The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1919-04-18
PUTTING MORE POWER
IN THE CITY PLANT

At the council meeting, Tuesday
night, Mr.. J. S. Walker of the Jack
/ sonville branch of the Westinghouse
Electric Company addressed the coun-
| ell, and the substance of his remarks
was as follows:
Mr.. Walker said that he represent
ed hydro-electric power company
and that while he also represented a
manufacturing concern that had for
sale an engine similar to the one rec
commended by Mr.. Burford, and that
while he endorsed what Mr.. Burford
had recommended and would be in
position to offer the council an at
| tractive offer on any machinery it
would be in the market for later, "my
| proposition tonight is to offer you
! power at cents per K. w. hour"
| Mr.. Walker then outlined the pos
| sible development of the power situa-
ton in Ocala, stating that several
people were waiting on the city to
increase its capacity for making pow
er, notably Mr.. J. NJ Meffert, who
| had motors standing on their founda-
tons, ready for current, until such
time as the city may in position to
supply it. He mentioned the fact that
an electric line to Silver Springs was
sure to come and that other industries
could be induced to locate at Ocala if
cheap power were available. With
this increase in business he stated
that the city would be unable to
handle the volume of business, and
that cheap hydo-electric power was
the solution.
Mr.. Burford then made a state
ment, pointing out that with the
equipment he proposed the city would
be in position to handle all business
offered for some time to come, and in
the future, with the saving effected
by turbine engine, the city could
build up surplus, replace the Skin
ner engine with another turbine, of
even larger capacity, if necessary,
and be in position to handle any bust
ness offered.
Mr.. r. G. Camp, president of the
Florida Power Company, who was in
the room, at this point made the fol-
lowing remarks:
Mr.. Camp stated that he had not
attended the council meeting with the
intention of making the council any
proposition from the Florida Power
Company, but that as a citizen and
taxpayer of Ocala he was interested
in the electric light plant and while
he endorsed all that Mr. Burford had
said, he thought the city should not
install an engine of such small
capacity. Mr.. Camp stated that the
business of the Florida Power Com
pany was growing every day and
that even recently, during a compar-
atively dull business season, the COM
pany had taken on some substantial
business "down in the woods" as he !
described it. Mr.. Camp said that this
increase in business, with the open
ing up of the phosphate industry
soon, would necessitate the Florida
Power Company obtaining some new
source of supply, as its plant would
be inadequate at certain hours of the
day; that while he had no authority
to speak for his company, but as its
president he thought what he had Ia
mind would have considerable weight
with the board of directors, and his
proposition to the city was: For the
city to install an engine of such
capacity as to enable the city to ex-
change power with the power COM
pany Eat any rate the city might see
fit to fix" Mr.. Camp pointed out the
advantages of such an arrangement
to both parties, but also drew atten-
ton to the fact that the city plant,
| in order to exchange power with his
company, would necessarily have to
have power to exchange, which would
not be the case if the city did not in
stall powerful unit.
-Ir. Camp also stated that he
! thought the citizens should be taken
into confidence by the council and if
asked to vote another bond issue to
improve the plant, should be told what
the electric rate would be when the
| plant was finally put in operation.
One of the points brought out by
Mr.. Burford in the discussion was
that such an engine as he recon-
mended operated at full or peak load
capacity would be much more eco
nomical than a larger machine ope-
rated at a great deal less than full
/ load. He also called the attention of
the council to the small engine now
in use at the plant, which has been
the city's mainstay all these months
/ of power trouble and discussion, which
could be started at moments notice
to help carry the plant over the peak
load period, usually late in the eve
nings.