The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1919-04-16
REMEDY PROPOSED
FOR LIGHT PLANT

Robert Allen Burford Jr. Tells Coun-
ell How City Can Obtain Efficient
Results and Realize on Its Invest
ment.
Robert Allen Burford Jr. told the
city council last night that the fail
ure of the city electric light and pow
Ell plant has been due to a failure Of
the machinery units to perform In
practice In the manner claimed for
them theoretically. The arrangement
of the plant as it stands is all wrong,
according to MIR. Burford. To remedy
the situation, and to make the city's
investment paying proposition, he
proposes a new arrangement of the
Units now IN use IN the plant, and the
installation, in addition to this, of a
steam turbine With these changes
and the installation of the turbine,
Mr.. Burford told the council that the
plant could produce current at 1 cent
per K. W. hour on basis of top load,
and for Lib cents per X. w. hour on
basis of half load.
The cost of making the changes in
the present units would be about
$500, Mr.. Burford told the council;
and the cost of installing the turbine
and gears would be between $23, 900
and $4,000. He suggested that the
city should raise $4,000, to cover the
costs named, and to provide for any
contingencies. Any surplus. said Mr..
Burford, could be returned to the city
treasury. The investment of this mon
ey in the plant, he said, would not.
only pay for itself in less than two
years, but would put the plant in
position to earn a return on the en-
tire investment. The saving in the
cost of production of current would
amount to about two cents per X. w.
hour, or about ST, 900 in a year. The
proposed changes and additions to the
present equipment would increase the
plants capacity about so per cent, Mr..
Burford said.
In the course of his remarks, Mr..
Burford said that it was absolutely
necessary that the changes proposed
should be made in the Skinner engine
equipment, for to operate the machine
non-condensing, at has been the prac-
tice heretofore, the city may expect
to have costly repair bills from time
to time. Mr.. Burford said the con-
denser for the Skinner engine is To-
Gated too far from the engine with
consequent loss of vacuum for eco
nomical operation.
Mr.. Burford, at the invitation of
Mayor Chace, will explain his propo-
sition to the citizens of the city at q
public meeting tonight at o'clock.
Following his talk to the council
last night, Mr.. d. E. McIver, president
of the city's governing body, thanked
Mr.. Burford for what he had to say.
81 am heartily in favor Of going
ahead, and putting the plant In
shape" said Mr.. McIver.
Mr.. McIver asked the members Of
the council for an expression Of opin-
ion as TO what they thought Of Mr..
Burford's proposition
what do you think about it, Mr..
Osborne?" asked Mr.. McIver. Don't
you think it is right?"
"Sure thing" said Mr.. Osborne.
Mr.. Thomas said he thought all the
people in Ocala would agree with Mr..
Burford.
Mr.. Winer and Mr.. Goldman did not
express themselves. .
Mr. Clifford Camp, president of the
Florida Power Company, proposed
that the city arrange an exchange Of
power with his company's hydro
electric plant.
"Mr. Burford's proposition looks
good to me-" said Mr.. Camp. But
does Ocala want to stop with the
present capacity Of the plant?"
Mr.. Camp said he was not author
lied to speak for his company. But
he thought what he proposed would be
approved by his company. he sug-
gested an arrangement by which the
hydro-electric plant would exchange
power with the city at the same price
per K. W. hour as the city could pro-
duce the current, or "at any price the
city might see-ft to fix"
81 think that Mr.. Camps PROPOSE
tioR is a very excellent one," Mr.. Bur
ford said, "and ! think it would be
well for the city to consider the ar
! rangement. AS far as the future il
concerned, had in mind future addi-
tions TO the plant. The earnings re
sulting from the changes that have
proposed could be used TO put in this
additional equipment"
Mr.. Camp and Mr.. Burford In dis
cussing the matter both referred Il
: the hydro-electric plant not being abls
|, to furnish any stated amount of pow
e. the year around. There is the
question of water TO be considered.
Mayor Chace called attention TO the
fact that Mr.. Camp was offering
nothing definite.
eff the Florida Power Compan.
, has a definite proposition" said th'
mayor, "then it should make it, ang