Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1920-09-29
SHORT C|RCU|T|NG
HALT TO BUSINESS
Accident at Power Plant Cuts
OFF Electric Current for
an Hour.

! plant of the Potomac Electric Sup
ply Company: ny. E Eastsa stopped;
compelled to curtail business and mo-
ton picture proprietors were forced
| to issueN return checks to their pa
irons.
Thousands Of workers having Just
finished their days work at 4:3O
o'clock. the busiest time in the day
for both stores and street railway
lines. were compelled to walk to
their homes or wait downtown in the
hope that the power would be re-
stored in short time.
According to Gen. Supt Sinclair.
It took only five minutes to repair
the trouble at the Benning plant, but
it was 5:2s o'clock before the cur
rent could be restored through the
downtown substations.
Charles J. Columbus, secretary of
the Merchants and Manufacturers As
ISOLATION, issued statement. saying
this was the fifth shutdown in the
last twelve months, and said that
Immediately would install their own
power plants should the trouble with
| the electric power continue. The
statement added:
| Will Install Own Plants.
Some of the larger houses that are
depending upon the power company
have threatened heretofore to put in
!
who called the Office of the Merchant
and Manufacturers Association this
| afternoon to find the cause of the
shutdown told me that they saw no
other way out than to put this inten-
ton into practice.
| Business Loss EutaiIed.
THE loss that business in Wash
lngton has entai1ed during the last
twelve months as a result of these
| shut downs is incalculable
Z know OF one manufacturing
plant that suffers q loss of $500 worth
Of raw material alone every time
| there is shutdown, not to speak of
establishments in Washington in ma
| terial. as well as the tremendous loss
in production through enforced idle
ness of workers.
per cent OF the retail business in the
downtown section il done from 4 to s
o'clock daily the loss amounts to big
| proportions.
"A remedy must be found to correct
this evil. is the opinion Of the many
have discussed this from time to time
in the councils Of the Merchants and
Manufacturers' Association.
President Philip. King of the Mer-
| chants and Manufacturers Associa-
ton has called together conference
for tomorrow morning at II o'clock,
in the Office Of the association, to con-
slider ways and means of adjusting
the light and power requirements Of
business TO- this high frequency Of
Complaint Made to Company.
Following the meeting of the asso-
citation. called today by President
Philip King, q letter was sent to the
Potomac Electric Power Company, as
follows:
"A special committee of the Mer-
chants and Manufacturers Associa-
| ton In the matter OF frequency Of
shutdowns of light and power on the
part OF your company during the past
twelve months held a meeting this
morning in the Office Of the Merchants
and Manufactufers' Association and
directs the following communication
be- submitted to your company:
| An incalculable loss Of money, in
sibility Of endangering life and limb
has resulted from frequent failures on
the part of your company to render
light and power service in the Dis
During the past twelve months
smut Downs have occurred as follows:
Der IA. 1913. from $500 until s; Novem-
11ssao y ;ro 1y1s Al "a aftsrnoon: July Is.
1920, from 1870 to $3.50. 90
| ut appears to the committee renre.
senting the Merchants and Manufac-
turers Association as incredible that
with a public utility having the advan-
tages of business that your company has
enjoyed for years ana the increasing
volume at this time ineffciency
should be at such a high point, as is
evidenced by this frequency Of shut
downs.
Patience Exhaustel.
TT is a situation that can no 1onrer
be condoned; patience has eYfiansfed
itself.
The committee respectfully asks tn
be advised as to what steps your com
pany has taken or proposes to take
to overcome such conditions as above
described.
Tn view Of the great seriousness Of
the situation with respect to business
the committee directs the UNDERSIGNED
to advise that it would appreciate
very early reply"