Council Takes Cognizance of Precarious Condition at Municipal Plant.

Recommendations Made.

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PAVING PROGRAM GOING FORWARD-

NO PROTESTS

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Hearing on Broadway, Minnesota and

Center Street Projects Held Friday Evening.

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The Electric Light and Water committee, composed of Councilors John C. Siebenbrunner, Isidor Gleisner, Frank Woratschka and Otto Heymann, unanimously recommended that a new boiler with stoking equipment be installed at the municipal plant, at the special meeting of the council Friday evening. This recommendation engendered considerable acrimonious discussion. It will be remembered that Superintendent Robert Mullin, several months ago advised the council that it was necessary to increase the boiler capacity at the Municipal plant, owing to the fact that when the peak electrical load is reached in winter, if something occurred to one of the boilers, it would severely cripple the operation of the plant.

Not Heating.

President Fred. Hamann and Councilor Heymann voiced their opinion that if it were not for the municipal heating that additional boiler capacity would not be necessary.

Heating Not in Requirement.

However, Superintendent Robert Mullin informed the council that a new boiler would be necessary at the plant, even if there was no municipal heating.

Upon motion the superintendent was instructed to prepare plans and specifications for an additional boiler and stoking equipment. The estimated cost is $39,000.

Take from Heating Fund.

President Hamann stated he did not like to have the electric light department stand the whole cost of the new equipment. He thought some of the cost should be taken from the heating fund. After considerable discussion the council agreed that a special meeting should be called in the near future and the matter of financing the new equipment, if it is decided to install it, would be taken up.

Sell the Heating.

Councilor, Siebenbrunner became caustic when President Hamann asserted the new equipment was needed for the heating activity at the municipal plant. He said: “You and Hemann have talked all along that it is the heating that requires the new boiler; why don’t you sell the heating, turn it over to a company, if you think it is such a load upon the city.”Councilor Woratschka went further, he said: “Sell the whole plant to the Northern States Power Co., if you don’t want to run it as it should be.” The meeting lasted until after eleven o’clock, and it was finally decided the superintendent should present his plans and specifications and a meeting would be held for the discussion of finance.

Paving Hearing.

Hearings upon paving petitions for the improvement on Broadway from Fifth South street to Center street; from Minnesota street to Washington street on Center street and from Third North street to Fifth North street on Minnesota street were held. There were no protests against the three proposed improvements.

The improvement on Broadway will be thirty feet wide on each side of the center boulevard.

Street Widths

On North Minnesota street the paving will be 56 feet wide, including the curb and gutter, while on Center street, that part between Minnesota street and Broadway will be 90 feet wide. Between Broadway and State street, it will be 60 feet wide and between State and Washington streets, 30 feet on each side of the center boulevard.

Engineer F. D. Minium’s plans and specifications for the paving of the alley between Minnesota and German streets, between First and Second North streets, were adopted, and bids were called for on July 8.

The engineer also presented plans and specifications for curbing and guttering Center street from Washington street west to Garden street, subject to the approval of the council, following an investigation of the proposed improvement on the ground Sunday morning. Bids were called for this improvement to be opened on July 8.

The engineer was instructed to prepare plans and specifications for the curbing and guttering of Center street from Minnesota street to the M. & St. L. tracks and have them ready for adoption at the regular July meeting, if possible.

August 1, Paving Contract.

After considerable discussion it was stated that it might be possible to let the contract for the paving of Broadway for the ten blocks from Fifth South street to Fifth North street by August 1.

The engineer stated the cost to the city for the intersections would be about $13,000.

Nagel & Leary Coal Contract.

The city clerk opened sixteen bids for the annual coal contract Friday evening. The contract was awarded to Nagel & Leary, for Franklin county, Illinois, two-inch screenings, at a cost of $5.01 per ton f. o. b. New Ulm. This is ten cents higher than last year’s price.

Brown County Journal

June 25, 1926

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