The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1919-08-07
Will CONTRACT
WITH Mr.. WHITNEY
LIGHT AND POWER COMMISSION
ABOUT TO CLOSE. DEAL
FOR CURRENT.
WILL RETAIN PRESENT PLANT
PUBLIC WILL BE GIVEN DE-
TAILS AFTER CONTRACT HAS
BEEN SIGNED.

The Sank Centre Light and Power
Commission have about closed nego-
tiations with the st. Cloud Public
Service company controlled by A. q.
Whitney for the purchase of electric
ity by wholesale.
AS is generally known the COM
mission has been considering the
proposition for some time. Bids were
received from the Little Falls ana
st. Cloud concerns. The first bid
submitted was on a sliding scale
slightly higher on the average than
the cost of production at the NUM-
cipal plant. .
The commission would not consider
either bid and new ones were asked
for on a fiat rate basis. Little Falls
has not submitted a fiat rate bid. At
a joint meeting of the City council
and commission last evening the COM
mission made the following recon-
nendations to the council:
To the Honorable, the City Council,
of the City of Sank Centre 49,
Gentlemen:
Owing to the fact that st. Paul's
Catholic church has been and is cor
tinually annoyed by vibrations of
their buildings caused by the City's
Electric Light and Power Plan, your
honorable body requested this Com
mission to investigate the matter and
endeavor to overcome the difficulty.
Acting on this request the Water,
Light & Power Commission have
: found: That the above mentioned
vibration exists; that unless the an
noyance is discontinued the above
mentioned church will bring suit for
damages against the City; that so far
as we have been able to find the
vibration can not be overcome with
out very heavy cost to the City; that
current can be bought at wholesale
from the st. Cloud Public Service
Company delivered on our switch
board at a very favorable rate.
In view of the above facts and also
of the fact that we have limited pow
er and have calls for more current
than we are able to furnish under
present conditions, we would recon-
mend that your Honorable Body join
with us in accepting the bid of the St.
Cloud Public Service Co., to furnish
current delivered on our switchboard,
their bid being the lowest offered,
and also join with US in rejecting the
other bids offered. IA
We also wish to recommend the
purchase and installation of water
stand pipe for the city as we are
convinced after careful investigation
that the saving to the city in It's
pumping bill could be reduced very
materially if standpipe were in-
stalled.
The Council by unanimous vote
decided to stand back of the recon-
mendations made by the commission.
Mr.. Whitney has signifed a willing
ness to take the plant off the clty's
hands paying all or more than the
city had invested. Messrs. Sprague
and l,;ng,ery of the commissie stated
to the Herald that the proposed con-
tract with Mr.. Whitney does not
contemplate the disposition of the
property. They will simply purchase
the current at wholesale and retail
to the public. 1t is stated that the
neak of the present load in the winter
months taxes the full capacity of the
plant and that it will be impossible
to take on additional service. If the
CITY installs standpipe for the wa
terworks system this will reduce the
load somewhat.
The commission stated to the Her
aid that as soon as the contract has
been signed they will give the public
through the Herald, full details OF the
transaction. 5''.t 4