The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1920-06-05
LIGHTING
~ 4 TON
sIr. NE. McKeiVer Contends
That So Called Inyestiga-
ton Was Not Salts
factory

tion Was Not Salts
factory
Editor Sumter Daily Item:
Itssis with refuctas1eee that n these
8 GAYS of excessive cost of o,iirt pap e1.
and other troubles ] beg permission
the further use OF YOUR GsAys
space would not do so now but to:,
the fact that, having started some l-
thing IN which the entire pubic as
wesI;as myself is interested, 4 feel that
81 Il IS 10 y duty, in We've Z the staalta
taken by the majority Of council after
what they termed an investigation. 20
aequaint the public with certain facts
that the partial report OF the minutes
8 SIS published in The Item, May 2 IN
he May request or demand, sIf they
choose SO to act, that coancil pro-
ceea further to get the actual l@ffa cts
II the matter is to Besclosed With the
conelusion reached by council at their
last meeting, Ieann OF und erstasid why
the same conclusion had not been
reached by them at the meeting at
which nay letter to council was read
and the matter hushed up or squash
ed, as & hear one councilman suggest
ed. (Of course this is heafsay and
not evidence and # lacorrecfs Is beg
pardon. presame that Mr. Olsen
was there and could have given, he
did not. the same statement that She
made the other night; because, that
was all they had to Sactsnpon tor reach
8 their conclusion. except that in place
OF reading my letter, repeated YER
baliys from memory the statements
therein contained and was subjected
! to "a cross examination by the city
managers attorney had the pre-
Ssamption to- display my ignorance in
asking the expert IN direct charge Of
the plant few questions regarding
what could and could not have been
done HIS answers, Z firmly believe,
could have been successfully lly refuted
by nae had council aceeded to my re-
quest to sunmon certain parties to
testify y. do not think tina either ex-
sannation. had any effect on the con-
clnsien reached by the majority Of
seounci
SOp oE. about May 18th. II received,
ssthe following letter:
laar. McKiever.
!. s..iifE-s 90. -.
Daar sir:z-
-FOUR eommunication of May
:ss S. tn was presented to Council at
regular meeting. held on May
af,.t4s.
The statements contained there
inSs were given due consideration
ai7d Council directed me to re-
quest you to attend the next reg
lllar meeting "Wednesday eEie--
ming. May 25th, In order that the
matter may be investigated fur
tfer.
< Yours very truly
lsigned9 E. II. Rhame.
Clerk and Treasurer,
Anyone reading the above letter
would have supposed thar I, because
of information given me by the city
manager having made charges OF IN
scompentency or carelessneez on part OF
the management, was required merely
To- appear before council and reassert
or correct any statement made in my
letter that might be denied; er, pos
sibly, to assist council so far as my
feeble abilities would permit. in OBJ
>eaining the facts, and if justifiable.sto
exogerate the management; or, to re-
qslite future efficiency and competent
nsa3aagement. thereby avoiding shut
da1,ns. That was what thought was
expected Of me- and hat.prolnpted me
tosaadress the: following letter to the
Honorable Mayor: e.
Is,;.. May Is, 1920.
Hon. L. d. Jennings, Mayor,
City Of Sumter.
Sumter, S. G..
sa Dear Sir:
afS, have received a communities
ST.. ton from the Clerk of Council
requesting me to appear at the
next Council meeting III reply to
MY letter for an investigation.
am sure that Council desires
81 to obtain full information so that
at can act with intelligence in
placing the blame, if any. or ex-
GENERATING the mana cement. With
that object in view, / would sug-
gest that you request to appear
x before Council ali parties who
- have any knowledge of facts.
suggest Messrs r., n. Siddali,. ST.,
Eugene Moses, the. engineers at
the lighting plant, and F. B. Al
& len and Joseph Richardson. The
latter two have done repairs on
the boilers. What all parties IN
tenested should desire is a ful
and thorough investigation so as r.
TO clear up all charges and ex- :
euses and enable your honorable
- body to put over successfully the
great work you have undertaken.
Yours respectfully.
3Signed j. ". NcKiever.
,r,, oooe1 =, 4ba oo.,rcil