Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1913-07-26
rhE ciTY's WATER POWER.

tumwa's confines day in and day out,
viii pe reality IL plans made by the
directors Of the Ottumwa Commercial
association work out. This move Is
not one Of sudden thought or, fancy but
lie the result of long and comprehen-
sive study by different men who have
hammefed away on the project until
its feasibility Is coming to be seen by
all.
There is no reason in the world why
ottumwa should not make use Of the
cheap power which the Almighty has
placed at its command. The Des
Noines river can we'll afford to turn
factory wheels and light our streets
for the privilege of flowing through
the city and to repay the damage 1t
does at food stage. Further 1t can
afford to pay in substantial figures
without anyone being the loser.
The proposition that was yesterday
presented to the Commercial associa-
ton directors has been under consid-
Grafton for several months by the
waterworks commission and Superin-
tendent H. A. Brown. In brief, 1t Is
to build new concrete dams about
where the present waterworks power
turningSth water power into electrical
energy. According to his figures, 1t
will be necessary for the people OF the
city toslend their support to the plan
to the extent ofs:voting "a bond issue OF
about 100000 which with. $4,000 that
the Waterworks will have from income
from all sourcessd during the next year
will suffice to do all the work required.
OF this amount about half would be
charged to the improvement, the other
half being charged to repairs which
will have to be made In the present
equipment in the course of the next
i've to ten years.
Now let us see what this expendi-
ture will get the city Of Ottumwa. To
begin with, it will make 1t possible for
the development oft475 horse power at
the average. low stage of the water
There would be more In the spring and
fall and possibly less during the win
ter out the average, according to Mr.
Browns estimate, could be easily
maintained. S. OF this energy develop
ed hv the Des Moines river, 225 horse
nov will be needed for waterworks
ru ses. OF the $50 remaining 1876
&C be utilized for lighting the
3 sets Of the city. At present the
xpayers are expanding $4,000 year
N Tor street lights There yet re-
mains 115 horse power twenty-four
hours a day that could be sold to fac
tories or furnish cheaply to them if
necessary r. get new ones to locate
here. Further, the power that is-used
at night in lighting the city could be
used in the day time by factories and
the revenue that would accrue from
this would aid materially in repaying
the city's Investment.
Put in figures, here is what the i'm
provement would mean An interest
bearing expense to the city Of 100000,
On which the yearly interest would be
in the neighborhood Of $4,000, and In
creased operating expense of about
$1,000 per year. That's the liability
assumed by the. city. The income
would be $4,000 now paid for street
lights plus the revenue obtained from
the sale of water and excess power.
It would not be amiss to estimate that
the profits in excess Of what they now
are each year would reach $4,000 to
$4,000. which would mean that in
about ten years, the city would have
it's total investment paid for. Then
the amount it had been paying for in
terest would be profit, or the rates
could be reduced.
The discussion and study of this
proposition by the people is invited
and urged.