The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1898-01-25
Mr.. Dial Replies.

and also one from MIR. Wilkes in
reference to my resignation as one
or the commissioners of Public
Works. These gentlemen write II
great deal in general terms and
say but little in particular. There
fore, possibly It would ba Of inter
est to the taxpayer that / specify.
} will endeavOr to be brief. When
was Mayor the last time the
Council had sOme money on hacI
and decided to drill the Artcsian
Well. This was done at a cost Of
between $4,000 and $1,000, which
was paid for and settled before u
term expired aud this amount was
not to be ~refunled-it WAS so con-
sidered before the bonds were
voted. We all knew it would take
at the least calculation the $50 900
OF bonds to complete The plant.
This disposeS of that much OF Mr..
Davis piece. AS to the other part
of the debt of about $4,000, / will
state the original incandescent line
only extended from the power
house to the ~square--and as all the
proceeds OF the bonds had been ex-
pended it was n. cessary to go into
debt to extend the i~nrandesceut
lights to different parts ofour town
and we also extended the water
mains. From these extensions the
town is realizing a large per cent on
their cOst-.pOssibly four or five
hundred per cent. Certainly no
one can object to them. The lines
will even have to be extended fur
Their where parties agree to have
water and lights. l think it well
for every citizen to be posted on
these matters. Mr.. Bale has all
the papers. Go there and examine
them from the very beginning and
nave them printed if necessary
they are public records.
Now as to the operation Of the
plant: Before Christmas we had
1T running until IL O'Clock at night
at the following expenses: Coal
about $4,000 per month. Mr.. Jack.
sOn operated the machinery at Il
salary Of $4,000 per month, David
son assisted him and trimmed the
lamps for $4,000 per month. Hen
derson, fireman at $500 per
month--aggregating $500 and
800 90 for coal making 1888 90, ex-
expenses per month with an in
come of about 100000 per quarter.
therefore, l was trying to make
ends meet n was urging every
n l could to tako lights and wa
ter thereby increasing the income,
and was negotiating with the rail
road to take water--but the party
who had control of that matter only
offered $25. 90 per month for both
roads. Surprising they needed 90
600 gallons per day we could not
Z that this would pay the extra
expenses and offered to furnish
water at the same rates as they
paid at Spartanburg or at any
place on the line. This was not
accepted. Therefore we did not
realize anything from that SQUIRE
am glad to say other par
ties were generally taking water.
Mr.. Wilkes has seen proper for
some reason unknown 10 me to
mention Barksdale & Barksdale's
stables. In order that there NAV
be no misunderstanding about this,
L will state: Mr.. w. ID. b ,rksdale
called to see me about taking wa
ter, price, etc. explained to him
urged him TO have il put in and
gave him a book containing rates,
etc. This Ia all L know of the matter
except Az below stated. At our va
rious meetings Mr.. Wilkes would de-
liver Interestingly learned and scicn-
tifie lectures on the mallcability
and pliability oflrad, iron and kim
dred subjects--and insisted and in
SiltnI imam Tho t>lr,, L,., ,,.I:-
lead connections. After hearing
several of the said lecture3.--upDn
his motion 1T was unanimously
decided and entered upon the
minutes that the plumbers must
make sale connections and | being
Chairman of the Board was re-
quested to have the matter at
tended to accordingly. A few days
thereafter Mr.. King called at my
! office to see about making a 9 n
nection for Mr.. e. w. Martin. /
told him the Commissioners had in
structed me to see that lead con-
n%ecliOns were made and W. must
comply with the rule. He said he
W0uld not do so---that it cost more.
L tod him not TO make any
connection at all---that / had no
power to change what the Com
missioners had done. A few days
after that, on Sunday, l went to
Charleston, returning Tuesday at
| o'clock, when Mr.. Bale told me
Mr.. King would not obey our rule
and was making iron connections.
inquired Of Mr.. Wilkes and hc
stated that he had authorized
Mr.. King to proceed.--without con-
sultIng Capt. Jones or m~yself--and
he expected to do at all times what
he thought TO be to the best interest
Of the town. OF course I explain
ed to the young man it was rather
fresh for one to undo what all had
decided upon in Irregular meeting,
particularly after l mad told Mr..
King Of the rule which Mr.. Wilkes
knew. presume this was his iloa
OF propriety-.-if he had ever
thought OF such a subject. OF
course l wanted Martin, and Barks-
dale & B%arksdale to take water
also wanted the Commissioners and
plumbers to adhere to our require
ments when made. If the rule was
a bad one 1t could have been
changed Tuesday afternoon, and
certainly no one could have SUI.
fered by waiting from Sunday un-
til that time.
The city council asked the Com
n. .4r L.