Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1919-03-07
COUNCIL VOTES
FOR CITY TO DO
own PUMPING

of its own power plant for pumping
city hall, the fire alarm system, etc.
the council voted to adopt the commit
tees report and proceed to the put
ting of it into operation"
The action followed the failure OF
the committee and the Americas Light
ing company to reach an agreement on
contract for this year on lighting the
city hall, city clock, pumping station
grounds, uptown well and fire depart
ment alarm system. While the coun-
ell instructed the committee to pro-
coed to putting its recommendation in
to effect, the resolution was so word
ed as to leave the committee still free
to entertain a further proposal from
the Lighting company, should one be
forthcoming.
The committee made it's recommen-
dation after receiving statement from
City Engineer Ansley, who stated that
by resuming the furnishing of its W
power for pumping and lighting of city
buildings, saving of $1,000 per year
would result
AS explained at the meeting by Man
ager Johnson of the Lighting company,
and by Col. w. A Dodson, attorney for
the company, the lighting company
now furnishes current for pumping
water at IL per kilowatt hour, cost
ing the city about $1,000 per year
The power for lighting the city hall,
for the fire alarm system, ETC., has
been charged to the city at the regu-
lar retail power and light rate, about
$4,000 per year, service which, ac-
cording to Mr.. Ansley, the city former
ly furnished itself for about $500 per
year.
The power for pumping is delivered
directly to the city plant, and requires
no distribution. The lighting power
is distributed by the company, al
though the city has it's own distribu-
ton plant, which is now lying idle The
council committee proposed to the
company that in renewing the con-
tract for this year the city do its own
uptown distribution of current, and
be given this current at the same rate
as the current for pumping II cents,
meaning a reduction in cost to the
city of about $1,400 per year. The
company refused to accept this, but of
fered to make a fiat rate for the up-
town lighting and power, over its own
lines. as at present, of cents, a reduc-
ton for the city of about $415. This
the committee refused and framed it's
recommendation to the council for the
city to resume making it's own cur
rent
Manager Johnson, appearing before
the council last night, offered new
proposal of a fat rate of 6 cents for
the uptown lighting and pc Ter a to-
tai reduction over last years price of
about $500, which the council refused.
Mr.. Johnson explained to the council
that the company actually lost on the
city's contract last year about $1,400,
producing the exact figures, but he
declared this seeming loss was made
up through the fact that the plant was
able to furnish the city's power at
times when the heaviest use was not
being made of power by other consum-
ers, but when it was necessary to keen
the electric plant in operation, which
aided in reaching a profitable average
He declared the company was not es-
pecially eager to have the contract al
this low figure, but, being willing to
aid the city, had consented to reduc-
ton as outlined.
In touching on the proposal for the
city to resume the operation of its
own plant, Colonel Dodson cautioned
the council to inquire carefully
into whether the plant was safe
limiting that it was not. In reply tc
him later, after being quizzed by mem
bers of the council, City Engineer Ans
ley referred to report submitted by
him to the old council last October
which was read by the clerk and which
showed that the city had been without
water three times within four years
through the negligence" of the Light
ing company, but only once in two
years while the city was pumping its
own water, and that because of an
unavoidable accident.
Mr.. Ansley stated this to be the re-
cord as personally known to him. He
declared the city's plant fully as capa-
BILE at this time as the Lighting com
pany's plant, even asserting that il