.. A H A: ^^^^B^ ■ D — . — - 4 B 3 = 3 : 8 : ^K --.-i ^^K r B7277me V\0 Wisconsin Free Library Commission Lkc.islative Reference Department Comparative Legislation Bulletin No 5 MUNICIPAL ELECTRIC LIGHTING ERNEST BRADFORD SMITH MADISON WISCONSIN APRIL 1906 INTRODUCTION This department is in constant receipt of letters from city officials and members of the legislature relating: to municipal electric lighting. It is ?>ften asked. "What cities have municipal plants?" * ''How many exist in Wisconsin?" "How many exist in America?" etc. This pamphlet has been conipiled with the idea of answering these questions. The statistics, al- though not complete, have been gathered from every available source. A bulletin will soon be issued upon gas plants. Charles McCarthy Lcgislafk-e Reference Department MUNICIPAL ELECTRIC LIGHTING ERNEST BRADFORD SMITH Comparative Legislation Biu.lrtin - No 5 — April, 1906 Compiled \\ itli the co-operation of the Political Science De- partment of the University of Wisconsin Wisconsin Kukk I^iniiAitY Commission LEOISLATIVR ItKFKItKSrE Dep't .Makison Wis I'.Mu; CONTENTS KKFKREXCES 3 TNITKl) STATES :- Iiii-roiise in muuiciiKil phiuts ■* Consolidation ' t'hanju'es from innniiipal to private ownership V <"li:iii;ros from privato to niunicipal owuciship 8 In small cities 1- In citit's over 10,000 13 Street anil eommereial lightning ^ 15 Investment and income 16 FOREIGN COUNTRIES :- Canada 1^ England 1^ WISCO.VSIN:— Increase in municipal plants -1 Cities and villafjos having municipal plants 21 REFERENCES Bk.mis, E. W. Municipal monopolies. New York, IISIJ'J. ("outaiiis clinpters on tuiiuicipal eloctric lighting, p. 55-:i8G. Central Station List, March, 190b. New York, 1906. Kt'cord of Cmtral Station (•(iniiiniciit . cniii'al. oinc(.'r.s. en- gines, dynamos, etc. Data lor Maicli. I'.mk!. Municipal Year Book, 1902. New York, 1902. Compili-rt l).v M. N. P.alior. associate editor of Engineer- ing news. .\e\v York, ("overs tip to l!»(lli : gives figures only for cities aliove .'Lhiki popuiation. Municipal Year Book of the United Kingdom. Loudon, 190(;. ('onii)iled by Itoluit Donald. U. S. — Census, Bureau of the. Special roi^prt on central electric light and power stations. Washington, 19it2. Gives ligurcs up to .lamiaiy :;n. I'.idl'. IJest of its kind. U. S.— Census, Bureau of the. Statistics, for cities having a population of 25,000. Washington, 1905. Bulletin, no. 20. (iives figures for T.IU8 for cities over :.•."», «juu. U. S. — Labor, Bureau of. Municipal ownership in Great Britaii^ by Frederic C. Howe. Washington, 190ij. Bulletin, no. (52, Jan. 190(j, p. 1-12:!. I'lill discussion. I''avoral)le to municipal ownership. IT. S. — Labor, Bureau of. Report on water, gas and electric light plants. Washington, i899. Annual report, v. 14. P.ased on reports from <'i;;i' ,>iit oi' a total of •J,.')7L' private l)l,i!its and .