Oxford eagle. (Oxford, Lafayette Co., Miss.) 1876-current, 1919-05-08
Light and Water Problem Aired and
recommendations Made to City
Commissioners Leaks Dis
covered.

As per announced a citizens meet
my was held Monday night and many
Oh the best citizens of Oxford were
present to hear the reports of the COM
mlrtees which were appointed two
weeks ago to make Investigations of
t..e City's affairs in general.
At $50 o'clock the county court
house was pretty we'll filled with peo-
PIE when Acting Chairman c.. E.
Sisk raped for order. He proceeded
to state the object of the meeting, af-
ter which G.. W. Price was elected
secretary.
The first report was made by Lee
Baggett, chairman of the water and
light committee, which was read by
him, the report being as follows:
"Oxford, Miss. May 5, 1919.
"Hon. Jas. Stone, Chairman Et AL.
Citizens Meteing:
Gentlemen
"We, your committee appointed two
weeks ago to i've tigate deficiencies in
our light ano 80 ." plant would re-
port as follow We find that the
stead boilers ring the last year were
kept in We poor condition, which
caused much lste in fuel and labor,
but we are lad to report that this
defect Nv been eliminated, and
the bC re now, or very soon will
be, oI s1ficiency basis, and taken
ia ton with the new method of
har ar water now being installed
ar III will soon be in operation
s,.t in great saving in fuel.
after much investigation we find
that the cost of producing electricity
based on present high costs of fuel,
labor and supplies is at least CD seven
cents per K. w. hour, and We attach
hereto statement from the Univer-
sity Mississippi showing their cost of
production to this figure, and as their
basis of operation is the same as ours,
we think it fair basis upon which to
figure.
Gas our lighting consumers are pay
ing Is cents per X. w. hr. for their
current, this would show nice pro-
fit on this business, but as our power
users (motors) are paying only 5 cents
per X. W. hr. it shows that we are
losing about two cents per X. w. hr.
Oh this business, and we recommend
an immediate increase in this power
rate to G. 1-2) seven, one-half per X.
w. hr. This would make the power
rate one half as much as the light
rate. We believe it to be manifestly
unfair to our tax payers to sell the
current to power users below cost of
production.
1--WE think a small service charge
should be paid by the motor users.
"We recommend that as soon as
practicable we should install COM
plete meter system as we think we are
losing considerably on the flat rates
and we suggest that when meter
becomes dead or inaccurate, that in
stead of assessing the minimum
charge, that the average consumption
for the preceding II months be made
the basis of settlement.
"We recommend that as soon as
practicable a new copper wire be in
stalled, making direct connection be-
tween the dynamo to the power plant
and the motor at the pump house,
which would make a considerable saw
ing in induction loss.
ave recommend that the City Clerk
have published each month in The
Eagle a statement showing the re-
ceipts from the plant for power, lights
and water, also the disbursements in
detail showing cost of fuel, labor, tools
and incidentals. Such statement
would keep our people thoroughly in
formed as to revenues from the plant
at the end of each month.
Every respectfully submitted,
LEE BAGGETT,
r.. l.. KIRKWOOD,
H. FRIEDMAN,
Committee.