The Butler County press. [volume] (Hamilton, Ohio) 1900-1946, 1924-10-10

City Councilman Paul X. Cartier
addressed the Lindenwald Improve
ment Association on Tuesday night
In his talk Councilman Cartier went
on record as favoring the sale of the
municipal electric plant. The Press
has been requested to publish Mr.
Cartier's address, and desiring to be
fair to both sides in this important
question, we do so.
The Press, in order to enlighten its
readers on the question, will give
space to anyone desiring to give in
formation on the subject.
Mr.. Cartier spoke as follows:
Hamilton, one of the best manu-
featuring cities in the Middle West, is
made SO primarily because the people
take an active interest in the politics
Of the city. This is strikingly evil
dent by the interest now being shown
in the issue of the sale of the cleo
trio light plant. On almost every
corner you hear this question being
discussed Some favor the selling of
the plant, others say repair the old
plant, and still others maintain that
an entirely new plant should be built,
advancing their reasons for their con-
clusions, but in almost every case the
political issue enters into the discus
sions. In most cases it is acknowl-
edged that a plant cannot be, as eff
GENTLY managed under municipal own
ership as it can be under private con-
troll, for the simple reason that poll
tics enter into its management; there
fore, do not know of any city or
village after having enjoyed the ex-
cellent services of a privately owned
utility that ever even considered
municipal ownership again.
The question arises as to whether
or not it would be advisable to repair
the present plant, and | claim it would
not owing to the fact that the present
plant is obsolete Mr.. Primmer claims
that it is practical for the city to
install additional equipment in the
present power plant and use the
present boilers for generating the
steam. To many this may seem pos
sible, but it is absolutely impractic-
able because the present boiler equip
steam pressure than $50 lbs. to the
inch, whereas modern equipment de-
mands a much higher steam pressure
of $50 to 275 pounds to the inch, and
it is only by having the most mod
ern equipment of ample capacity that
the city can compete with the larger
producers of power and meet present
competition. Only last week one of
the generators at the city plant went
bad, and our only move was to have
the Union Gas d Electric Co. come
to our rescue, which they did willing
ly, going to considerable expense run
ming an additional line to the power
plant.
| advocate the sale of the present
electric distributing system, owing to
the fact that the present plant is
inadequate and is capable Of taking
care of only one-half of the city's re-
quirements for electrical energy, due
to the fact that said plant cannot take
care Of the street lighting and the
residence customers. The distributing
lines are also in very bad condition
and would require at least 100000
to make the necessary repairs. At
present it is costing the city of Ham
ilton 2Ac per XIV hour to manufact-
ure electric current and same could
be purchased much cheaper. The ia
cilities are bad, and | wish to state
that if one of our local manufacture
ing plants should have a shutdown
and would call on the city electric
department to come TO their rescue