Devils Lake weekly world., 1911-09-22
Municipal Light Plant
Is Goal Which Will be
Reached by Devils Lake
City Council Had Wealth of Data on Which to Con
firm Its Stand and Employed the Services of
Valuable Consulting Engineer Who Told
the Truth That A. B. Kerlin Feared
was signed by Aldermen Turner, Wine.
man and Ohnstad.

"do s1Sucu ny alucFlileu urncr, Wlnc-
man and Ohnstad.
Discussion.
A motion to the effect that the report
be adopted, brought forth the discus
sion which resulted in Alderman John
son calling on Engineer Sykes of Min
neapolis, who stated that The report of
the committee he believed was fair. He
referred to the fifty-two hour maximum
rate and the special induccment offered
by the lower rate to the consumer, who
would use more electricity. He cited the
use of electricity in the home for iron
ing, washing and such, as an example
Of the possible use of more electricity
and said that the rate was put at a
figure wheer it was more likely to be
reduced than raised.
Confscatory.
At this iuncture Mr.. Ker1in stated
that he was tax payer, had invested
here, and that the rates as offered by
the committee were confscatory. He
rcpudiated the city council He stated
that conditions in Devils Lake were
not similar to those in Fargo on which
the committee IS report was based. AL
derman Callaghan did not think there
was any chance Of the rates being con-
fiscatory when electricity could be fur
nished cheaper than kerosene. Avery
johnson opposed the report on the
ground that he did not believe the city
had right to dictate what he should
run his business for and the asme was
true OF the light plant eff the citv
wants municipal plant let us vote on
it, said Mr.. johnson.
While tho discussion nc 1r, c1
was along the line of what modern
plant could be operated for, he never
once stated anything with reference to
the local plant, but misunderstanding
led Mr. Kerlin to think that inasmuch
as modernism was being discussed that
his plant was not modern and with that
in view he made the statement hurried
~: 81 resent the fact that the plant
here is not modern. Tt is just as mod
ern as any other plant. You are run
ming down your own institution.' He
gave the fact that the Great Northern
was using old machinery when thev
had money enough to purchase new.
At this juncture Mr.. Kerlin, fearing
the truth, made the remark that Con.
sulting Engineer Sykes was not very
well posted. He said Mr.. Sykes was a
not air man, and then produced let.
ter, in which he refused to read the
name of the signer. Mayor McClory
then read the statement of the light
plant Of Moorehead where the rate was
eight cents, and showed where the in
stitution made $4,000 net profit at
that rate, two cents lower than what
the Devils Lake plant was asked to
produce electricity for.
Mr.. Kerlin said the figures were Jug
gled, with reference to the Moorehead
earnings, but when told that they were
sworn to he merely said that he would
not consider them. Mayor McClory
then stated cit is not for you to con
slider, it is lor the council.''
The New Law.
Rather than introduce an ordinance
and test the new law with reference to
the regulation Of rates, it was stated
that the method pursued by the coun.
ell was justified.
Alderman Newgard wanted to learn
what it would cost to produce electric.
ity in Devils Lake and Alderman Ohm
stad was ready with the figures for the
cost of establishing and maintaining a
municipal plant.
| COSC OF E1auG.
Alderman Ohnstad said that his re
port was based on 100000 plant, the
cost being $26,400, but the difference
was allowed for any dispute. The cost
, of the plant:
IS XIV generator .-......................$1 ,OO(
1855 XIV generator ......................... 1900
100 H. P. engine ..................-...... 1.9S(
$50 H. P. engine ....................... 2,SO(
9 boilers .......................... 5000
Building 3,O2t
Switchboard Observation-Disclosures. l ,0O(
Distribution 10,00l
The cost of production is based OF
the following figures for operating tn
plant one year:
Interest at six per cent ...........$1 ,S0'
Depreciation at four per cent -. 1,20
! Taxes and Insurance .................... so
Fuel
Office and labor .............-.............5 500
Oil and waste ................ 81
!, Total OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES. $20, 10
. Figuring on fuel for full load an
$3.50 hours in year, and 225 kilowat
e per hour would make grand total o
: two million killowat hours.
i All Information.
t With all this laid before the counci