The log cabin Democrat., 1910-04-27
il COMMITTEE QUESTS TRANSFER OF CITY LIGHT PLANT

ng and raising the tracks before lay ing the walks. The council, however took no action in the matter. c. M. Hancock presented petition signed by number of property own CTS requesting the council to ordel walks laid along Conway boulevard and Bruce street in the Boulevard addition. The petition was refrred tt the improvement committee.
 R. G. Parker presented petition requesting the council to provide 2 small band stand on the public square which was also referred to the i'm provement committee. |. ..S
 The improvement committee was authorized to employ an engineer to establish lines and grades for. the new sidewalks already ordered laid.
 Mayor Duncan reported that he was preparing list of all persons liable to street duty in the city and already had about 800 names on the list, who were being warned for duty as rapidly as possible.
 The improvement committee was instructed to make report on the number and approximate cost of street crossings necessary for the city to have laid to connect the new side walks.
 Alderman Frank E. Robins then submitted the following report of the electric light plant committee:
 To the Honorable Mayor and City
 Council of the City of Conway,
 Arkansas:
 Your Committee on Electric Light Plant has had under consideration a financial report submitted to this body by the Board of the Electric Light Improvement District of Conway and has examined into the condition of the Conway light plant, and beg leave to submit the following report:
 We believe that the estimate of $20, ,223.37 placed by the board as the present valuation of the plant is ap- proximately correct, as we consider that the value of the established bus ness will fully offset any deteriora- tion which the machinery may have suffered since it's installation. We regard the financial showing made in the boards report as an excellent one and an evidence of honest man. agement during the past 10 years.
 We find, however, that the light plant is being operated under the handicap of heavy indebtedness on which high rate of interest is be- ing paid; of inadequate boiler pow CT, making the fuel cost much great CT than it should be; and of a lack of many needed Improvements, list of which prepared by Superintendent G. H. Burr we herewith attach and make a part of this report.
 The indebtedness of the plant, was incurred in the installation of new machinery about three years ago, amounts to approximately $3,- 900, which bears interest at the ex- cessive high rate of ten per cent. The remaining outstanding note giv- en for the purchase of the plant amounts to about $500, but this will be retired by the improvement dis trict assessments for this year, which are now in the hands of the collec- tor.
 The plant is equipped with two 70 horsepower boilers which have been in use over fifteen years. The engine and dynamo capacity of the plant are 250 horsepower, and the boilers are sometimes called upon to carry loads as high as TO horsepower. This ne- cessitates the use of high priced fuel, and even the best fuel cannot be eco- nomically consumed under such cir cumstances. Another serious loss is occasioned by the present system of street lighting, which necessitates the use of current by these lights every minute the plant is in operation. By installing tungsten series and putting these lights on separate circuit, we are informed that less than one fourth of the present amount of cur rent will be required for these lights.
 There are, according to Superin- tendent Burr, number of other needed improvements, list of which will be found with in his report, the cost of all of which will amount to $5,000 to $6,000.
 We also believe the present system of supplying and collecting for cur rent from consumers can be changed to the material advantage of more