The independent. [volume] (Elizabeth City, N.C.) 1908-1936, 1924-08-15
WANTS TO BRING POWER
FROM VIRGINIA PLANTS
President of Utilities Companies Would Do
The Very Thing The Board of Aldermen
Considered Awhile and Forgot

Instead OF adding more poll
er power and more generators
to the local plant, in the event
the city buys the privately
owned water and sewer sys"
TENS, the utilitic, companies
would add To- the capacity OF
the plant and improve the serv-
ice by building a high tension
power line to Elizabeth City
from plant in Virginia. which
has plenty of Juice to spare.
This was the proposal made by
Howard Z. Crookc. president of the
companies last Friday when hc ap'
peared before the BOard Of Alde"-
men and offered to sell the water
and sewer plnnt for $l25,OOO. TIE
proposition IL one suggested by tf!s
newspaper several months ago. and
later taken up by the Aldermen,
who opened up the subject with the
Virginia Railway & Power Com
pany. but never got much farther.
The Virginia company however. did
say they had plenty Of juice and
could furnish 1t to the city. but
the city being tied mp IN the courts
could make the Virginians no con.
crete proposition, and the matter
dropped.
May Buy All Three
The meeting last Friday attend.
cd by Mr.. CrOOke. president OF the
three utility companies Of this city,
his attorney, W. VI. Mnloy Of Balti-
more, all the Aldermen. the city
attorneys and u few citizens. was
In good spirit. The companies laid
their cards on the table. frankly
stating that litigation was costly
and disagreeable to themselves.
They offered the city the water and
sewer plants. for Sl25.OO0. on. con.
dition that the city give them the
privilege to sell electricity for n
period Of five years. and promising
at the end Of that time they would
bring no legnl action against the
tity'if II desired TO build It's own
power plant. "The city will bc busy
for three or four years getting It's
wnter and sewer service extended,
ahd by that time AM willing TO
'sRniblc that II will not want to builf
u power plant" said Mr.. CroOke.
The Board expressed little inter.
est In the offer Of the water and
sewer companies without the clec-
tric plant. and asked Mr.. CrooEe to
give them u proposition on all three.
lie accordingly told the city that
the lowest price he could name
would be $375.OOO hut mentioned
that he thought the companies
would submit the matter to arbitra.
tion and In that event, they would
he obliged to take smnllcr sum,
lif the committee names less than
$4,000.
There didn't seem tO bc any way
to determine just what the city
would get, II II bought the water
and sewer systems. IL seems that
all the pumps belong to the electric
light plant. and when the city sot IT,
own pumps. II would bc dcpen-
dent on the power plant for steam,
~ the boilers all belong to that
plant. Then, II the power plants
put In nn electric line from Nir-
ginin. the city would have to buy
boilers. or get current Ia run the
pumps from the electric plant.
Not inclined to take any hasty
action. the Aldermen named q com.
mlttec. c0nslstingof Aldermen Fore
man. Fcrebee and C0hO0n to go
over the books of the water and
sewer companies to find out how
much their holdings are worth. The
committee will call In william ii.
Olsen. the engineer retained by the
city. and will make an appraisal ON
which 10 baSe any consideration OF
the offer of Mr.. CrOokr. or the con.
sidcrntion of any proposition for
the purchase Of all three holdings.
While the system Is pronounced In
adequate and out Of date. the Alder
men are more inclined TO the pu
chase Of all three plants, IL rear
enable figure Is named, to end lit
cation ~ NJ to proceed with the
work. thun to buy only the water
and sewer. and leave the money
making end Of II NIP to the private
owners. Ownership Of all three
plants would enable the city to sell
current for less than consumers art
paying now, with n possibility OF
serving the citizens with free wate'
aud sewerage service.
j. T. McCABE ILL