The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1923-06-09

Conrad Dykeman of Brooklyn. N.
Y, was elected imperial potentate of
the Ancient Arabic Order of Mobiles
of the Mystic Shrine at Washington
this week.
last three and half years, as l OBJ
served, given you very good service"
he said.
He said he thought Mr.. Atkinson
was biased. In spite of all evidence
to contrary, he asserted Mr.. Atkinson
persisted in putting in depreciation
on account of elcctrolysis in the main
on Fourth street, where the street
car track is, (Which is, to my
mind, ridiculous to say the least"
Sums Of Figure
Summing up, he said the least fig
urc he could arrive at for the value
of the plant based on Mr.. Atkinson's
inventory was $3lS,33s.34.
"That is really lower than in my
candid opinion the plant is worth"
he said.
Mr.. Butler asked him wherein his
figures differed from those of Mr.
Atkinson.
He said they agreed in some places
on depreciation and in some places
did not. AS to quantities of material
he said, on the reservoirs their out
side dimensions were the same, but
disagreed on the thickness of the
floors and walls of the reservoirs. Nj.
Atkinson said the floor was 10 to IL
inches thick and Mr.. Kelsey put it
in at three feet, he said.
"On what did you base it," Mr..
Kelsey was asked.
"Well, on secondhand information
from the company" Mr.. Kelsey re-
piled, and added, "And from the char
acter of the work | don't see how it
is possible to build it only 10 to IL
inches thick and for it to stand up
like it has"
With regard to depreciation he
said Mr.. Atkinson made the deprecia-
tion of the west reservoir at AZ per
cent on the reservoir and So percent
on the roof. He said they agreed on
the roof, but that Mr.. Atkinson's fig
ure as to the walls was ridiculous.
"How old is the reservoirs" Mr..
Butler asked.
"Thirty-six years."
Mr.. Kelsey said the masonry ones
would be the same in 200 years; the
concrete ones won't.
Mr.. Butler: what is Mr.. Akin
sons present value of those reser-
voirs-depreciated valued"
Mr.. Kelsey: $4,000"
Mr.. Butler: "Now what is yours
Mr.. Kelsey: 1897 900. That's the
big difference in our valuations
about the only big difference"
Mr.. Kelsey added that there was a
total difference of about $4,000.
MIR. Kelsey said he arrived at his
figures by taking bid unit prices and
applying them to the inventory. The
chief difference, however, on the re-
servoirs was in depreciation, Mr..
Atkinson figuring 48 percent and
Mr.. Kelsey 18 percent.
Mr.. Butler explained to the COM
mission that the purpose of the
question was to show wherein Mr..
Kelsey and Mr.. Atkinson differed.
Problem Before Them
"There's the problem--we want to-
gether to grapple with it," said Mr..
Butler.
c. l.. Young. city attorney, asked
Mr.. Kelsey if he had not provided
for importation of stone. Mr.. Kelsey
said that he arrived at his estimate
on concrete and not on masonry
basis-he said they could build con-
crete cheaper than masonry.
Mr.. Young asked if the fleld-stone
reservoir would cost more if the
stone was right at the place of
building.
Mr.. Kelsey said that from what
Mr.. Atkinson said he understood
there was plenty of stone there in
the days when the reservoir was
built but that he didn't think the
company ought to be penalized be-
cause conditions are different.
With regard to- the distribution
system he said he agreed with Mr..
Atkinson mostly except on the cleo
SiOiyoAoS WHiSu, Hc odIu, Is d 1dlldCy
and cannot be substantiated."
Chow do you know" asked Mr..
Butler.
"From experience, and also be.
cause saw the main which is out of
the ground at two places on Fourth
street," he replied.
Mr. Kelsey said this only amounted
to $1,000.
"Well, that's. not worth speaking
about" Mr.. Butler remarked.
Mr.. Butler asked the total differ
ence between his figures and those of
Mr.. Atkinson on the distribution sys-
tenn.
Mr.. Kelsey said the difference was
$9,778.OO, that he had it that much
more. He said while they had the
same unit prices the difference was
due to depreciation, except for few
hundred dollars.
Questioned BY Young
On questioning by Mr.. Young, Mr..
Kelsey said he and Mr.. Atkinson gave
the same depreciation on cast-iron
mains, that the difference was due
chiefly to values in the mains. He
said he gave them life of so years
and that they would last much longer.