Bonners Ferry herald. [volume] (Bonners Ferry, Idaho) 1904-current, 1920-06-22
URGING CITY
OWNERSHIP
c,rIgFSs ASKING FOR A BOND
Election FOR MUNICIPAL
LIGHTING PLANT
ESTIMATES OF COST ARE MADE
sto On the MOyie River Is Ideal Says
Engineer.

Yesterday at the MONDAY meeting
~ the directors of the Kootenai Valley
Commercial Club, the matter of pro-
aoodine at once to hold bond election
ar the purpose of constructing a mu-
nicipal electric light system, was dis
oussed and it was the unanimous opin-
i'm that the city council should go
ahead with the plans and call for an
election.
nuring the past week many busi-
ness men and citizens, all large prop
arty owners, have been interviewed on
The subject by various members of the
city council and commercial club, and
oll seem to favor the plan of munich
nal light plant.
Last week c. ID. Aspinwall, a repre-
sentative of the Westinghouse Elec-
tric and Manufacturing company, was
here and met with the city council
and city engineer. Mr.. Aspinwall Wis
tied the site of the proposed electric
light plant on the Moyie river and
stated that he had never seen a more
favorable site for a power plant and
that all the conditions here were ideal.
The city fathers returned from the
trip to Moyie falls very enthusiastic
over the prospects of the city securing
site that has sufficient power for the
district for years to come, and they
we're all of the opinion that Bonners
Ferry should not delay any longer in
perfecting title.
While in the city Mr. Aspinwall
went into the matter of the require
ments of the town in the way of a
municipal light plant. The surveys
and engineers figures were given him
and with this data he was able to re-
turn to Spokane and prepare an esti-
mate of the cost of the proposed sys-
tenn. City Engineer Cave now has on
file this estimate which shows that
the cost of all electrical machinery
needed to bring the transmission lines
to the city limits, including a 500 h. p.
Peton Francis water turbine, for rs
static head and 70 effective head, over
200 feet of steel pipe, etc, would be
$4,000 f. o. b. Bonners Ferry.
The estimated cost of poles, labor,
and other expense is placed at about
$4,000 which would bring the entire
cost of the plant to between $4,000
and 100000
1t is the plan of the city council to
have an engineer appraise the electric
light lines, etc, now in service and to
buy these lines and equipment if a
satisfactory price can be agreed upon.
At the meeting yesterday noon it
was argued that there would be no diff
ficulty in floating the proposed bond
issue as it is assured that a municipal
light plant would soon pay for itself
and that better service would be given
the public
It is proposed to prepare estimates
showing just about how much the city
could expect to derive in profit if it
owned its own light plant. 1t will
also be shown that under the city own
ership 1t would be possible to supply
electricity for heating and cooking
purposes at a very low rate.
Il the plans of the city council ma
lerlalize the bond election will be
called within a few weeks. In the
meantime it is expected that all prop
erty owners interested in the future of
tne town will work to see that the
election is successful one.
The site of the proposed light plant
is SO located that it will be possible
70 develop 500 horse power now and
% increase this amount to 1900 if
needed in the future at little extra
COST The city is now in need of ad-
uiuonal horsepower and the present
pant OF the Bonner Water & Light
company is greatly overloaded.