The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-10-20
CITY IN DARKNESS
 FOR SEVERAL DAYS
Light Plant Breaks Down and
 Candles Are Scarce
WATER POWER HARD TO GET
Citizens of Talladega Are Discussing Possibility of Obtaining a Better Water Supply-New Library
 Is Very We'll Patronized.

Talladega, octoper 19.-(special. l-since noon on Sunday the city has been in darkness. The churches were without electric lights for services Sunday night and the streets looked like dark country roads. No general notice was given the people that the lights would be out and as a consequence there was much in convenience because the stores were not opened Sunday evening and oil and can dies could not be bought.
 Under the charter granted to MT. Cham bers the electric power and light was to be generated at Jackson's Shoals. 9 miles north of here-although Chambers was allowed to put in & temporary plant of steam power in the city limits. The consideration of the grant in the char ter was the use of power from the shoals the city council decning that 1t would build up the city, if such power was de- veloped. The present company has aban- doned the shoals plant and is asking franchise granting them the right to use the steam plant now in the city linn its. Nothing has been paid the city for the franchise. It is understood that dark ness will prevail until some time Tues day evening. It is claimed that the engine of the plant has broken down, or broken some of its parts. The city deducts 25 cents per evening for the arc lights as a penalty for failure to give light.
 G. T. c. Braswell, a young white man, was indicted in the city court in four cases for obtaining money under false pretenses by giving checks on fictitious persons, or on people who were not in debted to him. This morning he plead guilty to two of the charges and re- ceived an aggregate sentence of two months and 119 days, the added 119 days being for non-payment of the costs. The two remaining charges were mol pressed
 There is much discussion among our citizens over obtaining a greater and better water supply. The rapid growth of the city has caused the present wa ter supply to be inadequate even for fire protection and as it is a hard lime stone water it is undesirable to many peo- pie of weak stomachs. The situation of the spring from which the source of supply is drawn by many is thought to be susceptible of contamination and soft water is greatly desired as an ad- ditional reinforcement of the present sys- tenn. North of the city there is an abund- ance of pure soft freestone water and just south of us is Talladega creek, from either of these places an abundant supply could be drawn. As yet no one has taken the initiative but it is a fine chance for alderman to cover himself with glory.
 A spelling bee conducted by Hon. G. K. Miller and Hon. Thomas Plowman for the benefit of the Confederate so- ceties here will take place in a few days. The weapon selected for this duel is the Old Blue Back speller and if a vis- itor to Talladega sees a gray bearded citizen bumped over a spelling book he will at once understand that it's prep aration for the spell.
 The new library founded on the Jem- ison- Carnegie foundations is becoming very popular. Every evening it's halls and corridors are filled with quiet, low voiced students boring over some se- lected volume. The building is beau tifully arranged and furnished, even to smoking department for the men. A small lecture room capable of seating 300 people furnishes good place for concerts, lectures, etc. The popularity of this institution is bound to grow as the years advance.
 After a session of more than month of the criminal court there are yet 30 prisoners in the county jail but the non jury trial docket to be taken up next week will reduce this number by 10 or 12 Several will remain for a hearing of appeals from the supreme court to be acted on in February, 1909.