Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1917-07-18
THE power COMPANY =
MAKES REJ0|MDER
Copy Of Letter to City Council
Swing Their View Of the
Proposition.
To The Honorable City Council,
Willmar, MINI.

Gentlemen:
Referring to the report of the Water
and Light Commission which you ro"'
at your meeting, held on July 8, 1917,
would say:
The Commission has made a few
slight errors in arriving at the actual
cost of your current on the switch
board, as some of their figures do not
belong to the switchboard cost. The
Commission thruout have taken into
consideration only the absolute figures
taken from your 1916 audit, while your
superintendent, Mr.. N. w. Larson and
| l made up our. figures from your audit
dated March Is, 1917 but took into
consideration the actual cost of your
current as of today assuming that the
same amount of fuel and oil was used
for 1917 as was used in the year 1916,
and at the same cost.
Taking the Commissions figures, we
find that the salaries for the year
ended March Is, 1917, varied as fol-
lows:
N w. Larson part of the time at
$115 per month and the balance of the
time at $135 per month; E. Westlund
Lat the rate of $50, $85 and $50 per
month; H. T. Thostenson $40 and SIS
per month; E. T. Kleve $65 and so
per month. l notice that E. VAIL
strand, an assistant, applies under sal
aries following the above named par
ties, but l am assuming that no part
y OF his time or services was used in
connection with your steam power
plant.
The figures made up by Mr.. Larson
and myself were based on the salaries
%hof oi< ic oxyiv, Nv
y Westlund $50, ThostensOn SIS and
3 Kleve $40, which will total $3.50 paid
the three engineers. These figures are
!. based upon these three men serving
I the entire year without illness, vaca-
1 lions or any assistance. Mr.. Larson's
I salary was figured at $135 per month,
I or 81 500 for the year, and it was esti-
|. mated that one-half of his time was
i given to the plant, or 1910. Hence, in
, arriving at the cost of your current ON
l. the switchboard it is absolutely fair
I and equitable that these figures, total
q ing $3.50, should be used instead OF
q those of the Commission amounting
y to $3,392.50.
q In our estimate we had stated that
e there would be saving in your insur
) ance charges of $500 per year. The
. Commissions figures, which should
e be eliminated, are as follows:
e Insurance.:
e Steam boiler ...............$ 1886
r Fly-Wheel go. ..... 247e
r The greater part of the en-
ployer's liability insurance
amounting to ............ 184.7C
e and aside from these figures, t0ta1ling
$242.32, there will be large reduction
in your fire insurance rate. Hence
l. our estimate of 5000 as the saving in
s this charge is low.
q We estimated the cost of printing
n that could be eliminated at SIS. We
:: believe this is very conservative.
q We estimated the saving in tools
e at $40 (your audit shows the tools tc
IL have cost $1,000 for the period under
e review. This charge is entirely toe
e low.
We also estimated the actual cos
IS to the city for pumping the water usei
u in connection with your boilers, a:
II 500. l know positively that thi.
1t charge of 500 is entirely too low ant
1T believe THE FUEL COST ALONE 70
'e the pumping of this water for use il
- your power plant will exceed 800 b!
n quite large sum.
y Your Commission reports that tn,
ID period under review amounted tt
n $441.74. l have no doubt but that Thu
N figure is correct but our charge o.
IL estimate for repairs at $500 was con
sidered a fair and equitable average
a. as stated by myself and Mr.. Larson
t. In my judgment, for any term O
e. years, your repair bills on your gener
IL ating plant, including boilers, engines
g. valves fittings, belts, generators, etc
y, will far exceed 5000 per year, an,
1t any outside engineer will so adyis,
ID you. Hence, feel that the $50
Is charge for repairs should stand.
n The fuel and oil is the same, i. e.
n $S,963.07. Hence l will make no com
It. ment on that item.
le This brings everything up to tn
at question Of depreciation.
Re Your Commission shows the entir,
Of charge of $4,517.57 as a charge in al
10 irving at your switchboard cost. Thi
a is your entire depreciation charge,
Il l understand it correctly, and cover
nc not only your power plant but ais
at your water works system, pole lines
n street lighting, etc. Hence, believ
" it. is only fair and equitable that tn
or depreciation shown in our figures a
~ $1,000 should stand. In this connet
ton will add that l believe this 81
er 500 to be too low charge.
r. Summed up, feel assured that you
IN Commission, when these figures ar
1c re-submitted to them, will agree wit
NE as to their being accurate, equi,
able, and, in every instance where an
doubt has arisen, THAT DOUBT is i
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