Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1922-02-16
SoIuRE SPRATT COMMENTS.

NihiSer Spratt on tuesday, as ne bor'
.oy.,5 match from the editor and
.oI,riy .oi nut the box in his pocket. "My
n.;fs told me | had better come to
,oan and get a five-gallon can of coal
oI for she didn't want to be like them
Soorsh virgins in the Bible that had
- oil in their lamps, in case we get
snoued I'D. We had a mean time OF
:, N. last blizzard. The coaloil givo
nrt We broke the last lamp shade thera
U'as in the house, and we only had
COM c of candle ends to light up with
a. thing. though, we could lay abed
mill daylight, for there was no use
getting up early. We went to BED with
the chickens for about week"
The Squire gave dry chuckle. "fou
town people are funny lot" he said.
"your electric lights save you all this
hind of trouble, and yet there are fell
.rs who are trying to push the company
% the wall. hear 'em in some Of
tbe stores cussing out the town light
and water company and abusing the
men that run it, never giving them a
ht of credit for keeping the thing go
inc in spite of all difficulties. You
omeht 70 be ashamed Of yourselves for
kicking EN-, when YOU should be pattinE
,em on the shoulder. Am | right or
wrong"
We admitted that maybe he was
right. "Maybew he snorted. Haven't
the men who put their money intd
his company been public-spirited and
generous ? have been told that not
one of 'em has gotten cent in divi-
dends in the five or six wears they have
been running the thing Mr.. Colds
borough. the president, Mr. Hodges.
the treasurer, and the other officers
and directors have been carrying the
burden and giving their time and att
tention to the company's affairs, with
out a penny of pay-no salaries, nd
dividends, no privileges-and paying
Just as much for light and water as
ANYBODY else. Seems to me they show
Up purity well beside the fellers who
have been knocking 'em, with no
money invested, no responsibility, no
cusSing. and getting the benefits oil
light and water for a few dollars a
month"
The Squire had gotten red in the face
as he delivered this oration. His pipd
had gone out. He asked for another
match and was reminded that he had
the box in his pocket. 1t was sug-
geSted to him that what the people OBJ
jected to was the surcharge Of 80 1-3
per cent on their light bills, which
made them g third higher than they
were when the company first went in
10 business.
Bah" he exploded. "What can
you Git these days that isn't higher
than 1t used to be? These here very
matches cost about twice as much as
they did a few years ago. You
grumoIe about the company adding on
IS Is per cent. We country folks who
use coal Oil lamps are hit worse than
mat Our Oil that used to cost ten
CENTS Is now fifteen-a 50 per cent in
crease; lamps carry the same adj
vance Tor We pay TO cents for a 40
ee'i' lamp Lamp chimneys are almost
q hundred per cent higher, for we
Pay hiteen cents for the same thing
We we got at eight cents a few years ago.
I've" tne wlcks are up a hundred per
I'm, lot you have to pay two cents
lot 'he WICK you got a while back for
oHe cent. You haven't got any causd
10 erowl over a 80 l-3 per cent in.
crease IN electric light rates. How
.H|II more DO you pay for your print
nIs once supplies than you used to p"
- was admitted that such things were
. .oout uouole what they were in norman
i;iiieS, .;, out the editor made the supees-
So" 'Isat the electric light bill ar his
"OiIs TOT January was S9.55.
,.A Ihdeed.' said the Squire. "And
whose FAULT is that? come to town r.
sc 'he doctor the other night. and ne,
PASSED your house it looked like Won
TS Sle having first-class illumination
t, "e nehtS are mighty handy and Won
ro',., ro'" en- purity free, don't We? On I'm.
"to.' "oM' ne said. He forced the admis,
tbo ''a' mere were three or four i'm
t' p"T!or, three in the living room
sno s" or tfree in the library. three on
. .out IN the dining room. and ons ; IN
man 'S,' SnI 60 on" he said. "How
un y.i,T IIrooms do ye have lighted
thar i'm liz, . me me women folks a-primpin',
On" '!r re- { oaoy of Bills crying, and so
b. fyo nc editor reluctantly admitted
"anI Uh huh!" said the Squire
Of ~ wouldn't be surprised IL soma
nigh, NUa ,.;.t lie IN bed a-reading half tho
YSm ,, ho WIN swinging light over head
con,so nave Lights in your bath room. Of
ana and your kitchen and pantry
,lSo 'orr a cellars, don't ye ?" This was
bayo aGInltted. "And like as not vo,,
Gto ase uIcse wfashioned contraptions
grill Uric nSi irons and toasters and
tor trinI lu vacuum cleaners" Ihe edf.
new ga. 10 change the subject to thd
SAID ,ba b",.l assessments, but the Souird
eleC,ti";!. ,@. THIS was his day to talk about
don, 'Si Si, Dill may be high," he said, "but
on so olaine , the company. Shut down
frcG,oIiia many lights and burning 'em sd
i. sSeht. | heard a fellow Srowi;no