■'.Uii out of 4^ per cent ; in September, 1905, somewhat more than 34 per cent; a proportion slightly increased for March, 1906. Carroll D. \\'right reports the figures for 1899 as 460 municipal and 2,572 private plants ; total, 3032. The Census bureau report for 1902 gives 815 municipal plants and 2805 private; total, 3,620, The municipal year book, 1902, gives for cities of over 3,000 population, a total of 1,471 electric light plants, of which 278 were municipal. The Central station list, 1905, gives engineering and commercial data for 984 towns in which 988 muni- cipally owned electric light plants exist ; 2,932 towns in which 3076 plants were owned by private concerns ; a total of 4,064 electric light plants in the United States in September, 1905. Six months later, March, 1906. there were 62 more municipal plants and 158 more private plants. This does not include companies furnishing power only, or mill plants lighting a local mill or factory. In the above municipal list are included five plants owned by colleges or universities and supplying light to out- side consumers; and a few plants owned by cities and leased to private companies for operation. The number of electric light plants by states is as follows : MUMCIPAL ELECTRIC LIGHTIKG ELECTRIC LIGHT STATIO.VS BV STATES — UONICIPAL AND PRIVATE. liOS' Itable 2) Municipal plauts Towns where private plauts exist Alabama Arizooa Arkaasas California Colorado Couoecticut Delaware Floriila iieorgia Idalio Illinois iDdiana Iowa lailian territory Kansas Kentucky Liui-iaua Maiof Maryland Massaciiusets Micbi^an Minnesota Mis^i^sippi Missouri Montana Nebraska Nevaiia New Hanipsbire New -lersey New Mexico New York. .. North Carolina. .. . North Dakota Ohio Oklahoma territory. OreKon Pi'uusvlvaiiia Rhode Island South ("arolina South Dakota Tennessee Texas Utrtli Vermont Virginia Washington NNc^t Viri;inia Wisconsin Wyoming 18 8 13 2 6 6 10 39 9 92 61 51 17 13 U 3 5 23 104 82 28 51 1 14 3 4 35 24 8 101 5 10 39 1 14 9 26 9 6 12 16 11 6 46 Total in US l.O.y) Total of all plants in U. S. lUOti 25 16 42 9-5 53 38 4 25 42 27 271 116 138 26 62 64 20 57 28 9i 127 65 31 78 24 57 8 45 79 13 224 32 18 1.53 10 48 234 10 27 25 38 170 18 39 37 54 41 120 16 Private plants 3.080 28 17 43 106 58 38 4 26 42 28 281 124 141 26 65 64 20 63 29 95 132 67 3.; 88 27 59 8 48 81 13 241 34 18 165 10 48 253 10 28 26 38 174 19 39 38 58 42 123 16 3,234 4,284 ' These figures compiled from Central station list, March, liK)6 MUNICIPAL ELECTRIC uGHTIKG 7 It is (lifficull to keep any list of municii)al plants up to tlaic. because new plants are added so rapidly. During- the months from June to December, 1!J05, in the pages of the Municipal journal and engineer and in Municipal engineering were given the names of over forty cities which had just installed or voted to install municipal electric light plants; while in as many more, the clerk, or mayor, or a committee of the comicil was investigating the sub- ject. Consolidation Simultaneously with the increase in the number of electric plants, has come a consolidation of plants, the absorption of several small companies into one large concern, and the lighting of many small tow^ns from one large central plant, a matter of common observation. At the same time, there is shown a tendency to combine electric, with gas and water works. The Census bulletin for 1902 re- ports l,4r).") central stations out of 3.620, 40 per cent, which were run in connection Avith water works, gas plants, ice manufactories, etc. Changes from municipal to private ownership Between issl and l!i(i2. 13 plants had changed from municipal to private ownership.