The Ocala evening star., 1915-04-20
SOME INFORMATION
FOR THE SEEKER
No Question for a Mathematician,
But Just Common Business
Sense

nation Seeker" quotes the Manufac-
turers Record on hydro-electric de-
velopments through various southern
states and asks the question why
these developments are being made.
1t seems to man up tree that this
is being done to make money, or at
least the capitalists think so before
they invest their money. / don't be-
lieve that it takes a mathematician
to figure that out. AS for the cost per
k. w. h. generated by water, it de-
pends largely on the cost of the de-
veloped horsepower. In some sec
tions of the country the cost is about
fifty per cent less than others. This
is on account of being able to secure
good head of water without having
to purchase large tracts of land,
which all goes into the cost per k.
w. h.
But / fail to see what this has to
do with the cost of electricity in
Ocala We need no mathematician to
figure that out. I do not believe that
any one has said, or at least / have
not heard them say, that electricity
could be generated as cheap with en-
gines and boilers, using wood or coal
for fuel, as could be done with water.
And | doubt if Information Seeker"
has heard any one say so himself.
Again, what has that to do with the
price of eggs or electricity in Ocala?
We need no mathematician to figure
that out. The question before the
house is this: What will the consum-
ers get electricity for, and not what
does it cost big hydro-electric cor
porations to manufacture it. Will
they sell it to this municipality as
cheap as the city can make it. Will
they or viii they not? That is the
question. It does not take a mathe-
matician to figure that out.
Now Mr.. "Information Seeker" if
you will take the trouble to seek some
information from the district around
Birmingham and Bessemer, or prac-
tically all over the state of Alabama;
in fact, several other states, viz:
Georgia, South Carolina, North Caro-
lima and Tennessee, think you will
find that there is one big power trust,
and that for every horsepower in wa
ter it has duplicate in steam, and is
SO entrenched that it would take
heaven and earth to rout it, as the
state failed and so did the govern
ment on this same Warrior river that
the Manufacturers Record refers to-
You can also get some good informa-
ton from Mrs. Longstreet at Gaines
vile, Ca, in regard to the great Tai
lulah Falls development. These are
the people that know why these great
Developments are being made and they
know what the price of electricity is,
in the midst of this great hydro-elec-
trio development. You can also get
some information from the mayor of
Atlanta in regard to this cheap power.
II believe that If you will investigate
you will find that there was a great
trial for municipal plant in Atlanta
to get relief, and it was finally hushed
up by giving a reduction in rates
from 10 and IL cents per k. w. h. to
the cheap rate of cents per k. w. h.,
which is now in effect. Still they draw
on hydro-electric plants located in
labout five states. No one has ever
heard of any cheap power in this dis
trict around this great development.
It is take the power or shut down.
i There are very few of these cities
that own and control their plants or
have ever owned them. The chances
for municipal ownership there now
are very slim, unless one of our local
politicians and great calculators will
go be. Moses for them, as they
have never had one who was equal to
the occasion.
But what has this to do with the
price of electricity in Ocala? Mr..
Information Seeker" you have proba-
bly, never had the information i'm
parted to you that during the year of
1911 of our Lord, that this same and
great cheap power was offered to the
city for the sum of cents per k. w.
h. at the switchboard, carrying a con-
tract OF 10 years with it. This would
have expired in 1921. Why has it
gone down to 2 cents now? Has the
water become more plentiful and
heavier, or is it just softening of the
heart? For your information / will
say that the city is selling this same
lparty current on his premises at
cents per k. w. h. with a minimum of
one dollar up, instead of $4,000 kilo-
watts as the minimum that was offer
ed the city by this hydro-electric pow
er company. / don't believe you will
need mathematician to figure that
lout.
This affair looks something like a
game of cards, with the city's hand
turned up on the table and the other
lhand turned down to draw from. The
city may not draw the "Old Maid, %
providing the cards are not stacked; !;
then again, it may. 1t is a game of
chance. / would thank "Mathema-
tician" or Information Seeker" il
they will figure out where the "Old