THE ELECTRIC TRAMWAYS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 12603, 5 March 1903, Page 5

THE ELECTRIC TRAMWAYS

THE ACCEPTANCE OF TENDERS ; LEE STREAM AND WAIPORI RIVER. At last night's meeting of the Oity Council 1 tho Tramways Committee's report (already 1 published) was read. Inter alia, it was , recommended that Mr A. Ferry's tender . of £18,830 for the Leo Stream hydraulic j works tunnel, and M&ssre A. Amd T. Burt's I tender of £3940 6s 8d for the supply of two j miles of 3(}-inch pipes,. be accepted. j Tho following offer from Mr I'\ Oakden, chairman of the Waipori Falls Elcotrio 1 Power Company, was read:— ] To supply tho council with water delivered 1 at the Pejton wheels for (lie sum of £2 10s . per brake horse-power per annum, 24 hours 1 per day; the council to have the option of 1 taking sufficient water to supply all city j clcctrical requirements. The company are pre- ' pared to enter into covenant that will he I equitablo and necessary to ensure the due I performance of any contract with the council. 1 Tho company undertake to complete all the ] ,hydraulic works within four months from tho t acceptance, if necessary. Iu making this offer I ] it is the wish of my board that every publicity ( should' ho given to the proposal, that_ tho i citizens may have it on record that the Waipori | Company have mel the council in a liberal j spirit, thereby offering to save an outlay of , many thousands of pounds, and freeing tho j city from nil risks of the hydraulic problem. , Tho council hnvo repeatedly asserted that all f the electrical plant must bo under their direct ; control, hence we are not again quoting for f electrical power. Cr Scott moved the adoption of the re- ( port. He raid ho desired (o compare the tunnel scheme with the pipe scheme. The t estimated cost of the tunnel scheme was j £32,000, and of tho pipe scheme £25,000. 8 The pipes were to bo laid with a fall of \ 15ft to the mile, and were capable of carry- f jug 20 heads of water, giving 906 clectrio j horse-power in Duncdin. 'i'li-i intake wa> i the same in each scheme, awl as tho pipe \ scheme waß two miles longer than the tunnel [ feliemo it followed that there must be 30ft j Ires available full at the power station. E Taking tho minimum flow of the Lee at j 15 heads, the results were as follows:— Tunnel scheme—ls heads, 700 ft effective fall, | 1193 water horse-power, 680 clcctrie horse- n power in Dunedin. Pino sc.lieme—ls heads, j 670 ft fall, 1142 water horse-power, 650 elec ( trio horse-power in Duncdin; thus giving 30 < horso-power more in the tunnel scheme, f It must also be considered (hat tho pipes j would require renewal iii 30 years, and the ? expense of such renewal in the tunnel s scheme would bo £0500, or £2'<3 per an- j f annum; while in the pipe scheme' tho cost i would bo £22,000, or £733 per amuum.' Tlio a annual expenses would be: Tunnel—4J per , t cent, interest on £32,000, £1440; caretaker, j r £150; renewal, £283; —total. £1873. Pipe— < ( 44 per cent, interest on £25,000. £1125: r caretakers (2), £300: renewal, £733: —total, c £2158. This showed that the upkeep t of the tfinnel would lie £285 less per a.nnum than the pine FClveme. Tho proba- c bility of mora than 6SO horse-power being n required in the oity must also be considered, j \ and the cost of doubling (he power in each j i enso would be: Tunnel scheme—Dam, a £4000; pipes, £0500:—total, £12.500. Pipe t scheme—Dam, £4000: pipes, £22,000; —t r total, £26,000; the difference in favour of [ u tho tunnel scheme being £13,500. Although tho weir was not designed as a dam or rcscr- o voir there would be sufficient water re- o tained during the eight hours when not working to supplement the 16 hours' run by . r five heads, thereby giving, with 15 head's ! J in the stream, a regular 20 heads, enunl j to 908 clcotrie hor.-e-powcr in Dunedin. Tho ! y cost at tlio Pel ton wheels would' be f.omo- t whero about £2 per horse-power actually delivered at Duncdin. Tho contractor was i prepared to take all risk, and line the | tunnel wherever it was required for £4000, o Intt the oommilteo had allowed £1200, which rr is considotod amplfe provision for the same, f( No "doubt the contactor would bo able ti

