The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1914-07-17
Dollar Rate Would
Furnish Nice Profit
From saturday. psi,y.

From Saturdays Daily.
Affidavlts were served today by
Mankato against the Consumers Pow
the city In the case or the City OF
er Company In what mas come to be
known as the gas case" Earle d.
Jackson, consulting engineer, Victor
II. Roehrich, city chemist OF st. Paul.
II. F. Blomquist, city engineer Man.
kato. Msyor A. q. Meyer and others
have given AFFIDAVIT in the case.
Mr.. Jackson's statement goes into
minute detail as to the value OF the
gas plant; It's running cost. deprecia-
ton In value, earnings. and so forth
and makes the following statements
in his summary: the value on which
the company should receive a fair re-
turn is s135.665.7s; the annual de-
probation in value s4,os9.72: annual
operating expenses should not exceed,
$4,000. the gross earnings of the
company under the new 81 rate for
the same amount OF business as done
In 1918, would bring in sS6.s72.1s.
The Net income Estimated.
After deducting the operating ex-
penses and the depreciation In value,
Mr.. Jackson estimates the net income
of the company at s12,273.46; or
profit OF 9.046 per cent on the invest
ment. In his summary Mr.. Jackson
states that six per cent would be a
fair rate of interest He also says
that he believes In case the ordinance
goes into effect that the business will
increase so that the company win get
a higher rate Of interest.
Mr.. Roehrich gives his affidavit
concerning the tests he made OF the
gas in Mankato. He says that the
requirement OF sixteen candle power
and 500 British thermal units In the
gas Is a standard one. and Is gener.
ally adopted In the cities Of the Uni.
ted States. He also says that the
requirement in the ordinance OF gas
test and inspection are absolutely
necessary for good service. He also
thinks the requirement of testing the
meters once in three, years is nee
Estimates a Loss.
He estimated In his report that the
citizens OF Mankato have lost an
nually $500 because OF the low heat
Ing power OF the gas, and a much |
larger sum because OF the low candle
power. He states that from the
tests he made OF the gas he. found
that the heating power OF the gas ran :,
from $50 to 552 B. T. u, and the
lighting power from 81 TO ~ candle
power. He found that the chemical
analysis OF the gas showed that II /,
did not contain the proper ingre- !
dents for either lighting or heating. d
He says that all the Requirements OF
the ordinances are standard through ,
out the country. aa
II. F. Blomquist, city engineer, !
made affidavit as to the cost OF lay
ing gas mains. He says that the cost
of trenching and refliing IL from ten !
to twelve cents foot and for laying
pipe Is from two to two and one-half
cents a foot. The difference In his
estimate from the Consumers Power
company's estimate amounts to about
$4,000. ". y, .-t
Mayor Meyer On Population.
Mayor Meyer states In his affida.
Wit that the population OF the city is I
increasing, and that the city is devel. !,
oping. He mentions also that All
building permits have been issued
since January 1, 1910. His affidavit
also contains the statement that there
has been a constant objection on the
part Of the people to the price and
quality OF the gas. and TO the fact
that the meters have not been tested.
Other affidavits concerning the cost
of laying mains, and other minor
things were also served on the COM
Il