Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 19, Number 2, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 10 September 1897 — WHAT WE GET [ARTICLE]

WHAT WE GET

In Buying the Electric Light Plant. A List By Items Of the Property Jost Purchased By the City Council. In order that our readers may get a clearer idea of what is included in the electric light plant at this place, which has just -been contracted for by the city council, we append the following list. One 600 lamp, and one 400 lamp incandescent dynamo. The 600 lamp dynamo can easily carry 800 lights, and has often done so. One 18 lamp arc dynamo. One 80 horse power engine. One 60 horse power engine. One 100 horse power boiler. One 60 horse power boiler. One 100 horse power heater. One feed water pump. Nine arc lights. Fifty incandescent street lights. About 40 transformers, Switch boards, poles, wires etc. A desirable lot 100 by 150 feet, An inexhaustible artesian well of the finest water, and itself worth perhaps SIOOO. A franchise which had about 20 years to run, and which, to get rid of and out of the way of a city light system, is itself worth several thousand dollars. The incandescent dynamos are now carrying about 740 lights, and can be increased to 1000, or even more, at any time. The arc light dynamo is only carrying 9 lights* now. These can be increased to 18, at any time, and by thus lighting more of the town with arcs, and less with incandescents, more buildings can be supplied with the latter lights. Thus the patronage of the plant can be much extended without increasing its capacity. One great advantage from the city owning the plant is the opportunity to heat the school buildings with the exhaust steam, by which a saving of several hundred dollars a year for the people can be effected. Another still greater advantage is that a city water works system can be united to and operated in connection with this city light plant, at a greatly reduced cost, both in installed and in operating and maintaining, over what would be the case with a separate water system.