Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1910-12-13
CITY COUNCIL.
First Step Taken Toward Securing a
Municipal Lighting Plant.

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would be taken on the street lighting
question.
When the matter was brought mp
for discussion Alderman Rifleman
moved that estimates and plans be
secured for municipal lighting
plant. This stirred up some of the
councilmeE who had previously been
detailed to report on the matter. A
vote was called for and Mr.. Rifle
mans resolution was carried by vote
of 10 to 5. The committee asked for
more time in which to make report,
but by vote of the council the mat
ter was taken out of the committees
hands. A message of the mayor,
lrelative to the subject was then read.
! 1t was as follows:
At the last meeting of this coun-
Gil, called attention to the possi-
bility of installing at the pumping
station an electric plant and produc-
ing our own current for the city.
stated at that time that my informa-
tion was that an adequate plant
could be installed at cost, not to
exceed 100000. and that current
could be put on the switch board for
not more than one cent per K. W.
hour.
The council at that time caused a
committee to be appointed to inyesti-
gate the matter and report back to
the council.
Since the last meeting an indie
pendent investigation has been made
and as many tests applied to the prob
lem as could be figured as practical
and l feel that | must adhere to my
original statement as to the cost of
installation and cost of current pro-
duced.
The city now owns its own plant
beyond the switch board and whether
the city makes its own current or not
must take care of the ''up keep of
that plant.
There are employed at the pump
ing station three engineers and three
firemen. These engineers have plenty
of time and the ability to run the adj
ditional machinery necessary to the
] proposed plant. There would, of
course, be some additional cost for
| fuel.
The question must be considered a
simple one, and the only question for
this council to consider is whether
the city can put this plant in for the
price named and produce current for
the expense estimated. If they can it
should go in and if they cannot, then
the best arrangement possible should
be made with other parties
We are not concerned with the cost
of current in Kalamazoo nor Osh-
kosh. Can we produce our own cleo
Itricity cheaper than we can buy it?
That is the question. There is no
occasion to throw mud nor to accuse
our neighbor of wrong
The gentleman who made this in
vestigation has had long and success
full experience in this line of work.
His work here is about finished but
he has done this work for us without
cost to the city. He had notified the
members of the water commission
long ago that he was anxious to leave
and go on another contract in the
west. He has not and cannot have
any direct financial interest in the
project now before us. He came here
at the very earnest solicitation of the
board of water commissioners and
tina tthey exercised splendid judgment |
in retaining him is well known.
The question of a municipal plant |
is not new. 1t was discussed six years
ago and part of a plant installed. 1t
has been said that the city made a
great mistake when it failed to Sc
cure the Plamer water power years
ago. Are we about to make another
by not giving this proposition fair
investigation and an honest trial? Asl
far as this council is concerned the
interests of the city are paramount.
Neither corporate Hor private inter
est should interfere.
Can we install the plant for $l0,-
10000 and if SO, can current be put
on the switch board at one cent per
X. W. hour2 If it was not for my
firm and honest belief that this could
be done would not advocate it.
The advertising of the local COM
pany would seem to indicate that
current coStS-them two cents per x.
W., yet they very Inagnanimously Of
fer to give us street lighting at one
and three-fourths cent rate. How
generous of theml The fact remains
that they have reduced their rate,
city would figure on its own plant.
Let US be fair. If we can produce
the current cheaper than we can buy,
let US do so. We represent not the
street railway company, but the city
of Wausau. Manufacturing plants in
Wausau are figuring on their own
electric systems and many of them
have it, even after they have made
trial of purchasing current. There is
nothing complicated about the propo-
sition. 1t must receive fair treat
ment and careful consideration.
Dated, Wausau, Wisconsin, Decem-
Der 6, 1910.
Respectfully submitted,
JOHN +. LAMONT, Mayor.
Accompanying the message was
report from w. f. Lusk an engineer
who has had charge of the water
works improvements. According to
this report current could be supplied
at the pumping station at ther of1c
per X. w. At this rate the city
would have saved s3,577.75 the past
year. Under the new scale submitted
by the street car company the saving
would have been s., 2,990.11. Mr.. Lusk
said he tried out a steam-driven cleo
trical plant in Wausau and demon
strated that it could produce current
at less than 1c per kilowatt. The
only expenditure for municipal
plant in this city, he said, would
be the installation of machinery and
the cost of fuel. He gave a detailed
estimate of the cost of machinery and
work, which amounted to 50, ,325.70.
Paul Reiche, city electrician, also
submitted a report which stated that
in the six years the old contract has
run the city has paid the Wausau
Electric Co. and its successor the
Wausau Street Railroad Co. the sum