The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1920-11-22
PLANT
BREAK CAUSES
CONFERENCE
Local Manufacturers, After
Months of Annoyance, Fore
ed to Close Plants Monday
by New Breakdown.
COMMISSIONER COMING
BULLETIN

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind, Nov. o.
When Fred B. Johnson, a member of
the Indiana Public Service commits
sion. was advised today Of another
partial suspension of operation at the
Richmond municipal light plant, due
to machinery trouble, he directed Earl
Carter, assistant chief engineer Of the
commission, to go to Richmond to at
tend conference Of Richmond busf-
ness men who were to meet late Mon
day afternoon to discuss the situation
existing at the municipal plant. Mr..
Carter will arrive at 5 o'clock The
commission is we'll advised OF condi-
tions existing at the Richmond plant.
If the Richmond business men decide
to petition the commission to investi-
gate the affairs of the Richmond plant
with the end in view Of determining
whether it is providing the required
service, the commission is prepared
to take prompt action.
II believe that If I told the execu-
tive officers of our company the con-
diion Of the local municipal plant
they would insist that immediate steps
be taken to move a large part of our
factory to some other city. We are
suffering losses every week by the
shut-downs, and l believe that these
will continue under the present man.
agement The conditions at the light
plant, in my estimation, are almost
hopeless unless the management can
be taken out of the hands of the pres
ent city officials"
Manufacturers Disguised
The above statement. made by an
official of one OF Richmond's largest
manufacturing concerns Monday morn
ing after the continual breakdown of
power service from the Richmond mu-
nicipal lighting plant had caused him
to dismiss his employees for the day.
accurately summarized the feelings OF
manufacturers over the city Monday
morning.
Weeks Of annoyance and power
trouble reached a climax Monday in
a decision of local manufacturers to
hold meeting to consider the power
situation. Members of the Young
Mems Business club and the manufac-
turers of the city will meet in the
directors room Of the American Say
ings and Trust company bank to con-
slider what recourse can be had for
the failure of the city plant to furnish
adequate current.
The meeting has been called for
4:30 p. m.
Power # Four Times.
Power in West Richmond was en-
tirely off four times Monday forenoon.
and some plants were forced to sus-
pend operations entirely.
Manufacturers calling the plant to
discover the cause of the power sus-
pension were informed that it was
due to the poor coal which prevented
the firemen from getting up steam.
Disinterested observers, however, are
of the belief that the failure of power
was due as much to the general inef-
ficiency of the plant as to any other
cause.
Poor service has been the outstand-
ing feature of the plants operation in
the last few weeks. James P. Dillon.
superintendent of the plant, could not
be located Monday.
Persons who have gone through the
plant assert it is in a deplorable con-
dition. Steam leaks from rusting
pipes continually and water covers the
| floor to adepth of three inches -
spots. Manufa cturers assert the serv-
ice given by the plant has been grow
ing poorer during the last few weeks
instead of better.
Statements Cover Situation
Statements covering the situation al
few of the plants that were forced
to shut down because of the lack OF
power follow:
At the National Automatic Tool
company plant, workers were dis
| missed at IL a. m, today, after the
power had caused a loss of about an
! hours time. They were told to come
back at ! o'clock. Some of them
| failed to return, resulting in addi-
tional loss to both plant and men.
Officials are considering the installa
| tion of a separate power plant.
The power situation is getting TO
be a joke" said an official of the
Richmond Piston Ring company.
over an hour was lost by our COM
pany Monday morning. In a buster
season this would be very serious
matter"
| All workers at the KID Cabinet COM
| pany plant were sent home after the
| power had failed four times during
| the forenoon.
Two and one-half hours labor for
! twelve men. was the loss sustained by
the Land Dilks company, according TO
! George Dilks, secretary and treasurer
| of the company.