The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1914-07-10
sAspoRTANT MEETING or CITY
COUNCIL
The Light and Water Committee
Makes Exhaustive Report


Makes Exhaustive Report
The city council held its regular
meeting Tuesday night.
The following members answered
10 their names: C. w. Hunter, Z. G.
Bennett, w. A. knight, H. A. Fausett,
J. C. Smith and e. E. Robinson.
The council chamber was crowded
with spectators, which shows that the
citizens are taking an active interest
In city affairs.
Superintendent Bringon, several
members of the school board and a
number of the patrons and we'll wish
ers Of Howard Academy presented a
petition stating that the restricted
or red light district, was in close
proximity to the said academy and in
voked the aid of the council to have
the same removed.
The council held that the same
was within the province of the mayor
and police officers, and referred the
delegation to the said officials.
The various officers of the city
were present and were called upon
for reports.
Superintendent Caldwell of the
electric light department reported
that the recent accident to the plant
was unavoidable, as it was caused by
lightning.
None of the others had any reports
to make.
A petition from citizens living near
the new school building was present
ed asking that they be allowed to put
down sidewalks made of cheaper ma
terial than cement. Referred to the
street committee.
There we're several ordinances in
troduced and a number adopted.
One referring to standard weights
and measures; n creating a board
of health and prescribing its duties;
one referring to contagious diseases.
Alderman Roess, chairman of the
light and water committee, then
read the following exhaustive report:
Ocala, Fla, July 7, 1914.
To the Honorable City Council, Ocala,
Fla:
Gentlemen-ln pursuance to your
resolution of April 81, 1914, we, your
light and water committee, beg to
submit the following report:
The above mentioned resolution re-
quired us to report to you the cost of
producing electric current at the pres
emit time on the old city plant, the
probable cost of producing electricity
o. a new and up to date plant, and
the cost at which electricity could be
purchased from private parties, deliv-
cred at the switchboard of the city's
plant.
The task which you have imposed
upon us was a rather difficult one, be-
cause of the difficulty in separating
the theoretical cost as given by engi-
nee and manufacturers of machin.
cry from the real or practical cost,
which, of course, a only be learned
by actual RESULTS obtained by opera
ton. In considering this cost, we
have confined ourselves to the cost
per X. w. H. delivered at the switch
board, including interest and depre-
citation. We have entirely omitted
and eliminated all cost of distribu-
ton, for the reason that the cost OF
distribution would remain the same
whether electricity was manufactured
on the old plant Dr. on a new plant,
operated by steam or on a new plant
operated by oil engine, or if the cur
rent was purchased from private par
ties, delivered at the switchboard.
With reference to cost to manufac.
ture electricity on our present plant,
we beg to attach hereto as Exhibit
"a" statement of cost as prepared by
the superintendent of your plant, Mr..
J. C. Caldwell.
This covers the cost of operations
for nineteen months, ending March,
1914. This shows that our plant pro
duced electricity at .O2614 per X. w.
H., delivered at the switchboard; but,
In this cost there is included no
charge for interest or depreciation.
We feel that our present general.
ing plant must have cost not less than
SIS, 1000 when it was new: A charge
of IL per cent. of this amount, or
$4,000 annually, should be made to
interest and depreciation. Di-
viding this charge of $4,000 by the
number of X. w. HIS. produced in a
year, 100000, makes a charge of
.005SS per X. w. H. for interest and