Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1917-09-07
MACHINERY FOR THE CRY PLANT

II the proposal of the Red River Power company II
furnish electric current with which to operate the crtyi
plant is accepted, certain additions to the machinery. Of
the plant will be necessary. The pumps now in use are
operated directly by steam power Under the new plar
electrically driven pumps will be necessary. Instead Of
one large pump, which must be operated constantly, nj
matter what the demand, several pumps Of different ca
pacities will be installed. Then when the demand Ii
light the smallest pump can be used, and If it is heavy
a larger pump, or the entire battery can be used.
The Power company agrees to install this machinery
charging the actual cost Of the outfit plus 10 per cent
and In its turn 1t will receive payment from the city In
installments without interest. The total cost of the ma
chinery is guaranteed not to exceed SIC, 400. The method
of payment as has often been explained, will be to add to
the payment to the company for service from time to
time 20 per cent OF that sum as the installment on ma
chtnery. This will be continued until the cost of the
equipment has been paid. Thus, during the first year, If
the bills for service amount to $4,000. payments on the
machinery amounting to ss.4oo will be made.
The question has been asked. why does not the city
select, buy and install its own equipment rather than
leave this for the Power company to dog" The answer
as to selection is that this plant has been selected on be-
half of the city, and not Of the Power company. Dean
Crouch OF the University engineering department, was
employed by the city to make a thorough inspection OF
the plant and to study its needs and make recommended
tons. As a result of his investigations he decided that
a pumping plant of a particular type should be installed.
This is the equipment under consideration, with all it's de-
tails carefully specified by Dean Crouch
AS to purchase and installation, the city can deal
more advantageously with the Power company than 1t
could with the manufacturers of this machinery. In or
q TO secure d market Ir q part OF It's large surplus OF
power the company was willing to finance tho installa-
ton of machinery, buying the equipment from the manu-
and accepting payments in instaMments which,
If contracts are renewed, will run over a period of ap-
proximately five years, collecting no interest, but charg-
ing a flat 10 per cent for its services. But the installa-
ton and everything connected with it will be under the
direction of the city, and must comply with the rigid
specifications prepared by Dean Couch and the city en-
gineer.
The new equipment will, from the moment of its In
stallation, be the property of the city, to be paid for in
installnnents as stated if the contract with the company
continues. or to be settled for in cash should the city wish
to terminate the contract before the purchase price mas
been paid. If the contracts are renewed from year to
year the cost Of the new equipment will be paid entirely
out Of a portion of the savings effected by the operation
of the contract. Should the city wish to resume the gen.
Grafton of its own power the new pumps will be there,
ready to be operated by current generated by the city
itself. And this equipment can be operated much more
economically than that now in use.
In another article some features Of the proposed con-
tract itself will be discussed.