Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1913-02-06
kEokuk CONCERN WILL DEAL IN
ELECTRIC CURRENT ONLY ~
WHoLEsALE.
NOT TO ENGAGE IN THE
RETAILING OF iTs POWER
Company Plans No New Current Lines
Advises Caution in Promotion Of
Subsidiary Companies to Buy
Wholesale For Smaller Distribu.
ton. .

keokuk, Feb. 1.-THE announcement
Is made that the policy Of the Mis-
sissippi River Power Company is to sell
its product from Its giant generators
and mammoth power house to large
distributing points in a wholesale way,
and that 1t is not In q retail business.
Also that while it will welcome incom-
ing transmission lines built by others
as part Of genuine electric PROPOSE
tons, it has no plans at present for
building any new transmission lines in
addition to the big lines nearly fin
ished from the dam to Burlington on
the north and to st. Louis on the south.
1t is said that this announcement
is caused, at least in part, by the fact
that for several months its mails has
been swamped with inquiries from
small towns about many rumors fly
ing around without any foundation in
fact involving the building of new
lines by the Mississippi River Power
Company It seems that new story
in that vein il started on its travels
almost every week in some locality
or other.
Caution Required in Lines.
"Other parties, north and south OF
our Keokuk dam, doubtless will pro-
ject transmission lines which will pay.
the company manager said. but very
considerable caution should be used.
in advance Of such Investment, In CAL
culating carefully the expenses OF
building and maintaining such line
as compared with the assured income.
Whether transmission line will pay a
profit to its builders depends on two
thtngs-its length and the density OF
the populations within its market lin
its-and these two things. which mean
cost and income opposing each other,
must be fixed with some exactness be-
fore a new transmission line is COM
mercially justified. This company has
not the least connection with any line
projects or promitions away from the
Mississippi river"
1t was stated that the company pre-
fers that others retail the electric cur
rent leaving it to deal only In a whole
sale way In current from its. great
power house in the Mississippi river
here that the Mississippi River Power
Company will be pleased to sell cleo
tricity to parties building incoming
lines from east to west to IT'S points
of delivery. but it has no present plan:
for building branch lines away from
the river for itself, and all such state.
ments made to the public are incorrect
To Equalixs the Power Zons.
The announced policy Of the com.
pany is to dispose Of itsspower to large
distributing points where it Is desired
by wholesale purchasers-as locally
here, to Burlington. Fort Madison
Quincy, Hannibal, and st. Louis.
And this is to be done. it is stated
plainly, under a policy Of equalizine
equitably the rates to the different
cities at varying distances from the
power house, 80 that all shall have
equal opportunity to reap the benefits
of the great water power installation
here .-e. $1,000
That perfect frankness. with the pub
lie and all interested would continue
to characterize the power company was
stated incidental to the other topics
mentioned above.