The Sauk Centre herald., 1916-05-25
OFFICIALS VISIT
PLANT in iowa
COUNCIL BEGINS THOROUGH IN
VESTIGATION OF LIGHT AND
POWER PROBLEM
HENNEMANN MAKES REPORT
PROPOSED THAT COMMITTEES
INSPECT VARIOUS MUNICH
PALLY OWNED PLANTS

Members of the City Council have
commenced a thorough investigation
of the advisability of Sauk Centre
erecting and maintining it's own cleo
trio light and water plant. Last
week Mayor Hennemann and Council
man O'Gara visited the municipal
plant at Estherville, Iowa, as the
opening of the campaign. Within a
few days another committee will visit
another plant which has been selected
for inspection. Findings of commit
tees will be made public as they are
acquired. Regarding the trip to Es-
therville by Hennemann and O'Gara
the mayor says:
"At recent meeting of the City
Council it was decided to make a
thorough investigation of the Light
and Water proposition and it was
thought advisable that committee be
appointed to visit a municipal plant
and report. The committee selected
Estherville Iowa, because it has al
ways had municipality owned plant,
with population of about 1000, thus
CHASING it with city of our size. 1t
is beautiful little city, well govern
ed, prosperous, and independent. AS
it was our business to investigate con-
ditions and the light and water plant
we Immediately proceeded to do so.
"We were impressed with their
beautiful and impressive lighting sys-
tenn, consisting of fifty white way
posts and one hundred and twenty
five 100-candle power nitrogen lights
suspended in the middle of the streets
at each block and quite a number Of
lights in the alleys in the business
district. We received very cordial
reception from the superintendent of
the plant and the city clerk, by whom
all the records are kept, and both
were very willing to give US all the
information we desired. The light
and water plant has always been kept
separate from other city business and
the plant has always been compelled
| to take care of itself.
"The plant consists of a two-unit
system, one fuel oil and the other
steam. The fuel oil engine was in
stalled sixteen months ago and has
caused great saving in the cost of
production, the steam being used only
as an auxiliary and a rather expensive
one at that. They expect to change
this for another oil fuel engine this
year and materially increase their
profits. Their records show that it
costs about one-third as much to gen.
crate the same amount of electricity
with a fuel oil engine as it does with
steam. Worth saving, it is not? The
plant furnishes the city with light and
water for all public buildings, public
watering places and city lighting, with
60 per cent more light than we are
getting, for the same money proper
tionately. The rates are 10 cents per
XIV, with a reduction for large con-
sumers and motor engines. The net
profits for last year were large and
very satisfactory. The committee has
given the council an abundance of fig
ures which show that the current can
be generated and carried to the con-
sumner at the low price of cents per
K. w., allowing for all overhead ex-
penses. Another committee will visit
another plant and all figures and find
ings will be published in the Herald
later"