The Churchill county standard. (Fallon, Nev.) 1908-1920, 1913-11-05
THE ELECTRICAL PROJECT
Is Being Generally Discussed. Before
II Can Be Considered Special Leg
islative Act Must BE Passed.

The proposal put forward fol
Churchill county to enter into tn,
field of distributing government de
veloped electricity has met with the
complete sanction of the three mem
bers of the commissioners board
Likewise there seem to be but few
of the county's residents who would
oppose the plan. Obviously, consid
cradle expense would be incumbent
upon this departure, but the benefits
that would come TO the valley as a
whole would undoubtedly justify
the expenditure. The cost of serv-
ing the needs of the valley with a
distributing system, with lines rami-
flying out into the main districts, is
esctimated at $35, 200 by Electrical
Superintendent J. Beane, who is in
charge of the projects electricity.
Mr.. Beane has already prepared
plans for an adequate system for the
project and estimates of the cost,
which he laid before the commission
ers at Mondays meeting. The best
of construction could enter into the
proposed system, he said, and the
cost would not exceed $500 per mile
for the main system lines. Thirty
five thousand dollars would suffice,
he believes, to cover the valley. I'm
der his proposal, lines would be run
TO Hill, Saltwater, and the Island
district, the Old River district, and
to Hazen direct from the Lahontan
plant. There would be smaller
lines diverging into the various COM
munities of the valley, the main OBJ
iect sought being power con-
sumption.
1t is proposed, in the event that
the county should ultimately enter
into the business of selling electric
ity, that a rate of four and one
half cents per kilowatt hour be
charged the couaty's patrons. This
is slightly more than one-half the
rate the city of Fallon charges its
pswer consumers and less than one
third the rate paid by Fallon' S
householders for light.
A levy of s.045 ON each 800
valuation would take care of the
$4,000 bond issue interest at five
nor oant NOR oppnp, aod hv nout
poning the date of the first maturing
bond to five years in the future, the
system would undoubtedly take care
of the bonds as they matured, as well
as the charges incumbent upon the
conduct of the proposed system and
the depreciation. Il would be busi-
ness proposition and would not en-
tail Objectionable extra taxation.
Before the county can assume the
role of electrical distributor it will
be necessary for the legislature to
pass a special act to authorize the
people of this county to vote upon
the project. This can probably be
accomplished in the event of spec
ial session this winter, when the gov
ernor has been made familiar with
local wishes, by the inclusion in his
message of authorization to the
legislature to pass the special law.
Interviewed Monday the commits
sioners had no hesitancy in going on
record and expressing desire that
the county own the system that will
convey to the farms of the project
energy from the Lahontan plant
just as it owns and conducts the
telephone system. The board would
be in favor of making the venture
self-sustaining and should a majority
of the voters of the county affirm the
project, the electrical distribution
scheme would be conducted upor
strictly a business basis. In fact
good business would demand this
policy for the county would in as
suming the new role, stand sponsor
for all payments to the government
for the first electrical charge, which
would necessarily have to be me
each month.
In considering the benefits tha
will accrue, it should not be forgot
ten that county owned electrica
system would be of far more benefi
TO the people than a privately own
ed concern. The people would b.
vested with the ownership and i
would be up to them individual.
and collectively to make it a success
The example afforded by the coun
ty telephone system which probabl,
is not invulnerable to criticism, /
about everything that such an enter
prise can be. The county telephone
system is undoubtedly popular util
ity with local folks who would op
pose any innovation looking toward
its annullment.
Each winter the canal systems ar
dried in order to effect repairs an
through this cause most of the farm
ers of the valley are compelled I
install gas engines, Likewise man
of the farms have fertile tracts o
land not served by the canals, whic
could be advantageously placed /