The weekly Iberian. (New Iberia, La.) 1894-1946, 1910-05-21
WATER AND LIGHT.

| on "Wednesday Afternoon ffeernt
Chairman ! $ Fovet, octny" benoH
dei, q { Lauqhlin, Louis Ind, ct, Al
fred Reunulet and \ I Miliard
The Engineers report indleatat
| that the cnii'e plnu was - So iar
! condition with five following 1--WE cX
| certions. lst The dynamo nsod ~
the fan service has tcen running {. 4
many sea,a and lie canlniutatnr i,
worn down desperately 'nec ~ tto'.
bic Sectnta,y rteWn. with the u.
sistonee oi til" Electrician nnd npiu
eei, was authorized To- ot1c, tlle we.
cessary new pat nd HE rrnfra,
repairs ~ viii neccssitpto theft pafrp
to the shop one oI them ofnue
cannot do tive emergency work lHer,
fore il ia quite nerossa, that lbrt
and lateer pump sheuln hc Installed
Such 9 step ia apparently wise nndet
any circumstance
Tive Electrician g report showed that
while three new lights had been in.
stalled during tho past "a date. the
system has lost - lights by dscodiinu
anees Seventy ninn faue had boon
started for this season and 81 stfect
lamps had been renewed
The sectetary's report was ncxt
read. II Indicated that the extreme
high prices of fuel was still absorbing
the revenues of the plant to that cv-
tent that there ,s no promised relief
Of the plants financial distress rs long
as II must give away to public service
SO large q percentage Of i,s output
The revenue from the commercial
service WAS not equal to the total ex
rense
A large number Of fhe business reo-
pie of this city have Withdrawn their
patronage from the lighting service
of the plant and installed private gas
lighting outfits in thei, establish
ments. Those who have pursued this
course are property owners almost ~
variahly, The loss of their patronage
is serious handicap to the plants
revenues; for, while the plant has lost
the revenue from these former patrons,
it has not been able to reduce the op-
Grating expense in proportion 10 The
,f
are that the taxpayers have 10 make
good these deficits out of The ciiy'a
general revenue. If the owner of Que
OF the private lighting plants will add
TO the actual cost of its operation, care
and maintenance, the interest on his
Investment, the actual amount of de
preciation of such plant per annum,
and his prorata of the towns shortage
in the operation of the electric light
plant, il is very questionable If he has
saved a cent by his course in denying
the city plant the privilege Of furnish
ing the light he needs in his establish,
ment
While the city administration has
from year to year, come to the relief of
the electric lignt plant magnanimous-
ly, yet IL has been done in n way iha,
is embarrassing to both the City Coun
ell and the Board of Commissioners
alike. The repeated calls upon the
city Councils by the various boards Of
commissioners Of the past prompts the
belief that this plant cannot be made
10 sustain itself out Of It's commercial
revenues, while rendering the city |
service free. so long as the ptesen,
equipment must be used and |
II has invariably built |
ip burden of debt which the council |
nas always provided for. In dong
his, the Council has been forced to
gnore its budget arrangements. In
'tead of paying large sums at indciin
tie periods, IL is now proposed that the
Jouncl shall recognize and authorize
, tariff for the service rendered to the
public by the Plant. This will fix an
amount to be charged against the city !
From this amount shall be
deducted the annual payments on ac-
,ount of the maturing certificates Of
Indebtedness. Tne balance to the |
credit of the Plant shall be divided |
nto u equal pay ments and paid 10
he plant monthly.
This would enable the Plant to meet
Is obligations without accumulating q
lebt and it would save the disarrange
nent of the Councils budget.
Messrs. q. Renoudet. L. lndest and
+. +. Millard were appointed to draft
plans and resolutions for carrying the
above idea into effect and present the |
same to the Council at its next regula,
meeting.