The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1911-10-25
PRESENT CONTRACT WILL
EXPIRE DECEMBER FIRST
That an Immense Saving Gan
Ba Made Under City Operation
Is Regarded as Certain

Municipal ownership of tae Guthrie
water plant throughout IS coutemplat
ed in proceedings started by the city
Officials this afternoon Under the
power coniracf witch the Guthrie
Light and power company the city
has the option Of terminating the
contract on December Z, lall ana
there is every indication Of d purpose
TO take advantage of the provision
ffo take over the complete controf
of the plant this winter Will require
the purchase OF part Of the power
equipment now ia use at the sta
tion. Three years from now the con
tract may be terminated without the
purchase OF anything
THAT a large saving can be made
IS regarded as 4 certainty The city
now pays at the rate OF $24 per mil.
lion gallons pumped The average for
the year is perhaps two-thirds of a
million a day the pumping charges
being approximately $4,000 "a year
In addition to pumping charges the
city keeps an engineer at The pump
ing plant at a direct outlay of $S5
"a month and at further indirect eX
ance of the Jumps, nains, etc, fails
alone is chargeable 10 the power com
pany
Would Effect Great Saving
With the city III fnll control L ~
believed the plant can be run az an
expense Of $3.50 month direct, aud
incidental expenses practically the
same as under the present system In
other words the expenses are now
nor less than 5 900 month White
under the complete ownership they
should not be over 5000 month.
The cost above the $500, or whatever
sum il may cost the city to run the
plant. would be in the interest on me
investment for machinery in the pow
er plant and the maintenance OF the
same. Maintenance would be largely
a matter oil management Under
any system water organization is
necessary, and the commissioner
force can be readily adjusted 10 coy
er the entire outfit.
For the purpose of arriving at the
cost Of taking over the necessary
parts OF the power plant under me
contract and for t1e further purpose
of ascertalnine the present cost of
the pumping station and pgOb3ble
cost under complete municipal owner
ship, MAYOR Oismith, Commissioner
Cassidy, Tho water committee and
electric light committee ol couuei
met with the eity attorney and cllA
engineer this afternoon The entire
situation is to be gone over.
The cost 20 the city OF taking over
the power plant Is ylriously estima
ed al from SIS 900 TO $4,000. The re
suit Will probably be reached Ds 1r
bItratiou or the opinion ol experts
An Experts opinion
The Guthrie situation in outline
was recently put up TO an expert bi
la citizen OF Guthrie. With such iu'
formation as me could figure on. the
expert. who has spent life time at
the business concluded that ."iih
proper management the Guthrie plan
should be run for $500 or less - month
instead OF $1,000 q month. 70 ls hAe-
In that the council VIII consult an
expert before proceeding 10 take lhe
plarr III it should be decided 20 ie'
the three years so by and az me eA-
pjration of the contract buy AN entire
new equipment, expert advice "oufn
5be necessary.
one Of the items to be figured Us
taa wear ani tear of machinery. IN
competent handling OF costly plants
or playing politics I'm water m o.
agement is in nearly every case re.
sponsible TOR the alleged failures OF
municipal ownership Expert super
vision Is the doetrine OF the corpora
lions. but when a municipality under
takes 10 run things il TOO often al-
ilows non-compctents and pets 'o
ruin everything
/ Mayor OIsmith is decidedly in lay.
lor of starting up q city plant M lu.i
force by December lt is believed
iaII LEGAL rights have been preserved.
lroe former council gave notice near
Inv a year ago thai the city Won'o
Irlaim the right to terminate the con
tract on December J
AS now conducted the water ael
Imenf Is called aelfsupport mere
seems 10 be no reason why II can
moi make money for the ci'l or li'
Ipresent rates. and improve tine sel''
Zee in tae mean lme.