Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1920-03-07

At the council meeting the develop
ments of the conference in the after
noon, which lasted couple of hours,
were briefly outlined by Mayor Shep-
pard for the information of members
of the council not present. At the
cal manager; Mr.. Lusk, of Washing
ton, rate expert for the company,
and Mayor Sheppard, City Attorney
Lane, City Engineer Tiedeman and
others representing the city.
"At the conference" said Mayor
Sheppard, "the representative of the
company made no proposal to modify
their proposition, which city officials
had regarded as excessive, but devot-
ed their time to attempting to con-
vince US that the figures of former
City Engineer Ansley on which the
city proceeded to do it's own pump
ing, were wrong and that their fig
ures were correct.
eve have proceeded to do our own
pumping, which is our privilege if
their proposition does not suit US, but
just now we require this emergency
service. Immediately upon the re-
turn to doing our own pumping steps
were taken to install a new steam
boiler at the pumping station, to pro-
vide the emergency equipment neces-
sary for safety to the city, and ii
will require another thirty days to
get this properly installed and ready
Tor use. For that period we are de-
pendent upon the emergency service
Of the Lighting Company. The
company has submitted a proposal for
his emergency service for period
of one year at a minimum of S450
per month for the connection alone,
with additional charge for any power
used. We believe this is excessive
and unwarranted, but the city real
lzes that it should pay reasonable
rate for this service as long as 1T re-
quires it. We proposed to the COM
pany representative that the COM
pany name one arbitrator, the city
one, and Murphy Gambler, chairman
of the state railroad commission, un-
der whose jurisdiction the public
service corporation operate, a thlro
man as umpire, the city to pay the
rate determined upon by them. The
Lighting Company representatives re-
pned that they were without authori
" to accept such proposition.
"The city regards the threat to sew
er the emergency connections as en-
tIrely unWarran.ed and an attempt
to force the city to accept their pro
position for this service for the whole
year IN order to obtain the necessary
protection tor the limited or emer
gency period. We do not propose tt
submit to any such procedure, fol
here is no doubt about the city
rights in the matter, and that th'
company, beng a public service cor
poraton, being compelled to furnish
the service to the city at the rate pre-
Scrlbed by the tariffs of the state rail
way commission for the period de
sired by the city. If compelled tt
/ do SO the city is prepared to go int
ohe courts to protect itself and it
citizens.
1.-The threat of the Lighting Com
pany is all the more unwarranted be
cause of the fact that the compan!
had enjoyed the cIty's contract TO
nve years, which alone was the caus
of the city's plant not being in frs
class condition when the contract wa
not renewed at the increased rat
demanded by the company"
at would be dastardly and outrage
ously mean for the Lighting Compan.
to take any such action as that threat
ened," said City Attorney Lane t
the council after Mayor Sheppar
had finished. 'Its contemplated ac
ton is apparently planned either t
force the city to accede to their pre-
posal or to retaliate for the city re
fusing to accept it. 1t would be a