Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1919-04-16

The nearing 10 stfll under wy e this
favorable decision. Some OF our sciti-
t 1ss' b %sa.afie "a st. sn aa aSsf sh ss,'n 4an y
municipality constructed and operated
R pse eon9 aai j.. 1a. sti ri %es ii ' ~ ha R,aas'e e
. board. expressly forbid the dupica-
t as4.t q spe sn plant sy ind 3S y q cor.
Of our law. As finally amended are, can
only be, determined by investigation. II
this restriction should be found to pre-
s ss'li tb the pu eiay s0s of t Se'y Existing ksan eq p'snsl
That h city could otherwise hen by
such purchase, take over the supplying
Of gas and the furnishing of CONNER
Venture Impossible
To instaii d. plantsof the required size
years. Saas1 q 4r1 time:y w resHi'e cost It the iesS1 better ter
part Of a million dollars, thereby trebl-
ing our bonded Indebtedness and the
duplication Of q mains and heating
conduits would wreck our paving. To
reconstruct and enlarge y present
plant to care for municipal and COM
mercial lighting, would not call for SO
into t aa Gus3dH lst Of w %thoass eadi1s sun ua 3
plant to be regarded as really success
full should furnish electricity at a lower
rate h now paid; should pay It's oper-
q reasonable amount for depreciation
and be, able to set aside each year SUM-
Gent funds to retire its serial bonds "a.
they mature.
To render the equation perfectly just,
burse the city for the loss Of taxes
now paid by the company 1t would put
out Of business. Would It be success
enes to w thu se eos.r ahiyty W. yes shall ns e19s the
findings Of the state board with its ex.
perts for study n analysis.
Many. claims of successful operation
are easily shown to. be spurious. Org
,pletely ignored. These are legitimate
charges from which there Is no escape.
They must be met: If not paid directly
by the onsumer they must be made up
In case Of these cities in which NUM-
cipal lighting plants have been demon
strated as successful, investigation has
were Fortunately situated in that they
were located near some natural source
Of power. The use Of which they are
able to-obtain at a nomina cost.
Economic Problem
In this connection I would again call
investigation may disclose that there is
a sufficient fiowage in the combined riv-
ers at this point to afford all year pow
t'od for ;s such sn hco a plant; nro This W VI 1ss qg im-
portance to the city and can only be
successfully solved Ply the patnstaking
investigation and with the aid .of &C.
1t is generally known that CONNER
cial heating was a venture entered n
by the local company to AFFORD itself a
market for a by-proddct exhaust, steam
from it's engines. The serviceThas be-
come so extended that it's needs exceed
the by-product and direct means have
to be resorted to as a supplement 1t
is claimed that in spite of its exhorbit-
a loss.
It is a basic business principle that
when any commodity is offered to the
v%enience both considered. it must be
at an attractive price. When as in the
case the heat now, furnished, the price
rises to three times the cost of produc-
tion by other means, convenience is rele-
gated to the. back ground and its con-
tinued use becomes a criminal economic
waste. Some of our citizens have come
stitutions. resort has been had to the
use of previously discarded heating
plants. They have-been operated during
the winter at a reported saving1'of from
Try Out I~mpractieabls
The. suggestion that the city owned
plant be operated for a month In fur.
AAAS ~ No
block to ascertain normal costs, Il re-
gard as impracticable for the reason
that in so small a unit the overhead
charges would be so disproportionally
parison. Grafton, operating q NUM-
cipal plant. has been obliged to raise Its
rates to twelve cents pei. kilowatt.
The argument is advanced by some
that the local company .canJon1y make
Il low rate for municipal lighting in the
of ~recouping itself in in
creased charges for its other functions
I think a broader view should be, taken
Of the problem. BY increasing the
volume of it's business it is able to
stabilize it's income and reduce its over
head charges and should be able to re:
duce its charge to the Individual con
sumner and If not voluntarially granted
by the company it must become. a factor
to be taken into consideration by the
lerate governing board to which we must
appeal.
Await Board Decision
: We must await with as much patience
as we can summon the findings of the
state board and if 1t be not satisfactory
we must probe the subject thoroughly
from every known angle and settle ii
~intelligently. 49,, ,
To acconnlish fhia T vouJd advfas