Little Falls herald. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1889-1950, 1916-05-12
INVESTIGATE ELECTRIC SERVICE

INvLOIIUHIL LuUIniO OlnvIUl
COUNCIL TAKES ACTION IN HOS
PTTAL MATTER AND, ON RATES
FOR LIGHT SERVICE
A special meeting of the city coun-
Gil was held at the city hall Monday
evening for the purpose Of ascertain
ing what rights the city has relative
to the furnishing Of electric power by
the Water Power company Of this
city. The meeting was called by
Mayor Fortier as q result Of the Fall
ure of the franciscan Sisters to make
satisfactory arrangements with the
company for service at the new hoe-
pital. The mayor also brought up the
matter of the charge of 10 cents .
drop made to local patrons Of the
company, there being belief among
many. that this charge is unfair. A
committee of four from the council
was appointed to Investigate the first
named matter and to have an expsst
electrician from the twin cities CONS
up and give his advice on the hospital
question, and the committee was ask
ed to report at meeting to be held
the following Thursday evening. They
were also asked to gather information
as to the rights of the citizens on any
questions of this kind whicn may come
up in the future and to make g. report
of this also. The chairman was also
asked to appoint committee of ten
or twelve citizens to investigate the
matter of charges for lighting service
in this city. -.-
Mayor Fortier explained to the
council why he had called the meet~
ing. He said that the Mother Superior
at the hospital had told him that she
had tried to get the Water Power COM
pany to furnish the hospital with the
service asked for, even to paying one
half Of the cost of building the line,
but without avail. Many persons, the
mayor stated, has asked him to call
a special meeting Of the council to find
out what rights the citizens have in
regard to such cases, as well as the
fixing Of rates for ig ghting service. "
7: G. Gordon, representing the Wa
ter Power company, gave the follow
ing explanation Of the hospital mat:
ter: The wires connecting with the
new hospital are for single phase ser
vice, whereas the plans and specifca-
tions of the building call for 2-phase
motor to operate the elevator. Archi-
tect Harris gave the contractors to
understand that there was or 3-phase
service there, Mr.. Gordon said, and it
was only four or FIVE months ago that
he found out that the one-phase was
the only kind available. He said that
since that time he wrote to Mr.. Har-
ris, explaining the matter, and he re-
ceived the answer that the single
phase motor would not operate the
elevator. Mr.. Gordon stated that he
answered Harris and told him that
he was surprised that he would make
such a statement.s.-sHes said that. he
also wrote to the Mother Superior,
explaining the matter to her and en-
closing copies Of the letters written to
Mr.. Harris. A meeting was later ar
ranged for at the hospital. but Mr..
Harris failed to present himself, Mr..
Gordon said. He added that he be-
lieved. that the real cause for the
trouble was the additional cost IF a
single phase motor. The architect
claimed that the difference would be
about 1915.
Mr.: Gordon claimed that he sug-
gested to the architect that direct
current he used. to which the archi-
tect replied that it could not be Sc.
cured. He saws he told the architect
that it could be made bv means of a
generator and that the cost would not
exceed 5000. or less than it would cost
the hospital to get the 2-nhase ser.
vice. He added that it would be pre-
posterous for the company to run con.
per wires from First avenue south.
east. near the Buckman hotel. to the
hospital, or to any other place. for
this kind Of service. It would reouire
an additional expense on account Of
special wiring in the hospital build.
ing, and the Mother Superior was told
that it was ridiculous to trv to GET
the 2-phase service when the direct
current service would be better and
could be secured cheaper. Mr.. Gordon
pointed out that most of the machines
USED by the surgeons in their work
at the hospital could better be oper.
ated with direct current. He said
that Architect Harris or anvone else
40 not know what he is TALKING
ABOUT when they say that an elevator
like the one at the new hospital will
not work with anything else than q
2-phase motor. He believed that the
COMPANY COMPANY by installing transformer
specially for the hospital, would he
doing whole lot, as .Ae comnanv
Will be making big money if thew get
oo cents per month from the curren1
consumed in the operation of the
Upon being asked what NAV be ex
Pected' of public service company
5uch h1. tto as the local company in question
oy the mayor, City Attorney Cameron
stated that usually the courts will
hold that the companies must furnish
uniform service for the same rates
ser1;ee w1tnont ~ discrimination, except fo1
e;s;on H,oe a IN - outlying districts, the de-
cls1on OF the courts in such cases de-
pending on the conditions involved
ne said that if, as Mr.. Gordon said
sned sne single ing .opl phase service is just a.
the company's action. wb;le op upnGbt tht
other hand, if the 2-phase service were