The Sauk Centre herald., 1915-10-21
AS TO THE PROPOSED ELECTRIC
FRANCHISE.

ELSEWHERE In 'Cne I1eTdlu Will UC
found a proposed ordinance which, If
passed by the City Council of the City
of Sank Centre, will give the Light q
Power Co., of the City of st. Cloud
an exclusive franchise to furnish the
street and commercial lighting for a
period of rs years.
The advisability of any municipal
ity granting franchise for any pub
lie utility is very serious one for the
council to solve. Mr.. Whitney, the
active head of the St. Cloud company,
is we'll known to the people of Sauk
Centre as a progressive and high
grade business man, and if the council
are to grant a franchise for lighting
purposes to any person or corporation,
no doubt the St. Cloud company will
serve as we'll as any. ~z
Mr. Whitney has secured 60-day
option on the lighting plant from the
Central Minnesota Power & Milling
Co., and quite naturally he is anxious
to have the ordinance passed upon at
the earliest possible date. The Herald
publishes the proposed ordinance in
order that the citizens of Sauk Centre
may have a we'll defined idea of the
provisions of the franchise.
The street lighting contract exist
ing between the City of Sauk Centre
and the Central Minnesota Power &
Milling Co., will expire May 1st of
next year, and if the Whitney ordi-
nance is passed the existing contract
is nullified at once. Under the pro-
visions of the new ordinance the rate
for commercial lighting will be in
creased from 10 to IL cents per kilo-
wat hour up to 100 hours; from 100
to 200 kilowat hours the proposed
rate is 10 cents, from POI to 500 the
rate is fixed at 71a cents. There is
an additional discount Of 10 per cent
if the bill is paid by the 10th of the
month next following, with a mini
mum charge of S1.OO per month. The
Herald understands that there are
very few consumers in Sauk Centre
using an amount of electricity which
would entitle them to even the first
reduction provided for.
The power rate provides for a min
imum charge of $1.00 per horse power
per month for all motors installed. In
some instances this would be raise of
over so per cent on the present rate.
If the motors were run continuously
the rate proposed by Mr.. Whitney's
ordinance would be very reasonable.
The proposed rate for pumping for
city purposes is 5 cents per hlowat
hour, net, and this the Herald under
stands is very substantial increase
over the present cost.
For the sake of argument the Her
aid is willing to admit that Mr.. Whit
ney's company can supply very sup
erior lighting and power service. The
question for the people of Sauk Centre
to decide is, whether or not they are
willing to pay an additional sum for
this service.
The time to settle these matters is
before the franchise is granted, as the
Herald is quite confident that the cit
liens will be required to live up to the
letter of the ordinance after it is once
enacted.
Of course the passage of this ordi-
nance would not prevent the City
from taking over the plant at the end
of any 5-year period-the state law
provides for this. The Herald is
anxious to have the interests of Sauk
Centre properly safe-guarded, and the
purpose of this article is to call the
attention of the citizens to what ii
deems an important point to be con-
sidered.-A. M. w.