Licking Valley courier. [volume] (West Liberty, Ky.) 19??-current, 1915-02-04
A Municipal Light Plant.

A Municipal Light Plant.
Just now West Liberty needs
to begin to get on the map of live
towns, and one of the first
things that the town should do is
to establish an electric light plant,
owned ard operated by the town.
Now don't shy off and begin
saying that we can't do it, or that
it would be too expensive, until
you have figured upon the propo-
sition. l took the matter up with
an electrician a few days ago and
we roughly estimated the size of
the plant needed and the probable
cost of maintaining it. Re-
member that a gas engine is far
less costly torun than a steam
engine and is equally as effective.
Study the benefits before fgur-
ing the costs.
~ u ~
After the initial cost Of estab-
fishing the plant, the operating
expenses would not be consider
able, as clusters of incandescents
could be used instead ofarc lights
for the streets, which would re-
quire very little attention. The
town is now paying one hundred
dollars per year for gas for the
street lights, to which may be
added about fifty dollars per
year for globes, and a nearly an
equal sum for nantes, making
it approximately two hundred
dollars per year for street light
ing. This would go a good ways
toward the operating expenses
OF the municipality owned plant
and we could have our streets adj
equately lighted, a thing that we
now do not have. | believe that
the town could sell enough cur
rent to the citizens to pay count
ing the saving that would result
from the street lights to pay the
running expenses.
u ~ u
1t would not come into compe-
tition with the gas for heating
purposes, but for lighting il
would, and the extra convenience
and the quality would create an
Iahr rrnanut,, and the Tevenue
ON it would be a help to paying
lie expenses.
With an electric plant in towr
the restaurants and other places
of public trade would become
customers for fans and motors
for light machinery. We would
not have to have a day current tt
secure this, as the storage bat
terry could be brought into requis
ition and the current for these
things stored at night.
y y y
In the north end west farmers
have taken advantage of the fac
that the storage batteries can b.
utilized and are putting in private
plants of their own. They have
the storage batteries and rur
their oil engines and dynamos foI
four q five hours per week ant
store UP enough electricity to ruI
them for the week and have M
further trouble-just turn on thu
switch when needed and the!
have their lights. Or if thu
housewife wants to iron she con
meets her electric iron and turn,
on the current and has no trouble
in heating irons. Many hav,
small motors on their separators
churns, sewing machines, etc.
and use the electricity for labo
saving of all kinds. Now, if tn
farmer Gun economicallyuse cleo
tricity for his individual use, VIII
can not West Liberty, as a col
poration, use it with equal econc
my.
Study about it and investigat
it. It's a big chance for us.
y y ~
And while we are about it, VIII
not agitate the idea of pave
streets? Of course there ar
knockers and kickers who woul
object to any Improvement, BIT
they need not be considered