Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1917-09-01
Contract Renewable for Ten Years.

Contract Renewable for Ten Years.
The power company proposes a con-
tract from year to year renewable, IN
all for not to exceed ten (10) years,
provided, of course, that upon termin-
alton any unpaid balance of the. pur-
chase price Of the machinery shall
be paid.
Future Coal Prices.
In the 1917-l8 estimates above, the
price Of coal is estimated at 1920; at
The date of the writing we car obtain
here no quotation on coal such as Is
required; we do not believe the price
of coal will be reduced more than 81
per. ton for some time.
And in this connection it should
be noted that the actual cost of power
from the. power company, including
steam to heat the pint and deprecia-
ton Of boilers, etc, is but ~$13,411.21
price Of $500 per ton the city paid
$~15,990.30 for operating expenses In
1916-16. (See tables above).
New Machinery Required.
Our electric lighting plant was m
stalled almost q quarter Of a century
ago..
If the city continues to: generate It's
own electricity new generators and
other machinery must be bought ana
~ =. vi c1
thousand dollars; this outlay: cannot be
postponed more than a year or two
apd should be made at once; If the
city Is to manufacture Its own cleo
tricity; the report made by Mr.. Skin
ner. a Minneapolis engineer employed
by the city a year ago, throws much
light on the necessities of the plant.
If the city generates its own steam
this year a new smoke stack must be
constructed at a cost of not less than
$4,000, the present stack will serve
all necessary purposes for some years
in h future under the power com
pany's proposal.
1917-18 Appropriations.
The appropriations for the ensuing
year must be made on or before Sep
TENDER IA: they are initiated at the
September 4; this question must be
determined 80 that the proper items
may be carried in this appropriation
bill. j. e., this question must be deter
mined on or before September II,
1917. Ss;
The people generally are interested
in this question and the council desires
to place all information before the
people and then follow the desire OF
the people.
The necessities for economy are
great; despite all the efforts Of the
council the appropriation bill for next
year will be larger than for several
years; IL we do not adopt the power
company's proposal the appropriation
for waterworks alone will be at least
$4,000 greater than last year, because,
among other things, of the increased
cost Of coal and the new stack.
Reports Filed With City Auditor.
The proposal of the power COM
pany with the report Of Dean Crouch,
the survey Of Mr.. Skinner, and all
other papers Ire on file with the city
auditor; a copy ofsthe report Of Dean
Crouch is In the hands OF eachSalder
man and you are earnestly requested
to take an interest in this matter and
fully inform yourself with respect,
thereto and then make known your,
wishes to the aldermen from your
ward, SO that when the council acts
matter it may reflect, as far,
possible. the intelligent opinion and
of the people generally. VI
Respectfully.
-. D. Turner,
w. s. Whitman,
Andrew yeitch,
Andrew Peterson,
&C. H. Crouch,
Orr Sanders.
-Tr-aEgt ~ ~ E-HaayEg -rANs