Bonners Ferry herald. [volume] (Bonners Ferry, Idaho) 1904-current, 1920-05-11
Town Board of Trustees Consider DEVELOPMENT of
Power on Moyie River Can Secure Water Right
Now Without Amy Expense-Wil Go Into Matter
Thoroughly Meeting Tonight
May Proceed Once Secure Preliminary
Will Call for Bond Election if There Is Manifested
Enough Favorable Public Sentiment.

The city dads put in busy session |
at the regular meeting of the town
council Tuesday night and the topic
OF moment was whether or not the city
should go ahead with plans leading to
the securing of a municipal power and
| light plant.
G. w. Spoerry presented the matter
to the council and stated that he had
secured the water and power rights
OF Moyie river which he was willing
to turn over to Bonners Ferry if the
city would provide for the use of the
rights. He read letter from Engi-
neer Wylie, of Spokane, in which the
estimated cost of the proposed light
plant, developing 500 horsepower, was
placed at $4,000. This estimate, of
course, was made without any great
amount of data of dependable nature
but the engineer stated that he had
! figured on a proposition without un-
usual engineering problems and it is
known that the Moyie proposition is
not considered at all difficult
The members of the council all ex-
pressed themselves as favoring having
an estimate of the cost made by civil
and electrical engineers and then if the
proposed plant would not cost too
much, to put the matter before the
people in a bond issue. 1t was
brought out that municipal plants in
all other cities have been successful
and have paid for themselves in very
short time and that when paid for the
revenue derived is used for general
expenses which results in the taxes be-
ing kept very low
AT the MONDAY meeting of the di-
rectors of the Kootenai Valley Com
mercial Club Friday resolution was
adopted asking the council to proceed
at once to get an estimate on the cost
of a light plant developing at least
500 horsepower.
Mr.. Spoerry stated that he became
interested in the matter of the develop
ment of the Moyie river project be-
cause he needed power to pump water
for irrigating purposes on the south
bench and was assured that no power
could be obtained from the present
plant because it was now carrying
more voltage than the equipment
could stand He stated that last fall
a concern had applied to the local
company for 100 to $50 horsepower
for use at a mill to be established on
the G. w Bush site below town, and
had been refused and consequently
the town had lost a new industry and
payroll He said that he had it upon
reliable information that the present
equipment was overloaded and that
the condition of the plant was such
that it might breakdown any time. and
if a breakdown occurred it might be
for from 80 to 60 days before the re-
pairs could be made. Unless help
could be obtained from the Bonners
Ferry Lumber Company, and this is
not probable during the saving seas
on, the town would then be without
water, light or power for as long as
80 to 60 days or longer, depending
on how soon repairs could be secured.
Spoerry stated that he had all the
records of maximum and minimum wa
ter flow of the Moyie river for many
years past and that the development
of the minimum water flow would pro-
duce 1900 horsepower or enough to
supply a city of three or four times
the size of Bonners Ferry.
CITY Engineer Cave was present at
the meeting and told the council that
he had made a survey for power and
! light plant on the Moyie river several
wears ago for the H. M. Byllesby Co.,
of Chicago, and that he still had maps
and profiles and could easily give the
information that would be needed by
the electrical engineers.
II was decided that a special meet
ling of the council should be held this
evening for the purpose OF deciding
ldefniting whether or not money should
be spent for an estimate of the cost
of constructing power and light plant
on Moyie river.
City Attorney 0. G. Wilson informed
1.-THE council that Lee & Kimball the at
ltorneys representing the Clifton-Ap-
lplegate Company, sewer contractors,
lin the company's action against Bon
lners Ferry to recover money alleged
IN he due for the construction of the
citv sewerage system, had asked to
meet with the members of the council
here ANYTIME after this week, to try
10 effect a compromise. Chairman
Charles O'Callaghan, of the sewer
lcommittee. was instructed to get to-
gether all data in refenence to the
construction of the sewer and the re-
lpairs made and when this data is ready
1.-The council will meet with the lawyers
of the Clifton-Applegate Company.
Marshall Worley was instructed TO
proceed at once with repairs on part
of the sewer system and to do some
lflling on the street in the vicinity of
the r. braves residence.
: Fire Chief Oscar Bangs and his as
sistant, A w. Clapp, appeared before
the council and made a statement of
material needed for the department.
Mr.. Bangs advocated the purchase
of a siren fire whistle, new hose, lock-
ers and other small equipment. II
, was decided that the pay of the fire
, chief should be SIS per month and that
members of the. organization should
BE paid 81 for attendance at regular