annually.
Tho officers Of the power company are
not sure at the present Tine time Una inat nIa y acg
cordlng to the second proposition, put In I.S
is rather a matter OF detail, ana II tne cry
willing to come to any reasonable agree
ment that is is within the power or the
city to make, g.. al,
tributing the power after II Is brougnt 70
the CITY OF South Omaha VIII be ABOUT
!s50,Oo, adding as Mo We 5rev, ssp,'1f for these
The reports of the most competent engi-
neers indicate that this power can pc uec
livered at the switchboard In the Guy OF
South Omaha at a cost not exceeolng a
quarter t Of a SeRt R Ster * on the invest
ment and all fixed charges, the COST PIIce
per horsepower will be less than $o per
The total investment of the city, after
paying $1,000, 900 for the power plant. trans
mission lines, transformer stau9n ane
s s~Sst go fof phhe Ps sf4He%%a necessary for ais
tributing the power to It's patrons III ~
would be S2,125, 600, and interest on TIL
amount at s per cent per year would o.
Si2S,OOo. The operating expenses ought not
20 e2n e J Would be about Ss5JooO per year.
The city ought to be able to sell this power
at an average prize icS OF w noI 'e bT,nE an in
come OF S3T5, 900 per year. THIS price Is less
than / cent per k. ". hour, and whlle tne
the power at something less than It Is now
costing them, the average price ousnt 70 1e
such thai the city would nave a very l~se
net income from the plant.
AS TO the power of the city Of South
Omaha to issue bonds enough to purchase
such a plant the council and the mayor
have not been advised. Tne charter limits
the issue OF bonds to 10 per cent OF the as
sessed valuation of city property, for mu-
nicipal improvements. This limit has al
ready been approached within 10000. 1t is
possible thnt rs city may, under the stat
utes iss,le rds for the purchase of a
munieile from which there is a
source G.
The o. ter was referred to the
council, sic Lg- as a committee OF the
whole. No action otherwise was taken last
night.
The franchise Of the Omaha Electric
Light and Power company will shortly ex-
pire and 1t will then be possible for the
city to consider another proposition. The
city engineer discussed the feasibility of the
proposition. saying that - similar PROPOSE
ton a been made to the city OF Omaha
W years ago. but had in that city met
with many obstacles. He said: 1T costs
the city at present s67 per horsepower an
nuaIy, and II this company guarantees a
cost not to exceed SO per year an enorm-
Gus saving would be effected, The packers
would doubtless use this kind of power in
preference to any other for those great In
dustries. I understand that the company
has sixty miles OF the canal already con-
structed. l am convinced that the propo-
sition is feasible from an engineering point
of view"
KountEe Brothers advised the city that
On sny moneys remaining witt them for
the redemption of sewer bonds they would
pay 2 per cent interest.
A plot OF the Interest addition handled
by w Farnam Smith Of Omaha was an
proved. 1t lies at ~Forty-second and I
streets.
A petition was received for the grading
OF Sixteenth street, from J to Il.
Bids win be advertised by the city clerk
for the grading OF A street, from Twenty
third to Twenty-fdlrth.
The recommendation that 1000 feet Of
hose be purchased for the fire depart
ment was approved.
An ordinance was introduced covering all
the city license industries. Such firms as
fruit vendors, push carts and kindred
vendors were all subjected TO the rule.
The ordinance was copied after the Omaha
ordinance and superseded all other acts.
An ordinance was introduced providing
for the grading OF a street. from Twenty
third 10 Twenty-fourth.
The mayor presented a communicable
from the Union Pacific on the deferred
consultation over the u street viaduct. in
al..tg,r fhaN A4w.aaf II ur,,,la -