Williams news., 1917-07-05

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 and Contracts for Power
 from the Saginaw-Night
 Service now and Day Service Later
 Last Saturday the Town Council and the State 7Corpor- ation Commission met in an all day session with Duke M. Farson, Chief owner of the Williams Water and Electric Company. At this conference, the Corporation Commission completed it's appraisement of the electrical equipment of the Water CompanNe after hearing witnesses, to get an estimate on the value of the real estate holdings of the company. The total valuation of the equip ment remaining after the fire. is set under $7,O0O.OO The loss due to the fire is estimated at about $25,O0O.
 The appraisement of the Company's property that is used in supplying the town with water has not been com pleted, altho considerable work has been done toward arriving at a valuation. The water rights of the company are con- sidered to be non-existent, as the Saginaw & Manistee Lum- Der Company have the first and only real right to the water of the Saginaw Canyon. The val ue of the pipe lines, meters and so on, has been computed for the most part so that it will not be difficult to complete the appraisement, should the city wish to buy this, later on.
 The Saginaw & Manistee Lumber Company was repre- sented at the meeting by MT. R. A. Nickerson, Manager, and showed a most commendable interest in the town. MT. Nick erson assured the council that the. Mill stands ready to do everything it can for the inter- est of the town, without inter fering seriously with it's own business. He offered to supply electrical power to a municipal switchboard at whatever rate the Town and the Corporation may find to be equitable. This would include day service in case the Town should purchase the equipment of the Water 1 Company and contract for power for a long period-the Mill itself installing all the ex- tra equipment necessary in or der to supply an abundance of power.
 In regard to water rights in the Saginaw Canyon, MT. Nick erson assured the Council that he would willingly concede to the Town itself a right to all of the water in the Canyon that the town might use after the Mills needs had been sup. piled. There is a superabund- ance of water to be had in the Canyon for the needs of both the Mill and the Town. Furth- CT development and conserva- ton of the water supply should give Williams water, second to none in quality and ample in quantity.
 The Council took up the mat ter of electric service and ar ranged with MT. Farson to rent the electrical equipment of his company for eight per cent of the appraised valuation per an- mum. Arrangement was also made with MT. Nickerson to se- cure power from the Mill, the rate for service to be determin- ed by the Corporation Commis- sion. Transformers had al- ready been ordered by MT. Stover. This arrangement will supply the town with power and light at night. temporarily. Arrangements for day service will be completed, later.
 The Council gave consider able consideration to the pro- position of buying the electrical equipment of the Water Com pany. Money could be bor- rowed to make the purchase, and at reasonable rate of in- terest. The amount needed
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