The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1920-08-05
COMMISSIONERS RESIGN.
Operation of Light and Power Plant
Taken over BY City.

AS a result Of the resignation OF
the two remaining members of the
commission of public works, the op-
Grafton of the city electric lighf,
power and water plant was taken
over by the city council last Friday.
The situation in regard to the NUM-
cipal plant became quite acute before
this action was taken, and Thursday
night the town was without lights
after $50 o'clock.
w. E. Free was the first member
of the commissioners of public works
to hand in his resignation. This was
the first part of July. The other
two members, DR.. F. B. McCrack1n
and G. O. Simmons, held on until
a few days ago, when they followed
with their designations.
Mr.. Simmons is out of the city at
the present time at Glenn Springs
on his vacation, but the other mem
bers stated their reason for resign
ing from the board was that under
the authority granted the commls-
sioners by law, they could see no
nossible chance of ever putting the
n1ant on a firm footing, and that
under the existing law the city coun-
cil can better administer the plant
than they.
The plant has, as matter of fact'
been on the down grade for some
wears The commissioners have been
hampered by constant changes IN
their personnel, and still further
hammered by frequent changes IN
superintendents, all to the detrlment
of the administration of the plant.
Tho commissioners were without le-
cal authority to negotiate any loans'
and for the past several months the
plant has been getting more ana
more into debt. Being unable to
make short term loans to meet the
obligations as they fell due has caus-
ed a large loss in the operation OF
the plant, which it is hoped may now
be eliminated by the operation OF
the plant by the city council.
1t is stated that the plant is IN
debt some S., 5000 and without credit.
LaVerne Thomas has been named by
city council as manager OF puollc
utilities. and Mr.. Thomas states that
he has not yet had time to investi-
gate the affairs of the plant suttlcl-
emily to map out the proper course
70 he pursued. Whe ner the present
plan of operation by council will be
continued will be decided later. be
ing without commissioners it was
necessary for the council to take ovel
the plant on short notice or else
the town would have been without
lights or water.
For some days previous to Friday
the plant had been operated by means
of hauling slabs from nearby saw
mill There was a carload OF coal
on the sidetrack, but there was no
money in the commissioners treas
ury to get it out. The slabs were
burned faster than they could be
hauled and the supply was exhausted
Thursday night, which accounted
for the failure to furnish lights.
Immediately on taking over the
plant, the city council got in touch
with the authorities of Williston and
located a generator which could be
purchased at a bargain, and this
generator is now here and Will pc
installed at the cotton mill to furnish
dav current while the present gener-
ator. which was burned out several
months ago, is being repaired. When
the generator was burned out, the
commissioners were without funds
to have it repaired, so it is stated.
A considerable sum has been paid
out in freight demurrage on account
of this same lack of funds.
The operation of the power plant
to furnish lights and power during
the day has added to the burden, it is
stated, and rather than continue this
system, the commissioners decided
to quit. There appears to have been
a lack of cooperation between the
council and the commissioners in
several respects, chief among which
was the furnishing of current for the
lighting of the streets. The commis-
sioners say they have received no
funds from the city for some months,
but were credited with 500 a month
as payment on the white way. One of
the commissioners stated that Mr..
nnrinfonSnnt