South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1913-12-03
CONTRACT
To BE GIVEN TO
IND.AND M|CH.CO.
Monday Nights Council Meet
ing Will Probably See Settle
ment of MOoted Question
People Make Protest.

80 oGLAA - 41AaH
This decision was practically reach
ed at an executive session of the
council Tuesday night after a public
hearing on the question al which citi-
zens crowded the council room floor
and gallery TO hear the matter dis
cussed.
Unless new arguments OF evidence
is presentd before them the electric
company and the board of public
works viii receive but three negative
votes, those of councilmen Rice,
Buechner and Fink.
The slowing of Atty. ]. G.. Yeagley
for the electric company that the law
would not permit the city to build its
W plant as long as a private COM
pany was in the field. ready and will
ing to perform the service at arate
that the public utility commission will
pass on as to reasonableness, is
thought to a settled any lingering
doubts in the minds Of the majority
of the council members.
1eagley said ii was even doubtful
if the commission would permit the
installation of a municipal diStribut-
ing system in competition to that of
the electric company, as proposed by
Councilman Rice.
THE law creates a legal monopoly"
he said, and in return ~superviSes
rates and service"
The secret session followed a pub
lie meeting in which the public par
ticipated, and at which figures on
municipal lighting plants of two types
of construction, with and without
generating plants in connection with
the city water works, were submitted
by City Engineer Moore and dis
cussed.
One type, termed by the engineer,
"Class A." would stand the city in
S3O,233.45 as an investment, with
generating plant and $1S2,73S.45
without it.
The other type and less desirable.
called Glass b." would cost $179,-
1865 with generating plant, and
$132,275.05 for distributing plant
only.
This is on the basis of 16 miles I'M
foreground construction and 20 miles
overhead. with 653 lights in use.
The annua cost Of maintenance
and operation, including allowance
for depreciation, interest, etc, would
run approximately $46,153 on a
class b" plant, the city having it's
own generators, or an average of
S7O.67 per light class A." and $59.O9
per light "'class B."
Without the generating plant. the
city engineer estimates the annual
cost of maintenance, etc, at $40
49S.S0, or $75.65 per light "class A."
and $41,7S1.25 Or $63.9S per light
class B."
The figures given by Councilman
Rice at the regular meeting a week
ago vas $4,000 for distributing
plant construction, 600 lights, with
$4,000 annually for maintenance,
ETC.. but on the basis of two miles un-
foreground, and SO miles oevrhead
wiring.
The councilman's figures were $500
a mile for overhead, N $1,000 per
mile for underground construction,
which applied to the city engineers
mileage, declared to be within the
present ordinance requirements, would
make the cost of the distributing
plant S161, 900.
The charge for lights asked by the
Indiana & Michigan Electric Co., I'M
der the contract ordinance which the
council is considering. is $6O-75 per
light, overhead, and $72 per light un-
derground, aggregating $44,169 by
the year-while under the Moore
figures the cost of municipal distribu-
ton would be $49, 49S, with "class a"
construction, n $41,7S1 "class B."
Open Session Stormy One.
The open session TO which the pub
lie was admitted proved a stormy one,
d. lOtlE IL II ldSleQs councilman NC
CullOugh, who presided, finding il
necessary on several occasions to rap
for order. The lobby and gallery Of
the council chamber were packed to
capacity, leaders Of the citizens party
being literally distributed through
the audience. The meeting led off by
Pres. Otto c. Bastian of the board of
public works giving his reasons for
recommending the Indiana & Michi-
CD N annfrnnf u~hfnh n~na - $1,000
ate signal for the fray.
+. f. Lambert and c. T. NiedbaI-
ski, the other members Of the board,
spoke similarly, Mr.. Lambert defend
ing his action somewhat in detail.
City Engineer Moore. presenting his
figures on a municipal plant at this
juncture. explained hat it was only
an estimate, but TO the best OF his
judgment, his estimate were not far
off, which brought a retort from Fred
A. Bryan, general manager OF the
Indiana & Michigan, that he was es-
timating on a cheap equipment that
would hardly stand the pressure.
Yeagley and Councilman Rice
passed to polite but wordy clashes on
one or two occasions. Rice then replied
TO Yeagley. taking up also the esti-
mates submitted by the city engineer.
taking the position that though what
all Of them had said were true, there
could still be no hurry about passing
the ordinance, since It would keep.
and could as we'll be passed after
the state commission had passed upon
the question Of rates. and hen with
the tate approved substituted.
Wanted a Rising Vote.
p. F.. Tomlinson and Noah Lehman
also addressed the council in behalf
OF the citizens and urged delay pend
ing the action of the commission.
Other speakers came out at all haz-
ards in behalf OF municipal owner
ship. regardless OF the commissions
restrictions Or the city's bonded in
~debtedness, 20 well up 10 the limit.
Ii was suggested that those present
be permitted TO express their attitude
on the subject by lifting their hands.
but his was tabooed by Chairman
Mccullough, who insisted that not
being mutes. they should express
themselves with their mouths rather
than the sign language.
The ruling caused some stir among
the visitors. bordering on a demon
stration which was heade OF final
~ by Councilman Fink making a mo-
tfou that the hOdy adjourn into secret