The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1915-11-11
COMMERCIAL Club
COMMITTEE BUSY
MELROSE'S SPLENDID MUNICH
PAL LIGHTING PLANT IN
SPECTED SATURDAY
Commission HAS CHARGE
PLANT HASMADE REMARK ABLE
RECORD-PEOPLE ARE SAT-
ISFIED WITH RATES

Saturday evening the committee
representing the Commercial Club,
consisting of w. o. P. Hilsdale, J. A.
Brown, Geo. O'Gara, Alex Jameson,
Y. L. Burgess, DR.. ]. A. Dubois and
v. G. Wedge, and City Clerk j. F.
Cooper and Asa M. Wallace, drove to
Melrose for the purpose of inspecting
the municipal lighting plant.
City Clerk F. J. Weiser and VIM.
Unger of the Water and Light Com
mission, and Supt. Carlson of the
plant, met the visitors at the city hall
and gave them every facility at their
command to secure information rel
ative to the Melrose plant, it's earn
ing power, cost of installation, up
keep and income.
The Melrose plant was installed 10
years ago at an expense Of $4,000.
Bonds were issued for $4,000, and
the balance was paid out of the gen.
eral fund of the city. The plant is
managed by commission of three
appointed by the City Council for
three year terms, one commissioner
retiring each year. This commission
has absolute charge of the plant with
out interference from the council, and
Pre- empowered to make improve
...s-s,5s and purchase supplies as long
NJ nx ~, fha Errhf nd
water fund to carry on the work.
The plant has two complete units; it
is operated by steam, consuming
about three tons of coal per day.
There is one 220 horse engine with
100-KW dynamo and ore 150 horse
engine with a 75-KW dynamo. The
total investment at this time is
100000, including the water works,
mains and stand pipe. The $24 1000 in
vested over the original cost of the
plant has been paid out of the earn
ings of the plant.
There are six arc lights, six nitro
gen filled lights and 80 60-wat lamps
on the streets. There are also rs n.y.
drants scattered about the city for
fire protection. The stand pipe gaive
continuous water pressure of 65
pounds, but when a fire occurs, direct
pressure from the engine is turned on.
The plant is given credit for $500
per year for city service, and for this
the city is actually paying the out
standing bonds at the rate of $1,000
per year, and interest, amounting to
district pays $500 per year.
The commission have been very
particular about requirements and
figure that the depreciation has been
less than per cent per year. The
gross receipts in 1914 were $14,258,
the operating expense, including cost
of street lights and improvements,
$8,980.87. The commission does all
the commercial wiring at charge of
10 per cent above the cost of the ma
terial and labor.
The Melrose plant has made a re-
markable record for efficiency during
10 years of operation, as there has
been no stop longer than Is minutes
for breakdowns in this period.
The superintendent draws a salary
of $115 per month. The charge for
commercial lighting is 10 cents per
XIV for the first 30-KW's, balance
SC per XIV, with a minimum charge
of rs cents per month. The electric
meters are either owned by the city or
property holder. Where the city owns
them rental of 10 cents per month is
added to the light bill. The power
rate is &c for the first 80 KW's and
&c for all over that amount. Theer is
no minimum charge for power. The
exhaust steam is utilized to heat the
public school and several private
buildings. For this service the School
district pays $500 per year.
The water rent charges are bath,
So; lawn, So for one and So for addi-
tional lot. The water rental for mod
ern house and lot complete is So per
year, about two-thirds of the Sank
+ Centre rate. The property owner
buys the water meter.
The Melrose plant has opened up
another avenue for income in that
they have made a contract with a
company recently organized to fur
nish light and power for the villages
of Metre Grove and Greenwald, and
the farmers enroute. Over so farm
ers have been connected up with
lights and motors, and juice will be
turned on before Dec. LIST. This load
will be handled without additional
fuel and improvements to the Melrose
plant, as the farmers company buy
the current at the switch board at a
10, 8 and 6 cent rate, based on I00,.
200 and over KW's. This will in time