South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1913-11-26
COST WOULD BE
NEARER 100000
SAY THE EXPERTS

meeting Monday night, with regard
to municipal lighting, Fred A. Bryan,
general manager Of the Indiana d
Michigan Electric Co. stated Tuesday
that it will probably be some little
time before he can prepare a state
ment such as would be necessary TO
give the address the refutation which
he considers it deserves.
Anyway" says Mr.. Bryan, L am
indisposed to get into any personal
controversy with Mr.. Rice, or anyone
else, through the newspapers or oth-
erwise. with regard TO this lighting
contract. The board of public works
has our bids The council has an or
dinance embodying the acceptance or
the bids most agreeable TO the board.
II that is not satisfactory. and there
is any way OF ger,fpg a different rate
out sf the state Utilities commission,
there is the place TO get it. and / pre-
sumo we will have TO abide by the
decision. However. / am not fright
ened over the probable establishing
of a municipal lighting, or even dis
tributing plant here, and that is as
much as / care to say at present"
In words, to the above effect, II not
directly connected, the electric mag
nate dismissed the subject in an in
terview Tuesday, interpOlating, how
ever, that he would be glad to pay
$4,000 for the additional construc-
ton work that will be required of the
Indiana & Michigan TO carry out the
contract which the board of public
works would have confirmed.
1T will entail % miles OF under
ground wiring" he said, and outlined
all that district from Lafayette av.
to and including Chaplin st. and La
porte av. and Washington and ColfaX
avs. to Circle av.. thence north 10
the St. Joseph river and south to the
Lake Shor2 railroad. Also Vistula av.
to city limits and Michigan and Port
age avs. to the "Three-T' railway.
Changes Face of Things.
According to figures obtainable
from utility commission reports OF
Wisconsin. Massachusetts, and else
where. and gathered from technical
journals, Councilman Rice is approx
imately $145,0O0 short on what the
cost of a distributing plant would
come to. With 20 miles OF under
ground. against 35 miles of overhead
wiring. rather than two miles of un-
dergrOund, as against SO miles OF
overhead wiring. the cost of construc-
ton even at the councilman's own
rate per mile would be $199,5O0 in
stead of $4,000. as he estimated IT.
When confronted with glimpse at
the figures Tuesday night. Council
plussed. He asserted that he had
consulted three experts and while
their figures might not be positively
correct; he believed they were not far
off. He points out that the city would
not require as heavy poles for over
head work, nor as large conduits for
underground work as must be con-
templated in the figures OF the ex-
perts. which would account for the
amazing difference. The city does not
contemplate a plant for the distribu-
ton of commercial power or light
which would also lessen the weight of
wire needed.
II am ready to meet with anyone
and discuss these figures, who may
want to discuss them" said Council
man Rice during the interview. Il
may be wrong but l will have TO be
shown. We have a right to an expert
investigation, and TO know whether or
not the city is being fiim-fiammed. 1t
would do no harm TO let the ordinance
wait on the table until such investiga-
ton can be had, and then, if we find
the Indiana & Michigan bid to he all
right, why, of course, accept il.
And il may be tina; injunction will
be resorted to as a means of forcing
such tabling. This is not on infor-
nation from Mr.. Rice. but there are
indications in citizens circles. that the
councilmen favoring the lighting con-
tract may not be able to bring il TO
vote, at least until a hearing has been
had on the subject. probably IN the
circuit court.
BY the use of a restraining order,
( the council might be prevented from
executing a contract pending investi-
cation Of the rates. Notwithstanding
that il is insisted by the administration
/ that there can be nothing for a util-
| ity commission TO investigate until
| there is a contract. Exactly whether
the citizens. and demonstrators will
go TO the lengths of applying for an
/ injunction. however, is a problem. IL
is claimed that the work in that d.
| rection is being put forward under the
/ leadership Of COuncilmen Rice, Fink
and Buechner. who voted TO table the
ordinance Monday night.