^ The fol- lowing electric light stations began operations as municii)al plants, but ha\c since jiassed into private ownership : 'T'. S. Census office. Special rcpuft fni centr.'tl electric lijrlit niul power stations. 1!*<12, p. S. MUXICIPAL ELECTRIC LIGHTING CITIE-J WHICH HAVE CHANGED FROM MCNUIPAL TO PRIVATE OWNER- SHIP (table 3) Alabama iDdiaaa Iowa Minnesota ... New York. ... Ohio Penns.vlvania, Texav Virginia Washington . City Popula- tion Troy 4,097 Bourbon 1,187 Audubon Fulda' 1,866 886 Waddington.. Xenia 8,696 Lehighton ' 4,6-29 Honey Grove 2,483 Itasca Buena Vista . 1,277 2, .388 Wytheville. .. Vancouver. .. 3,003 3,126 Chehalis'.... 1,775 Name of company Citv Electric Light and Water Plant Co. Union Water. Light and Power Co. Audubon Electric Plant. Electric Light Plant and Water Works. Waddington Electric Light Plant. Peoples Gas and Electric Light Co. Lehighton Electric Light and Power Station. HoLey Grove Light and Power Plant. Hockoday Brothers. Buena Vista Light and Power Co. Rrown Electric Co. City of Vancouver Electric Light Plant Co. Chehalis Electric Light Plant. ' Given as municipal. liO'), by Central station list, Sept. 190."). Changes from private to municipal ownership Uf the 81.3 municipal plants in 19U2, G-15 were started as municipal plants, and 170 had been <:hanged from private to public ownership. The .'^ninicipal plants in the following cities and towns began operations under the ownership of indi- viduals, firms or corporations: MUNICIPAL ELFA'TRIC LIGHTING 9 CITIES WHICH HAVE CHANGED FROM PEIVATE TO MDNIOIPAL OWNER- SHIP (1881-ltX)2) (table 4;-' Arkansas .. California Colorado . . Delaware.. Florida. Georgia Illinois . Indiana. Conway Alameda . . . Modesto ' Del Norte Milford Newark FernaLdina.. Kissimniee. Ocala • Albany Athens ' .. Eastniap Gainsville . GrifKn Moultrie Wasbington . Chadwick Farmer City. Flora Girard Hampshire . Highland Kansas La Grange' .. Lockport .. Fern Princeton , Rantoul Shelby ville .. , Toledo Waterloo . . . Wheatou Anderson Ashley Attica BlutTton Cambridge .. . Uunkirk' East Ciiicago. Irarrett Goshen Greenfield . . . . Hobart KendallvilJe . . Knightstowu Linton Lowell' Mentone' .. .. . Mishawaka .. . Mont pel ier. .. . Napauee Pern Portland. . . . Rockville Rensselaer. . . . Pop. 1900 2,0)3 l)i.4«>4 2,024 70.-> 1,213 '<,24.5 1,132 3,:«iO 4,. 506 10, 24". 1.234 4,;i«2 6,8.57 2,220 3.30O 50.") 1,664 2,311 1 .m\ 7()0 1,970 1,049 3,969 2,6.59 6,86:5 4,023 1,207 3.. 546 818 2.114 2,345 20,178 1,040 3,oa5 4,479 1,754 3,187 3,411 3.910 7,810 4.489 1,390 3.. 3,54 1.942 s3,071 1,275 757 5,. 560 3, 4a5 2,208 8,463 4,798 2,045 2,2.55 ' Seven plants given as private by Central station list, Sept. 1905. ' Authority, U. S. Census office, 1906. 10 MUNICIPAL ELECTRIC LIGHTING CITIES WHUII HAVE CIIANGtU FRUM PRIVATE TO MCNICIfAL OWNERSHIP ( 18M-1902 )— continued Indiana Iowa. Kansas Kentucky Loiii'^iana Maryland Massacliusotts Michigan Minnesota Mi'Ssissippi. Missouri. .. Thorn town Williamsport .. . Wiuamac .Jonesboro AI>;ona Bloomfipld Fairfield Mount Pleasant Newton Spencer Spirit Lak^ Emporia Kuterpri>e O-aee Cit> Si^neca Russellville Franklin Laurel Belmont Hin^ham Hudson Hull Middleboro Taunton Badaxe Charlevoix Chelsea ("old Water Crosswell Dowaeiac K'cauaba Hillsdale .lonesville Lansing Masim Meudon Monroe Niles . Pet^skey Sturgis Union City Va.sshr , Alexandria . . . , Argyle Austin Blue Earth Brainerd Hibbing Kasson , Long Prairie .. . New Prague . ... Tower Wadena Clarksdale . .. Fulton Pod i. 1. 