Lexington gazette. [volume] (Lexington, Va.) 1871-1962, 1910-12-07
A Card Concerning the Electric
Light Negotiation

1t is q matter OF general k owl
edge that the Lexington Light and
Power Company secured the fran
chise to furnish lights to Lexington
under an agreement that il it failed
to furnish satisfactory lights, re-
CARELESS OF high or low water. il |
should forfeit the franchise, and |
that for more than six months it has
failed to perform its contract. See
Contract, Mch. 10th. 1902, statements
of DR.. Stevens and Mr.. Beaver, filed
in records OF Town Council
1t is equally we'll known that tn.
Town Council has earnestly en-
deavored to relieve the situation; has
appointed special committee to in
veStigate the situation, before which
the Company had two hearings; has
appointed special committee to
confer with the Company with whom
the Company failed to confer; and f.
nally abandoning all hope of relief
through the Company, it advertised
for bids from any who would give
satisfactory assurance that proper
lights would be furnished the town
and it's citizens.
1t would be naturally supposed
that the Company would have made
strenuous efforts to perform it's OBJ
legations or at least show some APP
probation OF the leniency of the
Council in not FORGETTING the fran
chise; but, so far as am able to dis
cover, conditions are now just what
they were six months ago and when
the Council first began action on the
subject Except as effected by the
absence OF the students), while the
attitude of the Company toward the
Council is one of resentment, rather
than appreciation. This attitude is
especislly manifested by two COM
munications which appeared stimuli
taneously in the Lexington Gazette
OF November %, 1910, one purport-
ing to be report by the Company's
manager to its stockholders as of
Nov. 18th, and published by the di-
rection Of the stockholders; the other
being an article entitled Water and
Lights" signed ID. c. Humphrey"
to which is appended a note that
PROF. Humphreys has charge of in
stalling the new pumping plant and
is Vice President OF the Lexington
Light l. Power Company, and both
OF which criticize the Councils ac-
ton in general and mine in particu-
lar.
In so far as these communications
question the accuracy Of the Com
mittees reports l am content TO rest
on the evidence in the records OF
the Council, accessible to all. and,
so far as propriety OF the Councils
action in requiring the Company to
install 200 h. p. steam plant with
in six months, it is sufficient to say
that after the Council had called for
bids for a new franchise the mana
ger of the Company in his published
report recommended to the stock
holders the installation of $50 II.
p. steam plant. concluding that the
Company must recognize the fact
that something must be done and
done at once" Thel efore, as to
these criticisms, the Council may
rest for their vindication on the rec
ord and the published communica-
tions.
But in the managers report Their e
is criticism of myself, the subject
matter of which is not entirely a
matter of record and which calls for
a reply. The substance OF this crit
icism is that that young Mr.. Hutton,
the son OF the manager, and a wOr-
thy young man, came to see me and
carry report and information bear
ing on this matter" that he reached
me at one minute past IL o'clock
noon, and 1 informed him l would
have to report to the Council that
had received no communication
The report does not correctly state
I what occurred.
t No one can have read the reports
of the Councils proceedings with
out realizing that every member o