The courier-index., 1919-09-12
LIGHT SITUATION
 LITTLE IMPROVED
PLANT HAS BEEN SHUT DOWN MAJOR PORTION OF WEEK COUCH WANTS TO SELL JUNK TO THE CITY.

The past week has been one of ex- treme exasperation to patrons of the Arkansas and Power Company. The service has been so alternating and intermittent and seldom that no de- pendence whatever could be placed in 1t. The current was off all day Mon day, all night Monday night, all day Tuesday and most of Tuesday night Wednesday, Manager Moreland, who recently resigned but who was in- duced by the company to again re- sume charge for the present, was able to furnish service until three o'clock in the afternoon, when he was forced to shut down for repairs. wednes- day night the plant ran for a few hours. Thursday the current was on during the forenoon and until two o'clock in the afternoon when the machinery was stopped for more re- pairs. The same conditions existed on Friday.
 In justice to Manager Moreland it should be stated he has done all that is humanly possible for him to do to keep the plant going. The company sent two brainless engineers here from bleeding Kansas during the ab- bence of Manager Moreland. and they came near running every decent piece of second hand junk in the piane. Moreland returned just in time to save the scraps.
 MT. Heinrich, chief engineer for the Arkansas Corporation Comms- sion, spent Tuesday here. He was mortified at the deplorable condition of the light plant and the city's water plant also. He stated he had never seen city as badly abused in the matter of lights and water as is Marianna. Upon his return to Little Rock he summoned H. c. Couch, president of the light and power company before the commission and told him the situation in Marianna had become so desperate that the commission would have to take dras- tic action. As usual Mir. Couch plead the baby act and said his company was not making any money here and could not invest funds in the im- provements. Mir. Heinrich insisted were necessary. Couch said he want ed to sell the plant to the City of Marianna. The commission arrang- ed for a conference in Marianna Monday at which time the proposition to sell will be discussed.
 A mass meeting of citizens was held at the Elks Home last night and after a general discussion lasting two hours the meeting authorized the ap- pointment of committee to confer with Mir. Couch. The committee, consisting of Hugh Nixon, Dr. O. l.. Williamson and O. G. Norment was instructed by the mass meeting to pro- pose to Mir. Couch that he select an engineer to act with an engineer to be chosen by the city the two to make an inventory of the plant and system here, arrive at a fair usable or re- placement valuation of the property, with the distinct understanding the city is in no sense obligated to pur- chase the plant at the price fixed by the engineers or at any other price. The mass meeting adopted this plan merely because the citizens felt it would be information of value to know what the actual worth of the plant is. After the price has been determined, the matter will be refer red back to the people and if they care to purchase the plant they may do SO
 It is not known whether or not MT. Couch will accept this proposition. If he declines, it will be up to the corporation commission to force the company to make the necessary im- provements that will insure adequate service.
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