Evening star., 1922-09-30
NO POWER BREAK DOWN
IN FREDERICKSBURG
Report Of Water Famine Exag-
gerated, Mayor
Declares.
To the Editor Of The Star:

We have read the article headed
'Drouth Gripping Fredericksburg"
printed on page 2 of your issue of
September 26. which article is signed
u. E. c." one of your staff corre-
spondents.
In the first paragraph of your ar
ticle the statement is made that
breakdown Of the electric power
service, which will cripple Industrial
activities and throw Fredericksburg
into darkness. will be complete
within twenty-four hours unless rain
hours have passed. and not only has
no rain fallen. but there Is no indi-
cation of rain. still there has been
no breakdown in the power serv-
Ice, nor Is any such breakdown an
tlcipated.
with the drying up Of the river
Fredericksburg also has been con-
fronted with potent water famine" J"
While our upper reservoir was n
little below normal last Friday and
Saturday, there has been no concern
morning our reservoir has been main
tained at it's full capacity. and at
no time has any order or request
been Issued by either of us to cur
tail the free use Of water. Indeed.
not only are our citizens using the
water as freely as ordinarily, but
our street sprinkling is also being
carried on as usual.
Still further on the article states
that aroused over the threatened
crippling Of their industries. Fred
ericksburg business men. it was re-
ported today, are planning to take
some legal action against the owners
of the power plant for their failure to
supply them with electric current.
The question will be discussed at a
meeting OF the Fredericksburg Cham
Der Of Commerce next Monday" On
account OF our Official positions we
have been thrown probably in closer
contact with the entire situation than
has any citizen in the city, with the
possible exception of some of the
officials Of the two power companies
operating here. and had any legal
we undoubtedly would have known
of it. We would advise further that
the president and the secretary OF
the chamber Of commerce expressed
considerable surprise and Indignation
that their organization should have
been so needlessly and thoughtlessly
| misrepresented. Neither Of them
authorized the statement that the
chamber would meet to discuss this
subject next Monday, no meeting has
been called for this purpose, nor Is
any meeting even contemplated. other
| than the regular monthly meeting.
Undoubtedly the river is much lower
at this season Of the year than at any
other season, during which time some
OF the large users of electric current
are temporarily deprived of its use
Fredericksburg however, Is not alone
in this situation, nor are similar situa-
ttons foreign to hydro-electric plants
wherever located. We submit, there
fore, that the exaggerated article re-
ferred to Is not only unjust to your
paper and to its readers, but is even
more unjust to one Of your neigh
boring communities.
J. GARNETT KING, Mayor.
l. j. HOUSTON. Jr., City Manager.
Information for the story in question
was obtained by The Star. correspond
ent from persons who he had reason
to believe were entirely familiar with
the facts concerned. Several Of them
were employees of the Spottsylvania
Power Company who apparently knew
| intimately, the conditions existing in
the power plant and at the company's
dam across the Rappahannock. An
other was q prominent Fredericks-
burg business man.
The facts obtained from these men
were published as related by them and
without elaboration. The Star, how
ever, accepts as conclusive the state
ment OF Mayor King and City Manager
Houston as to conditions existing In
fredericksburg and gladly prints
| their letter OF correction.