The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-02-20


at $4,000, and that he could have
built better plant If he had a little
more money. They figure their de-
probation differently than we have
| been led to figure. They don't use a
! f1xed percentage from year to year but
| fix valuation on the plant each sue
| ceeding year and the difference be-
| tween that value and of the preceding
year is charged off as a lump sum for
depreciation. This it seems to me is
| the right way to figure depreciation.
1t is the way we figure in my BUSH
| ness
Superintendent Stewart said interest
should be figured on each years valu-
alton of the property after deprecia-
ton had been deducted and that 1t
would be absurd to deduct deprecia-
ton and charge that into cost per
lamp and then figure interest on the
total investment.
s'They have a magnificent plant
said Councilman E. Montgomery ITO
the superintendent is largely due the
credit for the sho wing it has made.
He is the father of 1t. The superin-
tendent there is an all around man,
he is a thorough mechanic as we'll as
electrician. He puts INTO practice
and operation all the new recent
ideas and makes that saving to his
city. No engineer would have con-
sidered estimating the rebuilding of
| a plant at the figures he built that
plant, because he was able to take ad-
vantage of his years or experience
there and then he had a personal
pride in it as if it was his own plant
Whether we can get our work done
as cheap, that remains to be found
out and that's what we are working
on now"
1.-THE people of st. Joseph would
mob their council if they talked of
making contract with an outside
~
Tandy. That's what they told me up
there. They went through all of this
same business that we are going
through now. There was a company
that wanted to get the contract just
as we have one here now. 1 believe
that we can rebuild our pant for $780,
900 easily and have some left over.
They have a great plant over there,
model of it's kind and I can see no
reason why we shouldn't be able to do
the same thing here. We have the
same kind of engine that they have
with the same amount of horse
power, a Corliss with 500 horsepower.
We have building mat needs prob
ably some fixing up, dynamos that we
have been offered $1,000 for and I
can see no reason why we can't equip
the plant in first class manner for
$4,000 If we made a contract with
the Edison company you would find
that we would have to pay extra for.
changing the poles around and cir
cults When the city continues to
grow there is need of change in the
circuits With the city in charge
there would be no extra change made
for these changes. At. st. Joseph
they were compelled to, change their
polec on account of some grading be-
ing done on the streets and in one
single month of January they had a
charge of 1912 for labor in making
those changes. This was all counted
into the cost of the lamps. 1t wouldn't
be that way with a private company
though we would have to pay some
thing extra above our contract for
such changes.
Everything is in elegant shape at st.
Joe. They have bath tubs in the build
ing for their employees and twice the
room that is necessary for the present
installation It's the same way with
the machinery. They have an extra
DYNAMO that is not being used ready
to DE hooked on when they add on more
lights This talk of insulation is large
ly all bosh. The men working about
it are apt to be over confident of its
safety and get hurt for the insulation
doesn't protect from "a ground wire In
a few years it has become rotten and
hangs down in shreds- There is no saw
ing in electricity. 1t IS my belief from
what 1 saw up there that our wire is
Just as good now as when it was first
purchased"
I'VE had nice trip and were nicely
entertained said Councilman c. Il
Blakely I'VE saw a beautiful plant.
The electric plant down there is great.
If we could get such a man down here
as they have up there as superintend-
ent, an all around man, I don't see any
reason why we shouldn't be able to OPP