The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1907-08-30
COLUMBIA WATER AND LIGHT
COMPANY.

ton to the fact that. among other
things. the telephone was on duty at the
Columbia Water Light Company's OF
nce. Mr.. DobbiHs. the manager, thinks
this was an unjust reflection upon
him: carrying with It the suggestion
that he had hung up HIS phone and left
the ONCE to avoid answering ques'
tions; and requests the statement that
he was at the ONCE all day, except
when called away on important bust
ness. We do not doubt or question
Mr.. Dobbins' statement in the least
Personally the Herald esteems Mr..
Dobbins as a conscientious, christian
gentleman. Our criticism was not
against him. but against the poor serv-
ice the company is giving.
We were promised the day before
uhat the water would be on that morn
ing: the water was not on, and we
wanted to know the reason why; or
more particularly if it would be on
that day; we wanted the information
for business reasons; we needed the
water; we had to make other arrange
ments IL it was not coming on soon.
We tried the phone several times and
could get no answer We do not
blame Mr.. Dobbins for that, II he had
other business for the company that
called him elsewhere. But we do
blame the company for not having
office force sufficient to have their
phone answered at all times during
business hours.
The same thing occurred with our
electric power; it went off, and we
could not learn when it would come
on. After trying to get some informa-
ton over the phone, and falling, we
rugged up our gasoline engine, and in
ten minutes after it started the power
come on. We would have been saved
time and trouble if we could have
gotten somebody at the phone TO
have told us that the power would
not he off long. That was not Mr.,
Dobbins' fault if he was otherwise
engaged in the company's business, as
he was. because his word Is as good
as gold;) but the company should
have had somebody there to answer
their phone.
Our criticism was not personal In
the first place, We have no personal
feeling against any soul connected
with the Columbia Water and Light
Company. On the contrary our rela-
tions are entirely pleasant. And we
hope the public will understand that
we do not mean to wound or offend
any of the officers of the company.
But this question will be and should
he generally discussed these next few
weeks, as a political issue; and the
Herald expects to discuss it; candldly
and we hope fairly. We certainly
shall not be scurrilous, and will try
not to be offensive, If the company,
through any of its officers or any OF
its friends, wishes to present its side
of the case, at any time, courteously,
fairly and candidly, the columns of the
Herald will be open We expect to
present the facts as they come to us ,
from reliable sources, We intend TO
insist that candidates for Mayor and
Aldermen declare their purpose and
their plan for dealing with this COM
pany; this water and light question. f
We shall insist that the people are en-
titled to and must have better service.
We shall favor taking whatever radi-
cal steps may be necessary to secure
that better service. If the owner OF
the property is not willing to invest
enough money to insure that service;
Il he is making no money on his In
yestment if he has been losing mon
~, and is not willing to send good