Decatur Daily Democrat, Volume 22, Number 213, Decatur, Adams County, 6 September 1924 — Page 6

* ? x e What the City Light & Power Plant "~ lt " “ Means to the People of Decatur - - - ■ _ — ----- _ - • BESIDES FURNISHING LIGHT AND POWER SERVICE AT A MINIMUM COST, / THE CITY LIGHT AND POWER PLANT, IN 1923 AND 1924, MADE IT POSSIBLE TO INSTALL 118 ORNAMENTAL STREET LIGHTS ON THE VARIOUS STREETS OF DECATUR, WITHOUT ANY EXTRA TAXATION AND AT A FRACTION OF COST TO THE PROPERTY OWNERS. PROFITS DERIVED FROM THE OPERATION OF THE PLANT, MADE IT POSSIBLE FOR THE DEPARTMENT TO COVER THE COST OF BUYING LAMPS, TRANSFORMERS, TIME SWITCHES, CABLE, LAYING FOUNDATIONS, ERECTING AND PAINTING THE POSTS, PLACING THEM IN OPERATION, ETC. IN ADDITION THE CITY PAID FOR THE CORNER POSTS AT STREET CROSSINGS, THE CITY AS A WHOLE BEING ASSESSED PRO RATA FOR THE STANDARDS, THIS ITEM BEING TAKEN FROM THE GENERAL FUND, WHICH IS RAISED BY TAXATION. THE COST OF THESE POSTS AMOUNTED TO $653.10. THIS, WE BELIEVE, IS A DISTINCT CIVIC ACCOMPLISHMENT FOR THE CITY OF DECATUR. THE POSTS ALONG THESE STREETS WERE INSTALLED AT A MUCH LOWER COST, NOT ONLY TO THE PROPERTY OWNERS, BUT TO THE LIGHT AND POWER DEPARTMENT, BECAUSE THE EMPLOYES OF THIS DEPARTMENT DID THE WORK AND NO OUTSIDE CONTRACT WAS LET. FOR INSTANCE IF THE 44 POSTS ON FOURTH STREET HAD BEEN INSTALLED ON A PUBLIC CONTRACT THE COST WOULD UNDOUBTEDLY HAVE BEEN DOUBLE THE TOTAL COST OF THE 118 ORNAMENTAL LIGHT POSTS. SINCE 1923, THE LIGHT AND POWER DEPARTMENT PAID OUT $6559.59 FOR ORNAMENTAL LIGHT POSTS. THIS AMOUNT WAS SPENT AT NO EXTRA COST TO THE PROPERTY OWNER, BECAUSE THIS AMOUNT REPRESENTS PROFITS TAKEN FROM THE OPERATION OF THE PLANT. IN 1923, $3517.15 WAS SPENT, WHILE THIS YEAR, THE EXPENDITURE FROM THE DEPARTMENT TOWARDS THIS IMPROVEMENT TOTALS $3,042.44. THE OPERATION OF THE CITY LIGHT AND POWER PLANT ON A BUSINESS * LIKE AND EARNING BASIS HAS MADE IT POSSIBLE TO ACCOMPLISH THESE] IMPROVEMENTS, FOR HAD NOT THE COST TO THE PROPERTY OWNERS BEEN DECREASED THE POSTS WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN INSTALLED. THE CITY LIGHT AND POWER PLANT IS YOUR PROPERTY AND IT IS BEING OPERATED IN THE PUBLIC INTEREST. WHATEVER PROFIT HAS BEEN MADE HAS BEEN TURNED BACK INTO THE PLANT OR THE MONEY USED IN CARRYING OUT A PROGRAM OF IMPROVEMENT FOR THE CITY. THINK OF IT AS YOUR LIGHT AND POWER PLANT AND AT ALL TIMES FEEL READY TO CALL ON US. ■ -B \ , Decatur Light & Power Plant M. J. Mylott - Supt. COMMITTEE George Krick - Chairman E. A. Beavers Fred Ashbaucher — mu i.i mmu,

DECATUR DAILY DEMOCRAT, SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 6, 1924.