to finish his contract in 24 months. He I (Cr Scott) had a copy of the original estimate of Messrs Browne And Stewart, kindlysent to him by thoso gentlemen, and,''allowing; for the extra length over their estimate when surveyed by Mr Allan, it would bo found that they were very near the actual co.'-'fc of tho work up to the present date. Cr Braithwaite seconded the motion. He thought the council was to be cohgratulated 011 having readied some sort of finality in' the question. He thought also that Messrs Browne ami Stowart were to be congratu- | Intcd on the accuracy of their estimates, as proved by the tenders sent in. .Ho noticed, that the Wtiipori Company's offer had dropped from £4 to £2 10s per horse-power, per annum—an offer that, so far as ho could see, panned out something like the Lee Stream cost. The cost of the Lee Stream hydraulic works was £32,000, and tho annual interest, depreciation, maintenar.ee, s\nd sinking fund came to £2560. On a basis of 800 E.11.P. this gave £3 4s per horse-power per annum a<3 the cost of delivery of the waterpower at the Pelton wheel. For an additional capital cost of £16,000 or additional annual charges of £2280 per annum they could obtain 2000 E.11.P. This reduced the cost to £1 18s 6(1 per horse-power per annum for the delivery of the water at the Pclton wheel, which was lis 6d per horsepower cheaper than tho Waipori offer. I Moreover, in the conversion of water-power | into electric power and its delivery in i Dunedin tho Lee scheme was cheaper. The I Leo would cost £30,000 and tho Waipori, ! say, £40,000. Taking, then, the total ' cost of tho delivery of 800 E.11.P. in Dun--1 edin from the Leo at £62,000 and the annual charges at £4900, this gave £6 4e per i horse-power per annum. On an. 800 E.H.P. basis Waipori worked out as follows:— Capital cost of electrical construction from Berwick, £40,000; annual charges, £3200; or £4 per horse-power per annum, and adding to this tho £2 10s for the delivery of the water at tlio Pelton wheel, made £6 lfe cr 4s per horso-power per annum more for ! the Waipori, and the ratio was greatly in favour of the Lee on a 2000 E.H.P. basis, I His calculations in both coses did not allow for wages. Even in this tho Lee scored, as i the transmission was only half tho distance. The sum of £22,000 would be tho only difference in "capital outlay" if they , adopted the Lee Stream scheme, and this would bo ultimately wine out by tho sinking fund provided for in his figures. It 'had boon said that they would not have sufficient water in Lee Stream in dry seasons, > hut that also applied to the Waipori. The driest of dry seasons would affect Waipori just as it would affect Lee Stream. However, in tho ease of the water lessening they would liavo the steam plant as a stand-by. He considered it would be a good thing to have tho steam power in the event of any emergency. He trusted they would stick to the .Lee and go risjht on, turning neither to (he j right nor to the left. He would oppose any j dual control—the company having control j of the water power and the corporation liav- ! ing control of the elcclrio power. Such a position would bo sure to lead to legal quibbles that would be very costly to the council. He held that the water rights should belong to the people for the benefit" of tho people. A privato company ought not to hold any of these rights. If tile Waipori Company would propose something better than they had already proposed—if they would offer the water lights to the city j for a reasonable sum—he would heartily j support it. Cr Tapper said it was a pity tho Waipori j Company did not make this offer before. I Unfortunately, it was now too late. Dunedin would yet require all the electric power it could secure, and if 'the Waipori Company had made this' reasonable offer previously ho believed the council would have considered it in a more favourable light, and possibly might have como to some arrangement with the company. He considered the council were to be congratulated on the fact that the Retires supplied to the committee by Messrs Browne and Stowart were actually higher than tho contract figures. Ci Gore said ho was sorry to differ with (ho Tramways Coininitteo again, but lie he'd tho opinion he had all through—had th"V- pushed this water sobomo nlong-, the temporary steam plant would not have been required. His point was that it was estimated that tho tunnel would rosfc £28,000. and tho, pipe line £19,000—a difference of £9000,—and then there was tho contingent liability of lining tho tunnel, whatever it would prove, according as to what lining was required. To line tho whole of It would ; moan a liability of £8000.