Middletown transcript., 1904-05-28
Communicated. ]
MORE LIGHT ON THE LIGHT AND WATER
COMMISSION

items seriatim
/. The Statement to which he refer
was not prepared by the Light and Waite
Commission, nor by any memb@ thereof
Tt was entirely the work OF the TRAN
SCRIPT and SO stated to be in the state
ment itself, As matter of fact, ant
every taxpayer Of the town knows, o
should know, the Light and Water Com
mission has made report OF all its worl
and actions to the Town Commissioner
each and every year since its organization
and it has been printed with the repor
of the Town Commissioners in pamphle
form nearly every year. For the failure
to print, the Town Commissioners ane
not the Light and Water Commission
are responsible.
2. The reason the report was no
signed is, as stated above, because it il
not report, but mere matter Of news
which the TRANSCRIPT prepared and it il
not usual for matter of that kind to be
signed.
8. This section of "Countryman's
letter is answered above.
4. 1t is almost impossible to consider
the fourth objection, because the writer
thereof is SO entirely ignorant of the real
facts of the case, that he needs course
of study in the reports Of the Light and
Water Commission. These reports are
on file in the Office of the Town Commits
sioners and press copies of the same are
preserved by the Light and Water Com
mission, either of which bodies would
willingly let him examine the same.
Each and every report shows exactly
what "Countryman" says it should show
and more. These reports follow in form
the reports of the largest and best man.
aged private light and water plants, and
while not audited by outsiders, they are
passed upon by the only body which,
under the law, has the right or power
SO to do, the Town Commissioners of the
Town of Middletown.
5. As "Countryman" states, it is plain
enough now that mistake was made in
the location Of the Water plant, but for
this mistake the Light and Water Com
mission is not responsible. As to the
hauling of coal, which he states amounts
to 1000 tons in eleven years, whereas a
matter of fact, it does not amount to
much over two-thirds of that amount,
one would think that his idea was that if
spur track were run to the station, that
the coal would unload itself and put itself
in thee bins. To run spur track to
the station would cost, if the bed of Lake
street were used, at least two thousand
dollars, the interest on which at five per
cent. would be 500 annually. On a
basis 1000 tons annualcoal consumption,
this means ten cents per ton. To this
must be added the expense of unloading
and putting in the bins, not to mention
the fact that the Railroad Company could
not build spur that would permit of the
running of a locomotive on it. Every
one in town is familiar with the method
which Mr.. G. E. Hukill, who has the
only spur in town, uses to get his cars in
and out.
If it were possible to move the plant
to some other location, what assurance is
there that the conditions would be differ
ent at a depth sufficient to secure pure
water? And it would cost many thous-
and dollars to move. 1t is possible that
it would be much cheaper to run a line
Of pipe to the Appoquinimink River and
take water from there for fire service,
but even that would cost money and
would not satisfy the demands for domes-
tic uses.
6. "Countryman" is as badly informed
in regards to the number Of lights in the
Town as he is in reference to the rest of
5he matter. The Light and Water Com
mission has now and has had since the
lay the first light was connected to the
plant full and complete list Of all the
of light and water. The re-
cent census was taken, by the unanimous
action of the. Commission, merely to
check up this list, in the same manner
hat all business men take an inventory.
z. As to the storing Of coal in vacant |
ot, there is absolutely no truth in it. A
ew hundred tons, not eight nor the half |
If eight, were bought last summer, be-
,ause there was serious danger OF strike
n the bituminous mines, and it was
lauled to the station, and was under the
watch Of the engineers who are on duty
hours in the day. 1t is pos
ible, had this coal been there during tile
evere winter, that some might have been
tolen, but there was little or no danger
rom this source during the early sum-
ner and fall months. Nor is it habit
Aoiy co ctOiCN1 iOI tuC SOuunicslOH HAS
Ilways in normal conditions purchased
md received its coal as it was needed,
wo or three cars per month.
As to the question of the business-like
natter in which the affairs of the town
lave been managed by the Light and
Water Commission, that is matter OF
opinion, on which there can be honest
differences. No two of our successful
merchants do business alike, but it is
uccess that counts in the long run. The
act as shown by the statement recently
published that the Light and Water
Commission have so managed the plants
Is to show profit, and at the same time
urnish electric lights at less than half
he rates formerly charged and less than
lalf the rate now charged in Wilmington,
md water at rates not approached by any
own on this Peninsula, is the best evil !
lence of successful, if not business-like
Methods. TAX PAYER.
SAFE BLOWN OPEN
DOVER, May 26th.-A bold attempt to
h L., f. e Al n y 1