The weekly Iberian. (New Iberia, La.) 1894-1946, 1909-10-02
THE CITI'S BEST ASSET.


A short while ago there was a
hid made for the lease Of the New
iberia Electric Light Plant and
Waterwovks. The bidder estimat
cd the service to this CITY as being
worth SO per year for are lamps
on a moonlight schedule; $50 per
year per hydrant, employed for
fire service; and So per year for
each 1G G. y. incandcscent lamp
employed IN the public service
II gagged 10y the prices usually
charged. by privately owned
plants, in towns or cities the size
of New iberia, there would be lit
lie room for objeeting to the scale
suggested. If that scale would
be charged 10y lessee, and allow
ed by the authorities, on any part
of the public service, we presume
we will be permitted to take it as
a basis for the calculations which
follow below, in order to show the
value of that plant to the proper
ty owners Of this city.
So Hydrants at $40 per year $3.50
50 Arc lights - ..... $3.50
2i6 Incandcscent lamps at So. LAG
Value of this city's public service $9616
If we deduct from this amount
what the City Council is paying
annually on account Of the certi-
iicates OF Indebtedness which
were issued on account Of the
plant, we would have. 5000
Bal'ce due the Plant by the City $500
Even with this amount Of 1860
annually passed to the credit of
the Plant by the City Council,
there il a strong probability that
the Plant, with Its present equip
ment, would not De able to main
tain itself in all demands. for re-
pairs, extensions and operating
costs, with fuel at the present
high prices. The fuel bill of the
Plant is the most serious barrier
to its successful operation. They
look something like this:
Fuel for the year. ending March
3lst, 1908. .................. l,4'o
Fuel for the year, ending March
3lst. 1909. 1905
Two years fuel cost .$2l $50
If that plant could be equipped
with modern machinery Of the
highest efficiency in points of eco
nomy, it could then, we are assur--
cd, carry % per cent. graater
load than now carried at fuel
cost of $16O per month, or 1920
per year. At this rate two years
fuel should not cost above "a, 600,
which would be q saving Of 81,
500 over the above cost for that
one item. Such q saving for s
years would amount to $43, $50,
aud this figure would pay for the
entire new equipment asked for by
the commissioners.
For these reasons We are of the
opinion that the city today owns
what can be made to be it's most
valuable asset. If the people
the property taxpayers-wlll con-
sent to the killing Of the present
3.mill tax and the putting in it's
stead another 3.mill tax, with the
only difference of making the new
tax for ten years longer, we feel
confident that that Plant can be
made to prove its great value to
the people by saving them thou.
sands of dollars over what they
will have to pay for their light
and water coming through q plant
controlled by a private individual
or corporation.
The New Iberia light and water
plant was built during the winter
OF 1900 and accepted by the City
Council from the contractor on the
18th day Of April, 1901. From
this We see that the plant is not
quite 81 years old. The city's as
sessment for 1901 was $780, 61.
At that time IL WAS f3Onrp,l fhaf