The Cordele dispatch. (Cordele, Ga.) 19??-1971, 1916-08-23
THREE CENT FUEL
AND ONE CENT POWER

| Winnipeg, Manitoba, Aug. 20.-The
city of Winnipeg has just issued a re-
port of the most successful year its
municipal light and power plant has
ever had.
Winnipeg people are burning Scent
lights.
Housewives are using 1-cent fuel.
Business men are using 1-cent power!
And the municipal electric light and
power plant that furnishes this cheap
light, fuel and power has earned. for
the fiscal year just ended, net sur
plus of $79,690
Besides the plant put $3.50, 1892 into the
sinking fund and S354,066 into re-
serve to keep the plant up-todate.
Ten years ago the Winnipeg Electric
Railway company had monopoly on
supplying electrical energy for light
ing, heating and power, and the gas
for similar purposes. A fight against
the corporations was started by j. w.
Cogburn, of the civic board of control
who now manages the municipal plant
Sir James Atkins, lieutenant general
of Manitoba and legal advisor; Sandy
Macdonald, who was mayor then, and
Richard Waugh mayor since the plant
das opened in October 1911.
Under the rule of The corporation,
light cost 20 cents per thousand watts,
and power and fuel half as much. The
company was paying 20-per cent divi-
dends, but told the people cheaper
light or power could not be given be-
cause Of the high price of coal
DIVIDENDS GO UP
1t was suggested the company erect
a hydro-electric plant and utilize the
power of the Winnipeg river, seventy
seven miles away This was done, but
the company did not reduce the cost
Of electric current Dividends went
up.
Then Cockburn, Macdonald, Atkins
and Waugh got people interested in a
plant,
The cost of the plant up to the low
tension side of the city terminals was
S3421636 Within the city the dis
tributing system cos: ,2,593,362.
Todate the investment represents
III assets SS,630,71OS0 and the outstand
ing liabilities are $7.402,000. The first
wear showed a deficit, because the old
company reduced rates and signed up
thousands of customers to five-year
contracts lust before the city's plant
was completed.
Now there is surplus of 100000
n the treasury of the city plant be-
sides that of the sinking and deprecia
fion funds.
The civic system has 32,436 cusom-
ers The private company is selling
most of its current to suburban town
Of course it has had to come down to
he municipal price. and thus each Of
it's customers is saving money
AS soon as Cockburn got the plant
INTO oreration he bought irons, stoves
toastpre mower washing machines.
etc, and sold them at cost, just half
the price the old company was charg-
ing.
The result is a larger promotion Of
housewives use electric current for
washing. ironing, baking, cooking and
aud other lfousework than in any other
city on the North American continent!
The citv PROPOSES to take over the
street railway system at the termina-
ton of the franchise. There isn't airy
Question about what the people will do
with the street car company.
And the street car comnany isn't
mailing anv fight for new franchise.
It knows Winnineggers have had a
taste Of municipal ownership and like
il too we'll to give up a chance of run
ming their own cars with power they
generate in their own plant,