Western Carolina Democrat and French Broad hustler. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1913-1915, 1913-05-08
The Hendersonvle
Light and lower CO.
A Home institution

#&-L AEHNG 4.E+H4& $3.50.
The Hendersonyile Light and Power Com
pany, a corporation with q charter, from the
State of North Carolina, was organized Jan
uary 4, 1904, with the following officers: 3.
M. Oates, president; C. III. Oates, vice presi
dent; M. D. Peden, secretary and treasurer.
For nine months previous to that time r, NJ.
Oates, trading as the Light and Power com
pany, had been engaged in the business Of
generating and selling electric current in
Hendersonvine
The first development of water power, on
Big Hungry creek, was completed November
8, 1904. This development, together with
an auxiliary plant in Hendersonville, sup
customers of the company with light and
power until the storm Of August 80, 1910,
which devastated the Big Hungry section
and destroyed the power house.
In rebuilding, the company decided to Sc
lect a different site for their new power
house. The site chosen was 1,700 feet furth-
err down stream, which gave an additional
fall of twenty-seven feet, and an operative
head of eighty feet. The new power house,
constructed of REINFORCED concrete, is strict
ly modern and up to date in all particulars.
The current is generated at 1920 volts and
stepped up to 1920 volts Cat which voltage
it is transmitted), and then stepped down to
1920 volts for use in town.
The growth9of the c~ompany's business has
been continuous and gratifyingly large. Dur
ing the first year, the maximum demand was
about 100 horsepower. Last year the maxi
mum demand was 800 horsepower. This
last named figure is very near the capacity
of the present plant. But the company long
ago foresaw the increased demand and pre-
pared to meet it by purchasing water power
sites further down the stream. Their hold
ings permit Of three developmentS,-No-
l, which is now IN operation; No. 2, about
1000 feet further down stream; and No. 3,
which is still lower. The company is ready
to complete the development of No. 2 as soon
as aver the need arises.
The Light and Power Company confines
its business to the generation and sale of
electric current. Electrical supplies of all
kinds are handled through the firm of n. D.
Peden & Co., which is, composed OF the two
active executive officers Of the Light and
Power Company.
The business Offices of the company, which
for a number of years have been on the east
side of Main street, will shortly be moved
to the quarters now occupied by A. ii. Haw-
kins & Son on the west side of the street; and
as soon as this charge is made, there will be
very large additions to the line of useful and
novel electrical appliances carried in stock.
The rates charged for current are as fol-
lows: For lighting, a sliding scale ranging
from 10 cents net per kilowatt to 6 cents;
for power, a sliding scale ranging from 10
cent per hlowatt to 8 cents. The company
will at all times take pleasure in cooperating
with it's customers and prospective customers
and will gladly extend all possible courtesies
consistent with sound business.
Some facts with reference to the street
lights of Hendersonville may be of interest.
There are twenty arc lights on Main street
and Seventh avenue East; and the other
streets are lighted by eighty series tungstens
of Is candle power each. This total Of 100
street lights puts Hendersonville very far
ahead of most. cities of it's size.
The company owns and maintains the en-
tire equipment, making all repairs and re-
placing broken lamps. The city pays only
for light, the charge being $50 a year for
each tungsten and $50 a year for each arc
light. In Charlotte, where the number Of
arc lights is 496, and where, by reason of
the large number used the price might be
expected to be very considerably lower), the
charge is $54 a year for each arc light.
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