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June 16, 1928 WINNE T'K'A" TALK MAKES ANNAL REPORT TO WINNETKA COUNCIL (Continued from Page 3) 13. The operating ratio for the electric utility (i. e. ratio of operating expenses to gross revenue) for the past year was 51%, including an allowance of 10% of gross revenue for taxes which would have been paid by a private utility. Operating ratios as high as 70% for electric utilities. : A summary of the financial facts re- lating to the electric department for the past ten year period was made during the year for the information of the Council which showed the follow- ing facts, for the ten year period end- ing March 31, 1928: Total gross revenue......... $1,883,057 Total operating expense ... 843,580 are not unusual Net Revenue 0 in Regular dividends Operating surplus Surplus used for construc- Lion Lebensm, Ld 499,715 Surplus used for special dividends'... cL Sl dan 225,000 Surplus at end of period .... 197,140 The foregoing figures show that the municipally owned electric utility has paid in dividends to the General Fund during the past ten years a total of $455,974 which amount has been spent by the Council for public improve- ments which could not otherwise have been provided except by the issuance of bonds or an increase in the tax rate. These improvements may be sum- marized as follows: New Village hall ...... 0.00 $247,000 Improvement of Chestnut COUrL Ee aes 15,000 Village Service yard ......... 81,000 New Fire 'station... af oo 40,000 Public Benefits and Improved Village service. io. vii. 2,974 Wotal -- .. $455,974 That the foregoing surplus earnings nf the electric utility are not wholly due to the present difference in lighting rates in Winnetka, as compared with the territory served by the Public Service Company is shown by the fact that until January 1st, 1924, our rates were practically the same as those of the Public Service Com- pany. On January 1st, 1924, the Public Service residential lighting rate was re- duced about 10% below ours, and on May 1st, 1926, was again reduced, so that since that date the lighting rate has been approximately 18% below ours. This dif- ference applies only to lighting and not to power service. From the foregoing, it will be seen that a considerable por- tion of the surplus earnings of the plant were accumulated during the period of rate equality. An estimate has been made of the effect of this differential on earn- ings, gnd it is believed that the reduction in the present surplus would not be more than $125,000. The present earnings of the electric utility now appear to justify a reduction in lighting rates to approximately the same level as those of the Public Service Company, and a study of the rate situa- tion and a report to the Council was made during the year, recommending a Yotizea rate schedule to achieve this re- sult. During the year the electric depart- ment continued the good record of the previous year with reference to freedom from serious service interruptions, and such minor interruptions as occurred were handled promptly by the distribu- tion and plant departments and service was resumed with a minimum of in- convenience to the customers. It is be- lieved that the record of the department, both as to continuity of plant operation and freedom from distribution trouble, compares very favorably with general public utility practice. Continuous electric service is becoming more and more im- portant with the increased use of electric energy for other purposes than for light- ing, such as for the operation of house heating appliances, refrigeration equip- ment, elevators, ete. While no serious interruptions in plant operations have occurred in recent years, it should be realized that with an isolated generating plant, the possibilities of some unforseen contingency which might cause prolonged interference in electric service, cannot be eliminated. In the case of an electric utility system, where several in- dependent plants are tied together by transmission lines, a shutdown of a single station is not serious; this safe- guard is not present in the case of our plant, and even with best of equipment and operating care, the possibility of a major accident is always present. For this reason, and because of the increas- ing dependence of uninterrupted electric service, it is recommended that serious consideration be given to the provision of the necessary cable and transformer equipment which would make it possible to secure an emergency temporary sup- ply of energy from other electrical sys- tems in the vicinity of Winnetka, with- out now actually making a physical con- nection with such lines; if this procedure is felt by the Council to be contrary to the established policy of the Village and unwise, consideration should then be given to the feasibility of an alternate plan of providing complete duplicate mechanical and electrical equipment at the plant, sufficiently independent to be un- affected by a major accident. The department continued during the vear to keep a close supervision on voltage regulation and accuracy of con- sumers' meters, keeping well within the standards established by the Tllinois Com- merce Commission for electric utilities. "As an added service to our consumers, there was installed at the plant during the year the necessary equipment tc pro- vide mathematically accurate control of current frequency, permitting the in- stallation of electrically operated and regulated clocks by. consumers, for the purpose of receiving observatory time service from the power station. These clocks have been placed on sale at the Village office, and a considerable number of them have been installed by con- sumers, with apparently good satisfac- tion. Prize Cast to Present Play, "The Undercurrent" With the cast which won first prize in the recent amateur contest of the Chicago Drama league, "The Under- current," a one act play, will be given for Evanston townspeople and North- western alumni as a part of the clos- ing ceremonies of alumni day, Satur- day, June 16. The play will be pre- sented in Annie May Swift hall, on the university campus, at 7:30 p. m. "The Undercurrent" was written by Mrs. M. H. Ehlert, wife of the Chilean consul in Chicago, while she was a student in the schocl of speech at Northwestern university. It was pro- duced by the Northwestern University Playshop and won a cash award of $500 and a silver loving cup when it was given at the Goodman theater. Mrs. Ehlert's play will also be pre- sented at the Palace theater the week of June 24.. Mrs. William Peterson, 733 Elm street, and her small niece, Chrystal Beall, left last Sunday for a trip to northern Michigan to visit Mrs. Peter- son's parents, Mr. and Mrs. J. W. Beall, at Trayeres City. Gen. Dawes to Judge World's Fair Posters Vice-president Charles G. Dawes will be one of the judges in the interna- tional poster competition which the president and trustees of the Worlds fair have announced to artists and designers. The competition, open to artists all over the world, will be for the best posters illustrative and indicative of the coming World's fair. Specifica- tions demand that no posters shall ex- ceed 18 by 24 inches nor have more than eight colors. They must be in- dicative of the Chicago World's fair in 1933 and of the city of Chicago in that year. The competition will be open until Sept. 15, 1928, in the Americas, and until Sept. 1 in Furope. Posters shall be sent to the director of the Art institute, Chicago. Prizes will be $1,500, $500, $250, $150 and $100. AL LEAVES NORSHORE Al Kvale, popular leader of the jazz collegians at the Norshore during the last year, is moving to the Oriental Sunday to take charge of Paul Ash's merry-mad gang. 1232- Wilmette 4300 Winnetka 2000 The Composing Room After all is said and done, the most extravagant printing you can buy is the kind that is "just good enough." | Economy, therefore, dictates the use of the superior facilities of the printing house of LLOYD HOLLISTER: INC. Wilmette 36 Central Avenue Greenleaf 4300 Sheldrake 568;