The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1905-12-13
The Electric Plant Losing Money, Says
Its Owner.
EIi;o: The Manning Times


Dear Sir:-Your article il THE
TINES OF this week headed Don't Kill
the Goose That Lays the Golden Egg
is in reference to my business and the
Electric Light Plant that i'so foollshly
built here with my own money and the
hardest kind of labor Of myself and my
sons. We are not trying to xiii the
Goose" but only trying to get few OF
the Golden Eggs that the people OF
Manning have been enjoying for the
last three years. The Letter and Rules
that YOU refer 10, were addressed tc
each OF our patrons (who we think are
sensible business mem who had flat
rates. 1t was and is plain and just
business proposition and is only left to
them TO decide. AS to the meters, we
cut the meter rates lG per cent before
making the proposition to them. We
also offered to furnish meters at our
expense where there were lights
enough to guarantee us in doing so.
The idea in the meter is TO get pay Tor
the current that is used. and any hon
est man. that wants TO pay for what ne
gets does not object to them, as some
OF our best patrons who had Hat rates
have put IN meters and saved money by
it. Where persons have fat rates they
burn all the time. which neceSsltates
CARRYING the load when there Is no use,
hence the raise in the fiat rates. Now
as to the cheap labor and fuel, would
thank Mr.. Applet TO send some OF II
down this way, for we need 1t very
much. and as to the towns that he com
pares this with. Some of them have
higher rates than we have. and some,
such poor lights that they are not
worth anything, which Mr.. Applet IS
well aware of. And as TO Columbia,
they get their power from the Cana, ,
which cost the State thousands OF dol
lars. If we had the Canal we could
furnish the lights for 100 per cent less
There is no comparison ~ the sltua-
ton whatever. Now as to the special
privileges we have from the town. The
only one that | know of is to pay taxes.
We have Franchise from the Council
under the Old Charter, which they
claim is no good under the new char
ter. IN November of last year we made
application for Franchise which we
think we are entitled to, but up to this
time our request has not been granted
We have q large amount Invested here
and have given our patrons first class
service for three years but have very
little or no protection. so what IS the
inducement TO continue TO improve this
plant when it does not pay running eX-
penseS.
Ii Mr.. Applet would make one half
the effort to help such enterprises IN
the town succeed as he uses to lnlure
mine we would have much better
town. do not mean to brag or 10
praise but am sure that for the last
twenty-five years my enterprises have
put more money in Manning and done
more TO put it on the Map than any
business in it. and without any help
except from few of our business men,
and would beg to state right here
that the sooner Mr.. Applet and Il few
others will understand that 1t takes
manufacturing enterprises as we'll as
other businesses to build q town, the
sooner we will have town.
No manufacturing enterprise ever
gets any encouragement Or support
that is started here. while in the other
towns that Mr.. Applet has compared
my business TO supports them to man,
and with very few exceptions they
| grant free taxes to them until they get
on & paying basis.
We have endeavored to give the peo-
pie as well as the town first class ser,
vice at as little cost as possible. We
have first class plant and have spared
no expense or labor to make it so. II
the people of Manning can afford TO lei
it go, why say let it go.
We cannot run the Plant any longer
at q loss. If you think it can be run
for less. it is for sale and cheap at that.
w. SCOTT HARvIN.
Manning. S. c., Dec. S, 1905.