1. 1. 2 •) 4," 4, 3, 3. 1, s 1 o 1, 2, 2 5' 9 5, 5, 1, 6, 31, 1. 2 L 6, 4. 9. 4 1 19. 1. 0, 4 .'j 2 i 1 1900 .511 24.5 684 8.38 911 10.-) tJ89 109 682 09.") 218 223 200 792 ^46 .591 692 079 117 059 454 703 8-5 036 241 079 6H5 216 600 151 .549 131 367 485 828 777 043 287 285 465 .514 832 681 829 474 900 .524 4«1 112 385 228 366 520 773 383 MUNICIPAL ELECTRIC LIGHTING 11 CITIES WHICH HAVE CHANGED FROU PEIVATB TO MUNICIPAL OWNEE8IIIP (1881-iy02)-contiaue(i Missouri Montana Nebraska New York North Carolina North Dakota. Ohio Oklalioma Oregon . . Pennsylvania.. South Carolina South Dakota. Tennessee Texas Utah Vermont Virginia Washington . .. Wisconsin. Li'banon Pop. 1900 2.125 Pi)>rc6 City 2.511 RoUa 1.600 Slater 2,502 Miles City Pawnee 1,938 1,9«>9 Frankfort Rreenprtrt 2, 6tU 2.:«6 Watervliet 14,321 Gokisboro Morgantown Reirisville 1.93S 3. 262 Grafton Brarlford Rrerea 2..37.S 1,254 2, 510 Beverlv 712 Columbus Grove 1,9:« Greenfield 3.979 1.2C0 Painesville 5,024 Plymouth 1.154 Trov 5,881 WfUston Stillwater 8.045 2,431 Hill.-iboro 9.S0 Medford 1,791 Scio 346 Aspinwall 1.231 Millvale Tarentum 6,736 5.472 Dillon Brookings 1,015 2.346 Pierre Redfield 2.:w6 10.015 Harriman 3,442 1 ebanon Morristo wn 1 , 9.56 2.973 i\f>wbern' 1.4:^3 Sherman Pa\ son 10,243 2.636 Hardwick Bedford City Front Royal 1,334 2,416 1,005 Farmville Salem Cent' alia Ellen sburg 2.471 3,412 1,600 1,737 Kent 7.55 Port Angeles 2.321 Pullman 1..30.S Tacoma 37.714 Havfield 1.6V.I Cedarburg Florence 1.626 1..S24 ' Seven plants given as private by Central station list, Sapt.. 190.5. 12 Ml'XICIPAL ELECTRIC LIGHTING CITIES WHICH HAVE CHANGED FEOM PRl VATE TO MUNICIPAL OWNEESHIP (lssi-iy02;— coatiQued Wisconsin Fort Atkinson. Jet^e^^on New Richmond Oconomowoc .. Ply ni on til Two Rivers Pop. 1900. 3.043 2,.%4 1.631 2.880 2,237 3,784 In small cities The great majority of all the electric light plants, private as well as municipal, are located in small cities. Of a total of 3,62U plants in VJU2, ^,714 were in cities of less than 5,000 population ; of the 2845 pri- vate plants, 2.043 or 72 per cent; and of the 815 municipal plants, 671 or 82 per cent were in cities of less than 5,000. In 1899, in places of less than 1,000 population, there were located 9 per cent of the 2572 private plants and 9 per cent of the 560 municipal plants. In 1906, this number had in- creased to about 15>4 per cent for municipal plants, and more than 19 per cent for private plants, as shown by the following table, compiled from the Central station list for March. 1906: MUNICIPAL ELECTRIC LIGHTING i:{ PE1V.\TE AND MONICIPAL PLANTS IN SMALL AND LARGE CITIE3 (table 5 Municipal plants Per cent. Private plants Per cent. VillaKes of less than 1,000 160 808 73 15.4 77.6 7.0 100 592 2,160 328 19 3 Towus of 1 OOO-IO.OOO popula- tioc. .. Cities of over 10,000 population 70 1 10 fi Total number of places.. 