Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1914-08-06
THURSDAY, AUGUST 6, 1914.
The Electric Light Plant.

Quite some time mas elapSed slii'e
a town meeting was called for the
purpose of having the citizens of the
town pass upon the question of addl-
tional lighting power for the town,
whether an auxiliary plant be Install
ed or current purchased from the ii.
& F. Railway.
The meeting was of the usual kind
held, the fair sized crowd dwindling
down to but a few when The hour had
grown late, when vote was taken 1t
was the sense of the meeting that the
Mayor and Commissioners enter into
a contract with the Railway Tor day
current so as to have the service when
needed by the town; the CommlS-
sioners were instructed To consumate
the contract, but the matter hung for
some time until some weeks ago,
Alfred NJ. Quick, Water Engineer OF
Baltimore, was here giving some adj
vice as to the needs of the Water
Company, and the town authorities
asked him to look over the lighting
plant which he did and he intinatcd
that he could point out some things
that would remedy some defects. lie
was employed to make an cXamlna-
and report, which he has now done
and the sum of his report is what the
great majority of the citizens of the
town already knew, to-wit; That we
did not have sufficient water to run
the present plant twenty-four hours
during the dry season and further
that it would not pay the town to in
stall auxiliary service because there
was not sufficient day current con-
sumcrs to warrant that extra eXpnnd
iturc of money.
His report is very voluminous and
goes into many technical details, but
the summing up is practically as
above. He failed, however, to make
such canvass of the true conditions of
the prospective day consumers of
power and light, SO that he assumed
the total conditions to measure up to
the same conditions which he did find
to exist. In this he was wrong and
his report from that standpoint is
misleading.
For instance, he failed entirely to
take into consideration the Union
Manufacturing Plant at this place
which has been insisting upon get
ting power for running its hosiery at
this place, and in doing So he made
an assertion as to this plant that was
entirely in error, for it is this plant
alone that will guarantee to purchase
power sufficient from the town to pay
the guarantee Of the railroad.
We know of a number of houses
that would not wire for electric cur
rent because the town could not as
sure them of day current; the town
had a number of consumers that it
lost last year because the town insist
ed upon its minimum charge when it
was unable for a time to furnish any
current at all; the chances are that
these consumers will return when
they have positive assurances of con-
slant and dependable service for "A
hours per day and 365 days in year.
Last Monday night the Commits
sioners met and voted to purchase the
current from the railroad and issued
instructions to tie effect that a con-
tract be drawn up and at the same
time that contract be made with
the Union Manufacturing Company
for power for its plant.
We have been without street lights
for some nights now and this is earlier
than usual that the water fails, SO
proceed gentlemen of the Board, don't
delay this matter.
You have been unduly cautious. in
fact almost akin to timidity, bat you
are right in this matter, and it will
only be a question of a little time
Good Reason for His Enthusiasm.
When man has suffered for several