The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1923-06-26
OIL ENGINE
PROPOSALS I,
SUBMITTED
fCentinued from par, One,

might not increase, Mr.. Morton said
that three times as much crude oil
is being produced as consumed in
of it going beyond II cents in this
state, and that with Montana oil
fields producing Bismarck ought ia
get the oil cheaper that it now does
if freight rates are adjusted proper.
ly. Under the present freight. rates
he said, the carrying charge is as
much from Texas as Montana. The
more gasoline produced, Ne said, the
more by-products, which include
crude oil to be burned in the en-.
gines.
There ought not to be any more
labor required, he said, since men
employed in various jobs in the wa
ter plant could look after the en-.
gines.
The company also, he said, guar
anteed maximum maintenance
charge of one percent for 20 years
Asked by A. w. Lucas Of the citi-
zcns committee how the oil engine
cost would compare with 1-2 cent
electric rate, instead of 3 cents as
at present, Mr.. Morton said that the
oil engine would cut this about one
third. He figured, he said, an oil
engine plant would produce electri-
city on the board at 94-1OO cents per
kilowatt and with depreciation, etc.
added at IL cents per kilowatt. =
One of the latest installations,
he said, will be at New England,
Hettinger county, where a company
producing electricity out Of steam
plant with coal mine close by,
went broke. The Fairbanks, Morse
is installing the equipment under a
guarantee that the oil engines will
pay for themselves.
Also Figures Saving y
H. w. Wilson, speaking for the
Worthington Diesel engine, present
ed figures to show saving would
be effected i'm the new city water
plant. He presented various alter
mates, depending on how the city
wanted to figure depreciation on the
engines and the cost of labor. The
city plant, he said, would have men
looking after the filtration plant
and other equipment and these
could look after the oil engines;
thus cutting the cost he had figur-
ed in for operators. He also said
he favored depreciating the engines
10 percent year, saying this was
figured by big plants on all equip
ment. There are some, he said, who
contend percent a year is suffi-
cient.
Savings Figured
Mr.. Wilson took the present wa
ter consumption of 243,O79,O0O gal
Ions a year. The Hughes Electric
Company's charge for pumping he
figured at $11,4S4.OO.
The tabulated saving was figured:
Cost per year buying cur
| rent .$l1 y4o4.W
Cost generating current
| with Diesel ............ 1O,O53.00
Saving per year ......... 1,431.OO
If one operator is figured,
| additional saving ...... 100000
If percent depreciation is
| figured 100000
Total saving .........$ 1921 90
| At so percent increase in con-
l sumption of water over the present
consumption, which is expected with
the new city-owncd plant, the cost
of buying electric current for pump
ing water would be $15,576.OO. Cost
pei year with Diesel engine, in
! Guiding two operators, was figured
at 11,382.O0, saving of $4,194.O0.
If one operator only is figured and
percent depreciation the addition
al saving would raise the total saw
ed in one year to $7,O44.O0.
The cost of installing the Diesel
engine was 100000.
A. L. Sykes of Kansas City spoke
for the Mcintosh and Seymour full
Diesel engine. He explained that
the manufacturers of this engine
had built steam engines, but made a
trip to Europe and saw the steam
engine was on the down grade and
turned to oil engines. He did not
give figures in detail but said that
even if the fixed charges, depreciaI
ton, maintenance, etc. were put as
high as 13 percent there would be a
saving to the city. He said that
Stone and Webster, operating the
biggest power plants in the United
States, used their engines and also
the Texas Light Company, big con.
Germ. The price of his equipment
was $27,500.
| He estimated the cost of power
for the water plant and lighting oil
streets at around $4,000, and add
tioial street lighting at. $4,000 t,
/ $4,000. The electricity could b.
produced at the switchboard will
his oil engine at Ia cents per Kill
owatt as compared to the presen
Scent rate, he said.
| John w. Hildrcd. of St. Pau
| spoke for the Van Severn engine
semi-Diesel. He said 5 percen
depreciation was fair charge. TIL
cost of his engine was $18,45O. HI
said that there were go to 70 of sucl
engines in big plants in Chicago AS
ing more electricity than would b.
needed for the water spumpage whi6l
had been installed because the com
parfies saved money with the oil en-
pincs even in Chjccgo : where. h
said, electric light and power wa
cheaper than Bismarck
Pump Bids Received
New bids ON pumping equipmen
I,uo g. rocniuod z u 1LL;AAal<a.