The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1915-04-09
COLONEL BOB WARNS US
OF THE ANANIAS CLUB

1
you would let my old weary bones
rest in peace so far as the discussion /
of the price of city water and electric
current was concerned, but you won't.
l am not machinist nor an electri-
clan, therefore cannot discuss intel
ligently from a scientific standpoint
at what price water and light can be
produced by the old, worn-out, fuel
fed machinery of the city, but the
chairman of the water and light COM
mittee of the city council of 1914,
also the chairman of the water and
light committee of the present city
council, also the city electrician all
say electric current can be produced
by the present city plant at 2 cents
per k. W. h.
If their statements are true, and
believe they are, yet the current is
sold to the customers at 8 cents per
k. w. h or four times the cost of the
current, which / alluded to in my ar
ticle as selling Is cents worth of cur
rent for dollar. Do you now under
stand?
The 2 cent per k. W. host of
roduction-included all the distribu-
ton and overhead expenses that you
allude to or else the public has been
misled in the cost of production. l do
not care who furnishes the electric
current, if it can be furnished at a
cost of cents by the city, do not
think it is right to charge four times
its cost to make money to meet other
expenses. Give US lights at 6 cents
per k. w. h. and we will think the city
council wants to take the consumer,
the taxpayer, the owners, into their
confidence and co-partnership and
divide profits with them. otherwise |
shall contend for an honest competi-
ton whether it be from the Florida
Power Company or some other indi-
vidual or corporation. Two wrongs
do not make one right. / care not
what other cities and towns are
charging for light and water. If they
are selling the owners of their plants
% cents worth of electric current for
one dollar, and Is or 20 cents worth
of water for one dollar, it is wrong
and the practice is wrong. The city
of Ocala is not excusable for doing
wrong in practice because other
cities are doing so. Who put you
wise, Mr.. Editor, to make the asser-
ton that "Ocala had one of the low
. est electric rates in the state ?"
don't believe you know, but / think
too much of you to put you in the
Ananias Club. / read in the Times
Union that Jacksonville had put her
electric light rate down to cents per
k w. h., and am informed that their
minimum fiat rate has been so cents
for years. Ocala's minimum rate is
! one dollar instead of so cents.
Please don't mislead your readers
and try to make the impression that
: want the poor people sold out Of
| 1914. According to your logic the
$4,000 due and unpaid, according tt
! the collectors report of a month ago
5 was all levied against the poor OF the
: city who are not able TO pay theil
/ taxes; this, my dear boy, / do not be.
: lieve. 1 warn you again about thai
5 Ananias Club.
If there was levied $4,000 taxes Of
: the city of Ocala in 1914 against the
, poor who are not able to pay and only
l ~ Il
= to pay, then something is radically
E wrong and the Star ought to let tht
!. public know. Beware of that Ananiai
Club with your logic and do not make
! so many unwarranted excuses for the
' high rate of water and light. / an
not concerned about what was charg
{ ed for water and lights in the year.
gone by. It is the rate of the present
t that / am contending against, and
shall be perfectly satisfied to get il
! from the present plant or any Other
plant that will furnish it cheaper anC
I a plenty of it. So far as the city
council of the present and past are
, concerned, / regard them all as high
y toned gentlemen and as my persona
friends. The council of 1914 gave MI
! on Washington street two stree
. lights, the council of 1915 has granted
q me a water main on East Washington
a street, all that have asked of them
v l find no fault with them, l am onl!
contending for what / believe is right
cheaper rate of water and lights TO
> your beloved poor and equal justice t
those who pay their taxes. In con
clusion, beg that the meager suppl,
of water be not cut off from the poo
: who can not pay for their water met
ers and pay their taxes.
Yours kindly,