—(Cr Scott: " £5000.") To be added to that £9000 was tho temporary steam wlant cost of £9000, making a difference of £18,000. Tho objection to tho pipes was that 'Lhey, would decay and not last longer than 30 years, but in less than 20 years the accumulation of interest- on tho difference would amount to more than would complete a new pipe line. As far ns tho schemes for carrying tills water wero conoorned, they were equal. The -funnel would carry more, but the capacity of the tancl was limited 1 by the oapacity of the pipes. The fatal objection to the funnel system was that it virtually lning up the tramway system far-two and ahartf years at least. If the pipe lino scheme were aco;pted the tramway service, as far as power was eoncjrned, would bo completed in 12 months. Again, when they did start it would bo with ap imperfect plant, and they would have to increase their steam plant, as 14, cars would not carry tho Dunedin public. He wished to ontcr his protest against .this. Ho was as satisfied as oould be. that it was wrong— that the pipe track should be accepted amd carried out within 12 months, and-' thoir troubles would: then be all over. There was lesß likelihood of trouble with it than with the tunnel. In future years ho would probably remind them of hi.s present attitude. Cr M'Donald: I presume Mr Allan is the responsible engineer. Cr Scott: It needs a special resolution to determine that nuini. Cr M'Donald .'aid ho thouglit tho- Tramtvays Coihmittee should have told tho council definitely on whose shoulders as engineer tho responsibility of their accepting these tenders rested. Ho was disappointed l that tho Tramways Committco had- not gone into the Waipori matter inoro fully. Cr Scott had omitted to state the cost of steam plant and tho cost of maintaining and nmiilnsr it and tho fact that only 12 oars could be used in the city for three years. Were the remainder of the cars going to 1m stored? He would suggest that the Waipori matter might be gone into within the next few days at a special meeting. Cr Lawrence did not think so much should be said, about the Waipori syndicate, especially as they had the statement of oiio of their engineers that ho would not have their lights if he could get them for nothing. Looking hack to the time when they got their first reports on hydraulic schemes he considered that they had ended at the present time,very satisfactorily indeed. The tenders before them that night proved that Messrs Stowart and Browno, who had been employed to report, knew their work, awl reliance could bo placed on the estimate 1 of £32.000, and if they could get tlie'r power into Dunedin for that amount they should not be bothered by the Waipori, or any other soheme. Ho did not believe a word of Cr Gore's statement that, the pipe scliomo could he completed in 12 months. , The council had been rirrlit. in plodding on . quietly, and getting all the information they ; could, and in coining to their present conclusion. i Or Christie said ho intended to support i the committee's recommendation. He would 1 point out that, as between tho Lee Stream j and the Waipori, that when Mr Orchiston, ■ who first suggested that the council acquire ' the Loo Stream as a source of power, ho had tho option of choosing the Waipori instead. He understood that he had not ] yet changed his mind in that matter, No doubt the Waipori syndicate wished to dispose of their rights, and- the council might some day purchase the rights, but in the 1 meantime they did riot want tbetn. I Cr Carroll would support the Lee Slream < proposal, being guided by the engineer's j advice. From all he could gather there was a great probability that there would he a , constant supply of water, which would produce twice the quantity of power required ' for tramway piirniws." A« f"' 1 the st»am 1 plant, he considered that if it did not supply j sufficient power the ulant ennld he ' strengthened. Taking evervthing into con- 1 federation, the proposal of the committee '■ was the sensible one for the council to j adopt. He had given the matter as muoli , thought as ho could, and tint was tho oninion ho had arrived at. The Waipori ( Company's offer was favourable, but it was j not as favourable as the proposal of iho < committee. He believed the council ought . to have the power in their own hands. ' The Mayor said councillors had all along ( gone into the business in a thorough j manner, acquiring information from people : who were able to give it, and discussing i it in well a way that he believed they all had a of what they were talking about. He strnngV snpnorted the recommendation of the Tramways Com- ! mittee. 1 Cr Scott, in reply, combated a number 1 of statements made by councillors who had ' opposed tho committee's proposal. 1 Tho motion for the adoption of the report was nereed to, Crs Gore and M'Dona'd opposing it. t Tho letter from the Waipori Company t was referred to the Tramways Committeo « to report. 1 - t 1