Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1920-09-27
CASCOMPA
HEAD ISSUES
PUBLIC CARD
Tells Patrons Reasons
For Poor Service
Asks Support


dent Lucas, of the Americas Light.
ig company, from Baltimore last week
stating that the facts in the present
gas situation would be laid before the
Times-Recorder Monday, E. w. Rog
ers, the local manager tor the compa
ny, handed the Times-Recorder this
morning the following statement tC
the public, signed by Mr.. Lucas:
TO OUR PATRONS:
In reply to the numerous COM
ments and criticisms covering the
interruptions to our gas service we
wish to state the following facts:
The grade of coal used for MAX
ing gas is of a particular quality
known as gas coal and by reason of
it's peculiar qualifications is ex-
tremely hard to secure; whereas
common steam coal Or run of mine
coal are comparatively easy to Sc
cure. The company had contracts
covering it's requirements when the
coal shortage which existed
throughout the country became
acute. The mines could not secure
the necessary cars for transporting
coal so they ceased classifying coal
and only shipped the run of mine
coal of an inferior quality.
The Americus Lighting company
as we'll as all other users of fuel
were compeller to accept whatever
coal they could get from the coal
companies. Under ordinary condi-
tions the Americas Lighting Co. Sc
cured an average yield of approxi-
mately five (5) cubic feet of gas
per pound of coal. With the quail
ity of coal we were compelled to
accept this yield was cut down to
two-and- -one-half to three cubic
feet of gas per pound of coal. Our
plant, which under ordinary condi-
tions is amply large to take care of
the requirements of this community
had its capacity thus reduced APP
proximately fifty per cent.
We ordinarily have one reserve
battery of benches when tie nlgn-
er grade of coal is used. This
allows us in the summer time to
male The neceaseTy repairs and to
keep up Lhe equipment lor the
greater Ltn.l.:,. in the winter time.
The very Iact .lhat we mad TO oper-
ate our col etc plant up to its
maximum c4kaClty due to the poor
grade of coal prevented our making
these repairs, and the charge, thai
the plant is N broken dowa con-
dition, is not lIue.
In order that the officials of
your city might be fully Informed
regarding these conditions we ad-'
vised your mayor on July 19, 1920
of the serious condition which con-
fronted US in the manufacture of
gas and solicited his cooperation
and assistance in overcoming the
difficulties under which we were
laboring; That due to the serious
coal situation we had for the last
several months been compelled to
rely entirely upon run of mine
coal and in many cases this coal
had been of the quality knowns as
steam coal and was not at all suit
able for gas making purposes. That
we had used every endeavor TO Sc
cure a better grade of coal and
had several times sent representa-
tives into the coal fields with the
view of securing better grade of
coal for gas making purposes.
That our efforts had been unsuc-
cessful the mines telling US they
were not sending any sized coal to
market. The company with whom
we had our coal contracts had ceas-
ed shipping this entirely and as a
consequence we had to take what
coal we could secure, large per
cent of this being utterly unfit for
gas making purposes.
In order that you may have fur
ther information on the coal diff
culties that are confronting US we
wish to state that no expense has
been spared and within the last few
days we have purchased from To-
cal dealer an inferior grade of coal
for gas purposes and which cost
$17.70 per ton yet yielded less
than fifty per cent of normal coal.
The purchase of this local coal was
necessitated because four cars of
gas coal we received last week
turned out to be not even fit for
steam purposes.
In answer to the accusation that
the owners of the Americas Light
ing Co. refuse to permit sufficient
expenditures to put this plant into
proper condition, we wish to state
that it is positively not true. We
admit that We are seriously ham
pered in securing funds by reason
of the present stringent financial
condition and as the City of Amer
icus now owes us approximately
$4,000 past due and upon which
no payments have been made since
February A, 1920. Notwithstanding
this fact the Americas Lighting Co.
have spent since January 1917,
$87,718, of which sum over
twenty-six thousand has been spent
on improvements to the gas plant.
TIE company is now facing an ad-
ditional expenditure for main ex-
tension at an approximate cost of