1.041 3,080' 100 'Some cities have two or more private plants, making the total number of private plants 3.2S4. while the total number of cities anil villages having pri\at(i plants is 3,0S0. It is evident from these figures, that the towns of less than 1.000 inhabitants have a little larger pro- portion of private plants. But the strength of the municipal ownership movement is in the cities of from 1,000 to 10.000 population, 77.6 per cent of all places having municipal plants being included in these limits. Seven per cent of all the places hav- ing municipal plants were of more than 10.000 population, against 10 per cent for private plants. In seventy cities there were in 1005. both a muni- cipal and one or more private plants. In cities over 10,000 The following table gives the list of cities of over 10.000 population, which have municipal electric light plants (1906).: 14 MUXICIPAL ELECTRIC LIGHTING CITIES OF OVER 10 000 POPCLATION CONTAINING MUNICIPAL ELECTRIC LIOUT PLANTS— BY STATES (table 6) ArkaD:eph St. Louis Lincoln Dunkirk Jamestown .... Watervliet Ashtabula Columbus Hamilton Marietta Newark V, 10, 18, 20, 12, 19, 16, 17. 21, IS, 170, U. 10, 13, 19, 21. 23, 17, 13. 19, 4.") 12 31, 10, •) 285. 87. 24 19, 10, 13, 12, 26, m .")7.) 40, 11 23 14, 13, 125, 23, 13, 18 . 1900 300 3.50 000 250 400 000 000 000 700 400 000 000 600 000 400 500 200 300 000 200 000 000 700 200 200 400 8.50 760 100 600 170 700 000 000 000 600 000 .500 400 ')U0 0,50 120 800 000 000 200 100 600 000 300 000 560 000 350 1.50 MUNICIPAL EljECTRIC LIGHTING 15 CniES OF OVER 10,000 POPULATION CONTAININU MONICll'AI, ELECTRIC LIGHT PLANT8— BY STATES— continued Pennsjlvania. South Dakota. Tennessee . ... 'J'exas Vermont Virginia . Washington . .. West Virginia. .AlJegheny Chanibersburg Eastou Meadville ... Norristown . . . Sioux Falls.. .. Nashville Jackson Austin Fort Worth... (ialveston Sherman Biirlincton Alexandria Danville Seattle Tacoma Wlieeling Pop 130 10, 25, 10, 22, To! NO, 14, 22, 27', 37. 10, 18, U, 16. 80, 37 38 . 1900 ,noo ,ouo ,200 ,200 ,200 ,260 ,8tM .00 250 700 800 40 640 500 .500 670 700 880 Total, 73 plants. (Population given in round numbars, from the census figures for 1900J The following states contain no cities of over 10,000 pop- ulation having municipal electric light plants. Alabama, Arizona. Colorado, Delaware, Georgia, Idaho, Indian Terri- tory, Louisiana. Minnesota, Mississippi, Montana, Nevada, New Hampshire. New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, North Dakota. Oklahoma, Oregon, Rhode Island. South Carolina, Utah, Wisconsin and Wyoming. Street and commercial lighting City plants are furnishing coniniercial as well as street lighting. I*Vom the following table it is seen that one-half of the municipal stations in 1902 fur- nished commercial arc lighting while more than seven-eighths furnished commercial incandescent lighting; four-sevenths of the private plants fur- nished commercial arc lighting and practically all (fifty-five-fifty-sixths) furnished commercial incan- descent lighting. Tn 1003 all but 77 of the 815 IG MUNICIPAL ELECTRIC LIGHTING municipal plants sold current to private consumers. (The total number of private stations was 2805, and of municipal stations 815) : CHAKACTEE OF SERVICE (1902) (table 7;' Arc lighting Commercial or other private .. Public (street, etc.) Incandescent: Commercial or other private Public Motor power— stationary. . Electric Ry All other service Private stations 1,667 1,810 1,889 975 l.J7 152 Municipal statiout: Total. 