Hopkinsville Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1889-1918, 1908-04-04

very thoroughly, an opportunity would
be given to any citizens to question
him. Later vote would be taken
in order that the council might know
the wishes of it's constituents.
The city engineer, whose training
and experience were limited to land
surveying and setting the grades for
the streets and sewers, felt that his
position required him to show that
he was not dazed by all the technical
terms which had been used. Address
ing the mayor, he said:
'Mr. Stickney has told US that the
capacity of this plant would be 100
kilowatts. l would like to ask him
whether that is its maximum or its
minimum capacity" This question
was actually asked under the circum-
! stances described; in fact, the main
/ points of the story are a matter of
, history in a prairie city.]
Stickney never cracked smile as
he replied: 1.-THE question is well put.
A hundred kilowatts is the normal
capacity, but the plant can carry the
overload for half an hour or SO OF
twenty-five additional kilowatts."
While some other questions were be-
! ing asked by prominent citizens, anx,
ious to maintain their prestige, Molly
Zimmerman was whispering earnestly
70 her brother. Molly was high school
girl. who had been studying electricity
the winter before. With few others,
she had gone over to Milldale to see
how this mysterious current was gen.
Grated, and Graham, proud Of his up to
date plant, had shown the little party
through it, explaining to them the vari-
, Gus pieces of machinery with which 1t
was filed. Molly's bright eyes had
noticed the hooded dynamo at one side,
and it was in answer to her question
, that he explained about the duplication
of parts for use in case Of break
down. "And now we have seen the
whole plan," said Molly as they were
, thanking Graham in the Office.
ooh, no." laughed he, "only one part.
The other part is the one that wanders
all over the town, lights the streets,
carries the current to the stores and
houses and distributes the surplus pow
err to the factories
And so, as Stickney talked, he was
speaking to one auditor, at least, be-
fore whom there rose up a picture Of a
really up to date plant, and who was
bright enough to see the discrepancies
between his $4,000 outfit and what
was really needed to light her city.
Perhaps if it had been somebody
ese's brother instead of her own who
was seated beside her, she might have
persuaded him to ask the questions
which she was too shy to ask for her
self. But Tom Zimmerman was more
intent upon listening to what the presi-
dent of the Pleasantville bank (whom
Stickney had primed on the subject Of
bonds was saying, than on the half au-
dible whispers Of his curly headed sis
ter.
Right behind them sat DR.. Grey, who
had known Molly all her life. The doc
tor did not know anything about cleo
trio light plants, but he knew that Mol
~ had wise little head, and when he
overheard one of her urgent whispers,
he leaned forward and half playfully
asked;
"Are you trying to get spokesman,
Molly?"
ooh, DR.. Grey! Please ask him why
he has not said anything about trans
mission lines, and poles, and street
lamps, and meters, and what we would
do if the one dynamo should break
down.
EASY, easy, little girl" said the doc
tor Remember, l am in the infant
class (for Molly taught that at Sunday
SCHOOL,, and tell me the story gently.
as to a little child"
Molly blushed, but after few min
utes of whispering the doctor rose and
asked one by one, though hardly in
their logical order, the questions that
Molly had suggested.
The doctors first question, docs the
estimate include meters for CONNER
cial lighting" was parted by the glib
answer:
ooh, the customers would buy their
own meters"
Yes, but how much would the me-
tiers costW
The wrinkles overpowered the smile
on Hiram Stickney's face, as he real
lied by the Doctors quiet way that he
was no longer dealing with make be-
lieve questions, but with the real desire
for knowledge of a man who was ac-
customed to look beneath the surface
of things Admission after admission
was forced from him, until the truth
stood revealed that his complete
plant was only generating plant,
with no provision for distribution, and
a poorly equipped one at that. He was
a game fighter, however, and did not
leave town until after the next council
meeting when franchise and contract
were both voted without dissent.
He had done the town one service,
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