Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1920-02-11

JAMES MUNICIPAL PLANT PROVES
A LOSING PROPOSITION
That municipal ownership of its
lighting plant has proved dissapoint-
ing tc the city of Ames, Iowa, is showr
by the following article from a re
cent issue of the Ames Daily Tribune
"The Ames municipal light plant l.
losing from $1,000 to 81 200 per month
City Engineer Manager P. F. Hop
kins told the members OF the city
council last night at the first Febru-
ary council meeting. More than that
he says that the plant has been losing
money for eight months
And still more than that, the. water
department is indebted to the light
department, Manager Hopkins stated
to The extent of around $4,000
Manager Forces Hearing.
Gentlemen" said Manager Hopkins
just before the council was ready to
adjourn-in fact the motion had been
putt want to talk to you about this
light plant proposition. 1t has been
in my mind for some time and think
tonight is good time to break 1T. .
Then he proceeded to relate his COM
plant
Some Of the councilmen expressed
surprise to learn that the plant was
not near paying out.
Coal costs. Hopkins said, had ad-
vanced about 100 per cent and the
coal now being received is inferior
to that the plant used to receive. 1--WE
used to get coal screened three times,
said Manager Hapkins, "but now we
get good old Iowa dirt. The freight
rate used to be 54 cents and is now
around 80 cents" he told the council
men.
Coal Pit 1 Liability.
The coal pit, built at cost OF
around $4,000. is faulty, he pointed
out. No provision was made that coal
conveying machinery might be put
in. and now the expense of handling
coal from the pit is about dollar a
ton extra.
Some OF the machinery is not what
it ought to be and never has been,
ccording to Hopkins Manufacturers
have agreed to replace and repair
some of it.
The location Of the plant is not con-
ducive of saving, located as 1t is at
the extreme east end of tile city. 1t
requires two miles of wire to reach
from the plant to the Champlin cor
ner in the fourth ward.
y. AMes Rates Low
Manager Hopkins read list Of
rates comparing them to the Ames
eleven cent rate which showed that
in those towns where light plants were
privately owned the rate of from Is
cents at Boone to 20 cents at Perry,
with Cedar Rapids, a, city OF probably
10000, paying Is cents. Municipal
plants in towns about the size Of Ames
are paying, in the figures showed in
the immediate neighborhood to the
Ames rate.
A motion to adjourn was entertained,
but the party remained on at the in
sistance Of City Engineering Manager
Hopkins, who told those present OF the
deficit at the municipal plant. He
said ne believed a 20 per cent increase
in rates for electric energy is neces-
sary."
A great many incorrect statements
are getting into print lately concerning
the benefits to be derived from mum
cipal ownership and the high rates
charged under private control. For
Instance the statement in the forego-
ng article reported to have been read
BY Manager Hopkins. says the city of
Cedar Rapids is charging Is cents per
<. w. H. This paper understands
he rate in Cerad Rapids is 11cents and
cents, with per cent discount,
which it is cheaper rate under
private company than the city of
Ames is giving, and loosing $1,000 a
month at that.