Ladysmith news-budget. [volume] (Ladysmith, Rusk County, Wis.) 1907-1927, 1917-11-16

smith ,the paper company, it is be-
lieved. will be just as ready to serve
the city as it is to sell power TO the
Chicago crowd.
City Might Make Money
There is another proposition, too.
that is being considered i'll the plan
TO take over the lighting plant. That
the old company was making money
is a matter of common knowledge. IL
is figured that the new company Oh
the present basis of rates taking down
ahont fen per cent on $4,000. In ten
years they could junk the plant ana
have a good profit Ii that IS the case
or anywhere near it, the advocates OF
immediate purchase by the city say
the city could not lose. The city Is
growing and a plant with monopoly
would under the circumstances DE
profitable investment and salaDie at
any time at a figure far III excess OF
the amount paid. No one seems 10
think that the Commission would hang
n price much beyond the original ap-
nraiscment and then the alleged bet
termpnts would have to be sifted too.
They might dWindle to a small flgure
when the railroad commission got
through with the analysis. Anyhow
the city could not lose with an arrange
ment back of it for current, say the
advocates of municipal ownership.
What Current Costs
As TO the cost of current if it can be
obtained at all, the council has before
it some interesting figures for the pur-
pose of comparison. BlOOmer Electric
Co. buys its power from the Wiscon-
sin-Mmnesota Company at Chippewa
Falls at &c per kilOwatt hour up to
80 per cent load factor and down to 70
cents a XIV. hr. for over 90 per cent
factor. The minimum monthly bill is
$1,000. CadOtt buys the same current
at the same rate except that the mini
mum charge is $4,000 monthly. The
municipal plants at Hazel Green, Ben
ton, and Cuba City, and the privately
owned Darlington Electric Co. pay to
the Interstate Light and Power Co,
$3.50 per 1000 XIV. down to $3.50 per
1000 XIV. with a minimum monthly
charge of $1.00 for horse power.
Sank City. MaZOmanie, and Prairie du
Sac pay a maximum of &c and mini
mum of 1 12c per XIV. hr., to the Wis
cOnsin River Power Co. Kilburn City
gets current for $191 and % per kilO
of 12c per XIV. hr.
With Current, Cost Goes Down
If. after receiving this power, the
experts figure the cost is doubled for
administration, depreciation and i'm
prOvements. the real cost of current
would be less to the small consumer
even then here than the schedule of
rates submitted to the mass meeting
The big consumer would not be as well
off. apparently.
The petition for the election will be
presented to the council probably at its
next meeting.
One Of the questions seriously con-
Sidered. is the cost of the plant to the
or $4,000 and adding $4,000 to that
for improvements made by the present
company the cost would be $4,000.
The present company paid 81 900 for
the plant and with the improvements
stands them $4,000. SO the State
Railroad Commission would most like
ly ignore the former appraisement of
$1,000 and fix new value based on all
the conditions which have arisen since
including the advanced cost of replace
ment materials.
City's Bonded Debt
The city can at this time bond itself
for only $34. 1855. The total bonded
Indebtedness allowed for the city based
on the taxable value of property in
1917 of $2055,591 is $1O2, 1855. The
outstanding bonds amount to $6S,000
OF this sum. $4,000 is for the school
bonds of 1907 and 1909; $4,000 is for
Water Extension bonds issued from
1903 to 1915 and $4,000 for Water
Reminding bonds. The debt was $72,-
600 but $4,000 was paid in 1916 and a
like amount this year
1t is possible to mortgage the plant
or to issue short time notes but the
city is growing so fast and there is a
constant Overdraft on the funds that
each year the next is anticipated, and