The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1907-02-08

IEfdl EAtsilt&
Much for the City.
An important development, which
VIII be OF tremendous advantage in .ile
growth and prosperity of this div
along progressive lines, was made
known yesterday when it was autnor-
ltatlVely announced hat application
a been made to the general assembly
OF North Carolina for a charter fo- q
corporation to be known as the Tide
water Power Co., the of the
company being to give Wilmington
the advantages of water power FOR
llghtlng purposes, an advantage ami
enterprise that no other eaport or the
Atlantic coast enjoys. It means. if the
plans or the company are consummated
That Wilmington will be the best light
ed city IN the south, at the most eco
nOmical cost.
Inc new formed company will be
subsidiary to the Rockingham Power
Company, and is organized primarily
Tor the transmission of current srCIn
the great development heal Rocking
man,, to this city. A tentative contract
has already been entered into with the
Rockingham company, for the Dar-
chase, for a term Of 40 years, of 1860
electrical horse power for use in this
city, this being about 20 times tie
amount Of power now used here ior
lighting.
The lncOTpOratOTs mentioned in the
Tide Water Power Company, all we'll
known Wilmingtonians. arc Mr.. NJ F.
II. GOuVenuer, Major E. w. VanC. Lt-:
cas-, Mr.. T. w. Davis, Mr.. Mat J.
Heyer and Mr.. Hugh MacE2ae. The
capital stock is to be $500 with the
right to increase to any amount that
is desired.
During the past few days a party Of
prominent New England bankers nave
been in Wilmington, looking over the
city in the interests of the new COM i
pany. From Wilmington they went to
Rockingham where they investigated
the progress being made IN he con ;
struction of the great power plant a.
that place.
The Rockingham POWER company is
a gigantic development company hav-
ing $4,000, 900 subscribed capital, and
SIS, ZOO, 900 authorized capital. The di-
rectors of the company are Mr.. NJ. 7.
H. GOuveneur of Wilmington, Mr.. +. |
A. Smith and Mr.. F. z. Mitchei: Of
No" VnrE ATr d OTnrnnr on1 Mr. 4
S.. n. Bond Of Boston, and Mr.. H. a.
Pressey, of Washington They are OK |
pending vast sums in construction
work at Bluitt Falls and in the cree
ton of a power house there, from
which electricity will be transmitted
to factories and towns within a radius
Of probably 80 miles. It may be of in
terest to state that the dam under con-
.struction is 1850 feet long on.the crest.
or as long as from Market street to the
A. c. l.. station. 1t is 80 feet hl$h.
which is higher than the average butd-
ing on Front street.
1t is believed by those interested III
the new company hat with the cueap
source of power, at Rockingham, he
mpa can furnish electric lights IN
competition with kerosene Oil, so that
every person using lights a well af-
ford to have the most modern and con
venient lighting. The result OF the
lower prices will undoubtedly DC Il
great stimulus to the use of electrical
lighting. Certainly nothing would Q n
tribute more to the rapid growth OF
Wilmington than the bringing IN OF
this amount of cheap power II IL
seems almost assured hat the desired
result will be attained in the near
future.
II is not vet known what the edect
of this new company will be Oh ire
lighting business of the COnsOsIlCate1
Company, which has already maze re-
auctions, and in a recent circular let
ter to the patrons made the ayo"a' al
it's policy to still further reduce It's
price for lights as far as is CONSISTENT
with first class and continuous service.
II is possible that il the face OF his
new source of supply the Consolln2tec
Company would be unable WIN It's
present power plant to compeIe WIN
water power and may dispose o IT'S
lighting business to the new nbah
or under some satisfactory agreement
retire from the field and CONNIE It's
sphere to operating the city ano s'i-
hurban traction lines, which are being
improved and extended and 70 the
manufacture of gas, both for fuet ana
lighting purposes.