3.53 712 732 602 118 o 2.020 2.522 3,484 2.491 1.093 1.59 161 ( ' U. S. Census oflice. Report on central electric lieht and power sta- tions. 1902 p. 11. Investment, income and prices Investment. The amount invested in private plants has been and is much greater than that in muncipal plants. The figures given for 1899 by Carroll D. Wright were in round numbers, $265,- 182,000 invested in private electric light plants, com- pared with $12,902,000 in municipal plants; the value of the electricity sold, was. for private plants, $56,490,000 and for municipal plants, $3,531,000. That is, the investment in municipal plants in 1899 was about one-twentieth of the investment in private plants, while the product was a little less than one-seventeenth. In 1902, the Cen- sus bureau reported an investment (cost of con- struction and equipment) of $482,700,000 in round numbers for private plants, and $22,000,000 for MUMCIPAL ELEClh'lC LIGHTIXG 17 imiuicipal plants; with a gross income of $78,700,- • Hio for private and $6,965,000 for municipal plants. That is, in 1902 the amount invested in municipal plants was still about one-twentieth while the value of the product was about one-eleventh. INCOME (ROUND NDMBEES) 1902 (table 8) ' From arc iiglitinp: From incandescent .......... From all other electric service From all other .'sources Private stations $22, 091, (XX) 41,:«6,0(X) 13, 960, (XX) 1,.t8."),000 Municipal stations $:i,:i89,000 3,360,0C0 88,000 128.000 'U. S. Census olHce. Special report on central electric light and. power stations. 1902, p. 110. Private stations receive more from incandescent than from arc lighting; municipal stations from each about the same. "All other electric service" is current for the operation of stationary and rail- way motors. The next table is a comparison of the public or street lighting with the commercial (store or house) lighting: IS MUNICIPAL ELECTRIC LIGHTING NUMBEB OF LAMPS IN SERVICE, TOTAL INCOME. AND AVERAGE INCOME PEE LAMP, 1902 (table 9 » Private statioDs: Nunibpr (•{ lamps... Tdtal iucome ... Averaee iucoiiie per lanp. . . Municipal stations: Number of lamps... Total inff)me ... . Average iucome per lamp Arc L AMPS Incandescent Lamps Commercia) Cotmnercial or ofhfii- Public or otlier Public private tervice private service service service 168,180 166.723 16.243.8.53 372.740 $8,220,151 a3, 871 ,646 $.39,039,927 $2.2.57.927 $18 i'S $83.20 $2.40 $6.06 5,793 4.-), 002 1.494. .531 82.920 $240,166 ''.$1,149,079 $2,868,296 $491,322 $41.46 $69.98 $1.92 $.5.93 'U .S. Census office. Special report on central electric light and power stations, 1«»02, p. 29. - Value estimated according to prevailinsr rates. A careful perusal of these fig'ures discloses the fact that private stations furnish a few more com- mercial arcs than public (street) arcs; while muni- cipal stations furnish eight times as many public arcs as commercial arcs. Incandescent lighting. both by private and by municipal plants, is over- whelmingly commercial ; but private stations fur- nish one-fortythird as many street incandescents as store and house incandescents. while municipal plants furnish one-eighteenth. Street arcs pay private as well as municipal plants much more per arc than commercial arcs; the same is true of incandescent service. Mil's ICll'AL ELECTRIC LlGHTIXfJ IH FOREIGN COUNTRIES Canada There are 80 nuuiicipal electric light plants in Canada.