The independent. [volume] (Elizabeth City, N.C.) 1908-1936, 1922-09-01
10 BOND THE TOWN FOR
s75O,OOO MONDAY NIGHT
Elizabeth City To Proceed To Build Its Own
Light, Water and Sewerage Plants
At Once

I'm t5 Ltt'''NN ~
,,nr issue OF S750OOO to
/ $4,000 ior electric lights.
r,rcr and sewerage will be
.-..eotcd to the Board OF Al
le~mcn Monday night. Sept.
and the ordinance will be
,1optcd unless opposition to
!. develops from Twenty-Five
per cent OF the citizens before
that time.
rrl,.r the municipal finance act
+ ,rr General Assembly cities may
borI fer necessary improvements
nf,forr rc>orting 10 an election I'M
r.,. - per cent of the qualified vot-
PIP. ni the city petition for an clec-
ror No public demand for an cleo
.inp on public service bonds has
b.,r voiced and the Aldermen feel
,,g, rhry may proceed 10 bond the
,nwp without resort 20 the expensive
,,...r.>~ Of a ballot and the incident
DELAY
The. proposed action of the Board
r. Aldermen follows months of un-
.pr,,.>,ful dickcrius with the owners
n; far public utilities plants for the
r.rrha>r Of existing properties. The
Owners If rhe existing public util-
;...> having refused To consider an
offer rf S25O.OOO for their property
and rbr Aldermen refusing to con-
slider counter proposals from the
rvncr>. there is nothing left for the
its ro do but build i,s own electric
r.b-. water and sewerage plants.
Has Option on Site
The city has already acquired an
opt.ou on five acres Of land on
Keobb> Greek en- North Road ex-
rprdrd and is seeking offers of other
,i.,> for the location of its proposed
plants. Having surveyed the prob
'pm from every angle the city au-
rror.r.eS are convinced that the only
way for the city to acquire Il salts
factory water and sewerage system
and electric light and power is TO
build it> own plants outright.
T. ail means that Elizabeth City
: in ior considerable excitement and
50 lo, IF discomfort for at least two
,rar> To- come. To begin with. the
owur.> Of the existing public service
companies will oppose the proposed
bond issue thru the courts and thru
tho Corporation Commission. con
tending that the action of the city
amounts 10 cOn6Scation of their
property. The private companies
cam u.- exist when the city begins
operations in competition with them.
The biggest customer of the private
ronuan,r> i the city itself. paying
NOR" than $1,000 annually TO the
romar,rs for lights and water. The
h>> Of the city'S account alone will
wreck the private companies.
But rhr city has no other alterna-
i've than 10 build its own plants. The
water company and sewerage com
pauy have refused time after time
To- extend their mains or make neceS..
>ary improvements for the public
health and public safety. Only one
'lirj Of the town. is served by these
companies ut present. There are
mo-r than $500 open privies iu
E.iEbr-h Ciry in violation of the
State sanitary laws because the own :
"r> o' these privieS can not get sew
'ra-" connections. There is not Il
ar" hgdr;tnt in Elizabeth City that
"mpt.r, with fire insurance under
writer's regulations and the watcS
"mpaHy will not change Il one OF its
uadnuuarr and dangerous hydrantS. .
TIE ri.y mu,r continue without wat
'r. without sewerage and without IRE
Hro'"~r'ou il il does not build its own /,