The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1909-03-18
CONNECTED WITH NEwPLANT
Mitchell is Provided With an Elec-
trio Lighting Plant Not Sur
passed in Northwest.

over the city ana Tor the nrSt Niile
in twenty years Mitchell citizens re-
ceived the first really good light.
1t was twenty years G hat the
franchise was granted II. w. Turner
and others to establish an electric
lighting plant in Mitchell, and ii was
located in connection with the -four
ing mill. Later a plant was erected
in the southeastern part of the city.
This plant was burned down after a
nlmber of years and during the en-
e summer season Mitchell was
'thout lights. After several at
apis were made to have the city
.rchase the. plant it was sold and
quilt, much Of the machinery be-
Ing retained that went through the
fire and it was more or less incapa-
citated from duty and serving to pro-
duce an unsatisfactory light.
When G. C. King, of Scotland, got
hold of the plant. after establishing
an acetylene gas plant. he endeavor-
ed to equip the plant with new ma
chinery and conduct it on a greater
scale. Business troubles overlook
him which caused him to dispose Of
the plant. 1t was Their purchased by
Mitchell parties, among whom are
w. NJ. Smith, d. B. Miller, ID. A.
Mizener. T. j. Spangler and Henry
Swindlcr. About the same time part
les from Wagner made an applica-
ton for q franchise to install an ell
ectric plant. With Mitchell men be-
hind the enterprise already here it
was thought that they should be CIV
en- a chance to make good with the
plant they had purchased and which
they proposed to change entirely and
produce a new plant.
These gentlemen have made good
in every particular. Ground was Sc
lected in the southeastern part of the
city, where the electric and gas
plants would be far removed from
residences and not cause n dis
turbance. They went to work to
erect their plant and equip 1t. 1t
has taken some time, and a large ex-
penditure of money to get just what
they wanted, and what would serve
the citizens Of Mitchell. The poor
service of previous years set a de-
mand for a plant that would produce
lights, of a very satisfactory char
acter.
Work was commenced on the
plants early last summer and the
same has been carried on without in
corruption until today the electric
and gas plants are practically finish
ed so that the people can be supplied
with an abundance of light. One has
little conception of what has been ac-
complished down there until they
make a personal visit and inspect the
two immense plants. The main build
ing is 55x9S feet, with an l. shaped
structure that is 2SX66. The entire
structure is built of brick. and the
entire plant represents an expendit:
ure of $65, 900:
A great Corliss engine Of 3S5
horse power drives the dynamos o
400 kilowatt capacity, while three
immense boilers with $50 horss
owe capacity furnish the steam 70,
the engines. AS soon as possible thu
engine from the old plant will b'
moved down to the new plant, AM
when it is in stalled the compan,
will have a double plant for opera
ton. Wien anything happens to on
engine or the boilers there is enopgl
in reserve to furnish sufficient ligh
without hardly any interruption. TIL
electric machinery employed in thi
plant is about the best that none,
could buy, and competent electric en-
gineers who have inspected the same
RELY say that Mitchell has an cleo
ric plant that is not surpassed b
.ny town in the northwest. Every
ling is under perfect control at tn
dectric station, and especial care ha
een made to see that the entire sys
TEN can be readily manipulated.
underithe ordinance the compan
is operating day and night service
required and this has been going c
for some time, but the service wi
be much improved as soon as til
plant gets into smooth operation
When the plant was started off MOI
day night it took perhaps an hour
get things adjusted and to runnin
smoothly. The: difference in the il
tensity of the light was at once nc
ticed and commented upon as bein
exceptionally brilliant. The rate
for electric light were reduced to
low figure when the ordinance WI
~assed, and they are held to b
eaper than any town in the stat'
III the possible exception of Abe
IN. Under those circumstances an
h the assurance of steady currer