Webster City freeman. [volume] (Webster City, Hamilton County, Iowa) 1884-1946, 1917-01-09
OF
ELECTRIC PLANT
Well known Citizen Visits Power
House and il Enthusiastic
Over its Management.

House and il Enthusiastic
Over its Management.
Editors Freeman-Tribune: AS II
| has been some little time since any
thing from my pen has appeared n
the columns Of your paper would
like, you to grant me enough space
Ito give my opinion In regard to the
very efficient manner in which the
electric light plant has been run
|since Supt. Long took hold Of the
management Of 1t. / will admit that
lat first Twas a little skeptical as to
Mr.. Longs ability to manage q plant
|of the magnitude Of the one here in
Webster City, but I want to say right
here that / am fully convinced that
Mr.. Long is very efficient man for
the place which he occupies.
"A few days ago prominent gem
tleman Of this town asked me what
thought about the proposition Of
the city buying a new engine and
boiler and having 1t installed In our
electrical plant. He remarked that
he thought it very foolish PROPOSE
tion and all uncalled for. He stated
the two engines already there were
OF ample capacity to give the plant
all the power that was required, and
therefore new engine would be q
useless waste OF money. remark
ed to the gentlemen that was not
At all familiar with the equipment Of
the plant, therefore could not give an
intelligent answer in regard to the
matter. But I made up my mind that
I would investigate to the best Of my
ability. "A few evenings later ! met.
Mr.. Long and approached him on the
subject, asking him the reason he
was asking for . new engine and
boiler. He told me it was because
his two engines were already loaded
to their full capacity and 1t times
greatly overloaded, al ~ which wss
very hard on sthe mschinerys ] ssk-
IA Mr. EonE * ne xlis i iure those
statements were correct. He answer
dine, ..Jt II not : matter Of opinion
but can be scientifically demonstrat-
ed that such Is the case He asked
me in q very gentlemanly and cour-
teous manner II. had little time
to spare and II would accompany
him down to the electric light plant,
- he would like to show me the way
the affairs Of his part OF the city's
business was conducted. And must
say that ! was amazed at the profic-
lency that seemed to manifest itself
In all the minutest details Of the
Of the plant. The first
thing Mr.. Long did was to show me
the capacity Of his engines and the
method that they have Of arriving at
the fact Of the load the engine As
pulling and the method that they
have of keeping tab on every pound
Df coal that is consumed by the
plant; also the way they check up|
the fifemen and engineers and num-
erous other details that would take
an expert to remember and relate.
One thing that seemed almost incred-
bile to my mind was that during the
last year Mr.. Long used less than Is
gallons OF lubricating oil, whereas
the plant consumed more
than 600 gallons in the same length
II time. But the most astonishing |
is yet to come. II l did
not misunderstood Mr.. Long he has
saved Webster City approximately
$4,000 on coal, compared with for,
ner years. Then Mr.. Long gave the
writer an Invitation to accompany
him up to the electrical supply house
where we were shown his method Of
which in my judgment
has almost been reduced to q system
II perfection. Any one who may have
my misgivings AZ to the way our
plant is run, I would advise |
hem to spend an hour of their time
with Sunny" and will assure them
n advance that they will receive the
most gracious and courteous treat
nent that Mr.. Long can give them,
Ind would particularly advise every
1oung man in the city who is trying
% obtain business education to in
business right here in
,ur own city that has been scientif-
cally systematized. And l will say
since my trip through the plant and
through the electrical supply house
hat will never question anything |
hat Mr.. Long asks for. IL he is not
making good In the very highest
,ense of that term he certainly sue