The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1919-04-14
ELECTRIC Light PLANT
A FEW FACTS THE PEOPLE OF
MADISON SHOULD
KNOW.
advertisement. }

iiSul III oDiti IdNluS Dtth MANIFEST
ed, the people should know where
the responsibility for the delay be-
longs.
1t is a matter of record thai short
ly after the burning of the municipal
plant last July we began to move
for a bond issue TO rebuild it, which
at that time seemed the only thing
to do. Mr.. Henkin at the August
meeting repeatedly urged a call for
a bond election without result; then
came an agent from the Hartford
Power Company, jobbing electricity
supplied by the Northern States Pow
er Company, offering TO furnish cleo
tricity for ASS cents per kilowatt on
condition hat the city would invest
$50 900 in the construction of a line
to Chester, S. ID. At the first meet
ing ii was unanimously turned down.
Mr.. Henkin again resumed his call
for a bond election and it was sew
eral weeks later before the mayor
agreed to the call. Prior to the cleo
ton we took al active part in urging
upon the voters to get out to the
polls in order hal the bonds might
carry.
After the signing of the armistice
a representative of the Northern
States Power Company called on the
commission with the proposition to
deliver current on the switchboard
in Madison at three cents per kilo-
watt or less and build their own line
to the city limits. At a meeting of
the commission with several citizens
present an explanation of the propo-
sition looked so reasonable that a
further investigation was asked for.
The voting for bonds does not
necessarily mean that they must be
sold IL a better proposition is Of
fered. Sioux Falls last year voted
$500, 900 bonds for an electric light
plant, but has never offered the
bonds for sale and is still patroniz-
ing the Northern States Power Com
pany. When our bonds were offered
for sale the bidders pointed out that
as they were 25-year bonds when the
/ bldlC law ullo"o liz iDS"N 'AhJ ~
2O-year bonds, the bonds were ille-
gal and that another election must
be held.
The question was also raised and
objection made by the best bidder
THAT even eliminating the 25-year OBJ
! lection, that all the bonds, including
the water and sewer. might be reject
! ed on account of not receiving the
| majority of the votes of the city,
The mayor and commissioners then
\ decided to defer any other bond cleo
ton until we have actually received
1.-The money of the sewer bonds al
ready sold and in the event the bonds
were turned down that we could in
clude all the bond issues in n cleo
ton.
We sold $4,000 worth of sewer
bonds, but held up the $4,000 wa
ter works bonds, for in the event oil
their sale the bond limit would al
low the voting of only $4,000 fol
q municipal plant and we wanted &c
be fair and protect the new plant
proposition. We asked for an exam
nation Of the city books by the
state accountant to see II the old
plant had paid and to accurately as
certain what it had cost to manufac-
ture electricity with our own plant
The public knows what kind of an
examination W. got.
We next asked for a test of the
, Jo nna GA hap. tnct mazda flo.
4 ured that the cost of fuel and labor
in the plant, without allowance for
depreciation or interest on invest
ment, was oyer three cents per kilo-
watt. This set us to thinking and
: we called for a 3O-day test to be
made by a disinterested expert from
the outside. This is now being made
by the man working in the plant,
This test will close next Tuesday nj
midnight.
Why rush a bond election before
that test is submitted and before we
are sure that money for the sewer
bonds sold will be forthcoming?
! When the bond election question
came up last Monday night Mr.,
Schmidt asked if 800 200 would
build an adequate plant and if any
figures had been secured. The may
or said he had them in his pocket.
Mr.. Schmidt demanded to see them
and the mayor produced a letter
from the Diesel Engine Company Of
fering a 250-horsepower engine fo'
$4,000. I. o. b. factory. The mayor
estimated hat with a balance of
800. 600 a power house, switch
board, freight. installation of plant
and other necessary equipment
could be provided. But this is not a
complete plant such as the people
would expect for an investment OF
$500, 900. No figures were offered
on a steam plant.
We took the position that cities
} the size of Madison should be visited
: and a personal investigation made to