The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1915-11-25
ALEXANDRIA LIGHT
PLANTS VISITED
COMMERCIAL CLUB COMMITTEE
SEEK MORE STATISTICS
LAST THURSDAY
Under MUNICIPAL OWNERSHIP
NEIGHBORING CITY'S LIGHT AND
WATER SYSTEM SHOWS A
PROFIT EACH YEAR

President of the City Council Geo.
O'Gara, President of the Commercial
Club James A. Caughren. City Clerk
j. F. Cooper, V. G. Wedge and Asa
M. Wallace spent Thursday afternoon
of last week in Alexandria investi-
eating the municipality owned cleo
trio lighting and water systems.
The party were taken in charge by
Tolleff Jacobson upon arriving at AL
exandria, and later weer joined by
Mayor Ginther, E. P. Wright and DR..
Volkner of the Water and Light Com
mission, and City Clerk C. ]. Sunblad.
The plant was inspected and the
visitors were given every possible OPP
portunity to find out at close range
just how Alexandria was equipped for
light and water. There are two dis
tinct units in the lighting plant; there
is one so XIV dynamo with 150-
horse Ideal engine, and rs XIV dy-
namo operated by a 225-horse Ideal
engine; both are directly connected.
The pumping system has three
pumps; two steam, furnishing $50 and
375 gallons per minute, respectively,
and deep well pump driven by a 40
horse motor supplying 400 gallons per
minute.
The deep we'll pump has but recent
ly been installed. For years Alexan-
dria had the same trouble as Sank
Centre now has, relative to the water,
it being unfit for domestic use. About
year ago they sunk 1S-inch tu-
bular well, drilling to depth of 100
feet. The result is a head of water
coming within 20 feet of til top of the
| well. After hours of pumping at full
capacity they have succeeded in low
ering the water. IL feet for short
period The water is forced into a
$4,000 gallon reservoir, and is uni
versally used for all purposes.
| The cost of the installation of the
well, pump, motor and reservoir was
$4,000, and the success achieved in
Alexandria set the committee to
wondering if similar plan could
not be evolved in Sank Centre. Besides
the reservoir there is tank of
10000 gallon capacity up town. The
pressure is As pounds which is ade-
quate for everything except for
fire purposes when the steam
pumps are turned on. 1t is es-
timated that the reservoir will sup
ply water for II or IL hours contin-
uous fire fighting with every piece
of apparatus in use.
The city makes minimum electric
light charge of 35 cents per month for
commercial lighting. The meters are
owned by the householder, and are
either paid form monthly installments
of 25 cents per month, or all in one
/ sum. The rate for commercial light
ing is 10 cents per XIV for the first
so KW's; so to 100, 91sc; over 100,
&c per XIV. All bills are paid at the
office of the City Clerk and if they
are not settled by the 18th of the
month penalty of rs cents is added
to each bill.
The power rates are Sc for the.
first so KW's; so to 100, &c; 100 to
200, &c; 200 to 400, &c; over 400, &c
per XIV.
There is minimum motor charge
of $500 per month for 2 h. D. motors;
So for 8 h. p; additional h. p, Soc per,
month. -
The water rates are, kitchen, SIS
per year; bath, So; closet and lava
tory, $500; first lot, So; second lot.
/ So per year. There are no meters or
meter charges. In this connection,
however, it was stated that undoubt-
Eedly in time the city would be COM
PEELED to put the water on the meter
basis.
! The city has owned the light and
water plant for about 80 years. They
have total investment at the present
time of approximately 100000. The
plant was entirely rebuilt and mod
ernized about seven years ago. There
are nine arc lights on the streets, for
which the city pays SIS each per year;
there are also 125 10O-watt street
lights at $500 each per year. The
city pays 5 cents per XIV for the
white way, amounting to $75 per
month.
/ There are 48 white way posts each
having lights, and are located eight
to a block. The cost of installation
was paid by the business men, the
cost for the entire number being APP
proximately $62.50 each. The four
lower lights are put out at IL o'clock