Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1924-01-11
EMPEROR SIMMONS 0USTED FROM khan
ACCIDENT IN &c
INTERRUPTS SERVICE

An accident to the electric trans
mission line of the South Georgia
Public Service company at point
near Smithville in Lee county last
night, caused Americas and Cordelo
to remain without lights and power
until $3.50 o'clock this morning, ac-
cording to the statement of R. P.
Ewing, superintendent OF the COM
pany here, today. The cause of the
ccident was not definitely explain
ed by Supt. Ewing, though it is be.
leved to have been due to high
winds prevailing during the early
hours last night, these being accom-
panied by a heavy downpour of rain
over large area.
According to Supt. Ewing, the IN
terruption in power service was due
to one Of the high tensions wires
of the public service company
coming in contact with a steel pole,
the contact being such as to prevent
flashing" which usually reveals
the location of such interruption
quickly during the night hours. I'M
mediately with the interruption o.
service, Supt Ewing says, force
Of men were detailed to locate The
trouble, these being scattered over
an area of approximately Is miles,
when the source OF the trouble wac
located at els this morning. The
time intervening between the hour
when the trouble was located and
the beginning Of service here, he
states, was spent in locating various
line workers, who had to be notified
as q safety measure before the pow
er could be again put into the trans
mission lines. Just as soon as the
last Of these had been communicated
with the power was immediately
turned on again, Supt. Ewing
states. Practically the entire night
Was spent searching for the trouble,
bupt. Ewing stated this morning.
Due to the hour at which the in
corruption first manifested itself.
Supt. Ewing said, today, the steam
plant at Americas was not put into
operation. this being deemed unnac-
essaIy, due to the very small num-
Der Of consumers who were incoD-
Venienced by the lack of electric
energy between that hour and morn
ing. Power would have been fu,n-
lshed from the steam plant SUPP.
Ewing said, not later than 7 o'clock
this morning, except that the cause
Of the interruption had been To-
Gated prior to that time, and it was
hoped to have all the men working
on the transmission lines notified
and removed from all danger before
that hour.
The Times-Reecrder being unable
early this morning to locate SUIT.
Ewing before the power came on
again in Americas called General
Manager l.. L. Ferree, at his home
IN Albany, and was informed that
Mr.. Ferree was "out of the city and
would not return until after Sur
day. Mr.. Goss, who is in charge
OF the Albany offices of the com
pany in the absence of MIR. Forree,
was then gotten on the phone and
he stated that relief would be af-
forded Immediately, though he pro
fessed ignorance Of the interruption
In service, nor was he aware of as
surance given Americas consumers
by MT. Felree as to firing the steam
plant here in every instance where
service remained interrupted tw-,
hours longer, Mr.. Ewing had no
know!edg of this assurance, eitn-
er, both these officials apparently
being without authority to fire the
Boilers here without specific au-
thority from the higher officials Of
the company At Albany.
Two representatives Of the Times
Recorder visited the steam plant of
the company here shortly after s
O'Clock this morning and found the
boilers there cold, with no apparen.
preparations for firing them und FL
way. A travelling boiler Inspector
whose name was not learned, was m
the boiler room when the newspaper
men arrived and he and fireman
were discussing the condition Of the
boilers, it being brought out that
one or more Of them had been dam
aged by freezing last Saturday and
Sunday, and had been put out Of
commission because of this. The
fireman, as soon as he learned the
identity Of his callers declined to dis
cuss the condition of the boilers
beyond q broad statement that ths
plant could furnish power if or
ders were issued to put fire under
the boilers He was positive then
that power would come on within a
Continued On T-age Three