The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1913-08-29

chinery company, and was told there
that this firm could furnish an
engineer to make the plans and
specifications, but were not in favor
of doing business in this way. The
mayor was advised to secure the
service of an expert engineer him
self. The company is putting i'm
provements in the New Ulm plant
this year to the extent of about
$4,000, and are about to improve
Rochester's plant to the extent OF
from $4,000 to $4,000. The mayor
thinks that the company makes good
machinery, and that the city car
get what is needed there at reason
able prices.
The mayor also visited the Mott
Fire Engine company and the Wat
erous Engine works, and was very
favorably impressed with the prod
uct of both concerns. He was al
so well pleased with the Seagrave
company's fire apparatus. However
he is not prejudiced to any one
make of machine, and says that i
is up to the council to select the
kind of fire engine that is pur
chased.
Do1o 10 ho To rio 4,
in Fergus Falls, the following lettel
from Vernon A. Wright, presiden
of the Otter Tail Power company, il
that city, should be read with in
terest. The letter is reply to on
written by a gentleman living il
Mankato:
'In reply to your letter of
August 16, the Otter Tail Power
company sells current to the
city of Fergus Falls for lighting
purposes but the company dis
tributes current over it's own
circuits to all consumers of
electric power.
"The rate charged by the city
for electric lighting is 7R cents
per XVIII. for both business and
residence lights. No discount
for prompt payment is allowed
but a penalty of 10 per cent is
added in case of failure to pay
within ten days. Consumers
purchase their own meters from
the city or pay a meter rental
of 25 cents per month. Practi-
cally all consumers buy their
own meters. The electric power
= rates charged by the Otter Tail
company grade on sliding scale
from cents to cents per XVIII.
We allow discount of 10 per
cent and we supply meters with
out charge to consumers This
power rate was established several
years ago when the writer was
operating a small direct cur
rent plant in the city with
very limited extension of distrib-
uting lines. The rate has been
maintained since we have changed
over to alternating current al
though it is no longer very
profitable.
'The price charged to the city
for the current which they buy
is based upon sliding scale from
21a to 2 cents. The average
price last year was about 21s
cents per XVIII. and may be
slightly lower this year. The
city does not resell current for
any purpose at 6 $40 cents but
l believe window lighting is sup
piled at cents if the consumer
will purchase an extra meter
and agree upon fairly liberal
minimum consumption. The city
has a rs cent minimum charge
but / understand that the COM
missioners consider this as too
low and does not represent a
fair price for the service.
1--WE have no steam reserve
and are dependent entirely up
on service by transmission sys-
tenn. The distance, however, is
short, only about five miles, and
the service has therefore been
quite reliable Yours very truly,
Otter Tail Power company, by
Vernon 8. Wright. president"
correets Wrong Impression.
The above letter is published fl
the reason that few days ago TT
Free Press published an intervie
| coming from a gentleman in Fe
| gus Falls who stated that the ra
to electricity consumers in that eli
| was 6.3 cents per kilowatt. Tt
| letter is quite Illuminating. In IA
| it throws considerable light on Il
situation in that city, going to sho
that the price for electricity is n
| so low as was given out and tn;
conditions surrounding the sale
| the article are not as satisfactory
the consumer as they are in tn
| city.
Rates In Fergus Falls.
The residence rate in Fergus Fal
! is 7R cents net, regardless of qua
tity used, and the meter rental
/ equivalent to l cent, or making
| total net of 8a cents.
| Tho ahovo rata nf III -oontc 10 .