^ They are located in the provinces as fol- lows : British Columbia •■' Manitoba. ^ New Brunswick 2 N. W. Territories . ^ Nova Scotia .^ Ontario ^ Prince Edward Island r Quebec ^ Total ia Canada ^ 'Central station list, Mar. 1906. Most of the cities have a population of less than l(»,i)0(t except St. Thomas. Guelph, Glace Bay and Kingston. England In England, about two thirds of the electric light plants are owned by municipalities. The fol- lowing table shows at a glance the comparative situation of water, gas and electric plants. The fieures are in most cases for 1903 ; Scotland and Ire- land are not included: 20 MUyiCIPAL ELECTRIC i^xGHTIXG EN-OLISB ELECTRIC- LIGHT I'LAXTS, 1933' (table 10) Public Pl^^nts i Private Plants No. Plants- Total Capital No. Plants Total Capital Water 1,045 256 334 142 $:i'J0,914,000 173.919,000 1.55.728,000 119,061,000 251 454 174 1.54 $197,851,000 375.348.000 133,8-.'8.000 83,660,000 Gas Electricity Street railways Tctai 1,777 $779,622,500 1,033 $790,688,724 ' U. S. Laboi- bureau. Bulletin, Jan. 1906, p. 5. There are 481 municipal electric plants and 297 private electric plants in the whole United King- dom.^ Liverpool, Leeds, Sheffield, Birmingham, Southampton and Glasgow are some of the larger cities in the list. Municipal ownership has found much favor with the citizens of England, Scotland and Ireland. Municipal yearbook of the United Kingdom, 1906, p. 429. MUNICIPAL ELECTRIC LIGHTING 21 WISCONSIN In Wisconsin, municipal electric lighting began in 1889, at which time there were 30 private plants. Since then the growth has been as follows: GROWTH OF MUNICIPAL ELECTEIC LIGHT PLANTS IN WISCONSIN (tablollj' Year No. of new municipal plants Total municipal plants Total private plants 1889 1 1 2 .) •> 1 3 2 3 4 3 4 4 4 1 •> 4 6 8 9 12 14 17 21 24 28 .30 1890 34 1892 . 1893 47 52 1S94 189") 6.5 69 1897 88 1898 102 1899 108 1900 1901 1902 112 11.5 124 1903 1904 igOJ, Snpt. ■■' 40 46 115 1906, Mar. '•* () 123 ' LT. S. Census ofiice. Special report on central electric light and power stations, 1902. p. 106. -Central station list, Sept. 1905 and Mar. 1906. There are in Wisconsin (March, 1906) 123 pri- t?ate and 46 municipal electric light plants; 38 of the 123 private plants and 13 of the 46 municipal plants are in places of less than one thousand popu- lation. Cities and villages having municipal plants The cities and villages in Wisconsin that have municipal electric light plants are as follows: 90 MUNICIPAL ELECTRIC LIGHTING MDNICIPAL ELECTEIC LIGHT PLANTS IN WISCONSIN (table 12) City or Village. Poij. 1905 Date begun operation Cost of plant No. of arcs No. of in- candescont lamps Algoma 2,010 1,315 1,675 2,675 l,9l5 461 640 1,635 1,680 1,840 850 2,;i88 1,495 1,820 2,011 1,960 1.0.53 1,940 3,390 612 687 663 3, 220 2,. 572 1,090 6,036 860 610 655 3,000 3,010 2,675 1,425 2.. 575 3,410 2,635 2.;i00 7.50 2,445 770 4,240 4,640 875 4,t)02 3,110 700 1903 $40,000 21.000 15,000 15,000 12,000 24 8 18 20 10 6 8 3 1,200 .\rca(iia I..5OO Uarrou 1902 1889 ""'i90.5 "' 1903 189i) 1905 1902 1903 1,400 Uajlield' Black KivcT Falls... Blair 3,000 1,.500 600 Blaucbanl villa Bo.