The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1914-05-12

overhead expense The cost OF the
current at the switchboard Is small
part Of the total expenses OF the local
companies. and II the electricity was
given them by the power company 1t
could not make great difference In
their charge to the consumer.
In Keokuk where the local company
formerly charged for light 15c per
kilowatt. down to 10c. according to
the quantity used. their present rate
starts at 1Oc and runs as low as &c,
according to the quantity used. Their
former power rates were from max
imum of Sc to a minimum of 4, &C
cording to the quantity used. Their
present rates are from maximum OF
so to q minimum of lie, according to
the quantity used. There Is not user
OF power in Keokuk who is not secur-
ing it at much less cost than before
the power plant Of the Mississippi
River Water Power company was
completed.
When dealing direct with consum-
er using so h. p. or more, the Water
Power company has furnished exceed
ingly low rates. We occurred a quota
ton for a plant seeking location at
Keokuk Of 6.S mills per kilowatt. A
proposed new industrial plant reports
to us that upon investigation it finds
that the difference between the pow
err rates furnished them at Niagara
and at Keokuk will make them net
saving by locating at Keokuk, OF
1892 per day, or 20 percent OF Its
power cost When ever We have Sc
cured quotation on power rates for
prospective industries it has inyar-
iably been satisfactory.
we enclose a copy Of an article
published recently giving some fig-
ures which may be Of interest to you
along this line.
Navigation has been greatly helped
by the building of this dam 1t form
erIy required two hours for a river
boat to pass through the canal and
the three locks. The time occupied
now by these same boats in going
through the present lock Is approx.
mately fourteen minutes. Heretofore
the government had to keep open
channel at great exp ense, where there
is now lake. Whenever navigation
has been in any way affected the war
department. had the last word.
and has fully sprOtected navigation IN
terests. Ths three old locks were IN
bad shape and would soon require re-
building. Withoats expense to the gov
eminent. q HagRttfrent new lock has
been built Z forz.it,. and dry dock
greatly@surpassfng the OLD one in
every EAy...s.. s..
Ths government pays nothing for
light olshower. A 500 h. p. individual,
separate.and independent power plant
was INSTALLED in connection with the
lock and dry dock and turned over to
the government, free OF cost,-in fact'
the government, by the use OF this
power plant, has been furnishing COM
pressed sair to the Mississippi River
Water Power company this winter
and has been paid for 1t. so that its
power plant has been a source OF rev.
enue to the government.
Heretofore the government has had
to either buy or furnish its own light,
and 1t has used about two kilowatts.
At the present time the Mississippi
River Water Power company is furn-
ishing the government with lighting
load OF nineteen kilowatts for the
lock and dry dock and the complete
equipment for same. in addition to
all the light need I'd at the Offices OF
the government engineer All this
without cost to the government.
AS soon as the filled in ground has
settled properly, the Mississippi River
Water Power company is required to