The independent. [volume] (Elizabeth City, N.C.) 1908-1936, 1925-12-25
GAS COMPANY PLANS: sIa:5:'
TO UNLOAD ON TOWN
Enlists Aydletts Strategy In Bold Scheme Io
Make The City Sweat or Pay ~
Its Price

& y
Probable encouraged by the
success of the electric light and
water companies in unloading
their junk on the city, at their
own fabulous price, the-South-
ern Gas Improvement Co. has
an idea that it too can unload
and clean out with a handsome
profit in much the same way.
Elizabeth City is In a fair way to
be juggled into the purchase Of the
gas plant. The gas plant, which has
been N operation for, about twelve
years, is to-day In rundown and
hopelessly inadequate condition. i
takes ell the genius Of Its thSeak
GUS and hard.working manfgjol
James T. stallings to keep The eut1it
going and delivering some sort Of
gas to consumers. The company i1
foreign owned and has no interest
In Elizabeth City other than ,the
immediate profit It can take out,
The gas company had rather. unload
its undesirable holdings on ths r'tt
than to invest a quarter milAoD
dollars In n new plant and ekyen.
sions. - y, .,.as
And the gas company thinks 'itt
chance has come, Elizabeth. City win
repave its streets, beginning next
March, after the last Of It's water
and sewerage mains have been laid.
The city has said that the -peY
streets must not be torn up at viii
by the gas company or By anybody
else, after they have been laid. The
gas company has been ordered -
put its mains in order In all streets
to be paved and to run service con-
ncctions to the curb line to tAkcI
care Of future CONSUMERS. ~
The gas company insists it will
not do any such thing. It says in
so many words that Elizabeth City,
may spend a quarter Of million
dollars in street paving and the gas
company will come along with negro
laborers with picks and shovels and
tear those brand new streets up
when II pleases. - - ssg
The gas company has employed
r. +. Ay,llett to represent them.
Aydlett is Elizabeth City's boldest,
most cunning and most releLtles foe.
He Is absolutely without a ciyic con-
science and has made it his business
for years to engineer deals for every
body who wanted to put something
over on his town. 1t was Aydlett
who engineered the deal by which
Elizabeth City was roped into the
purchase of the Crook electric light
and water properties at Crooks OIL
sinal figures after the city had
spent S15 600 in law suits opposing
Crooks demands.
And so, with Aydlett's legal cum
ming and political influence behind
them, the gus company expects TO
harass the city until the city is fore
cd to buy its works. The gas com
pany has been ordered to put In It's
mains and laterals prior to March
1926. The gas company purposes to
start interIninable litigation to re-
strain the city from enforcing its
order. If the city can be held up iopg
enough, majority of the members
Of the Board Of Aldermen may be
intimidated or bribed into paying
the gas company its price for, its
property.
Does Elizabeth City purpose to
stand for any such tactics? Here. II
. work for Elizabeth City's service
clubs. The gas company wants
S160,000 for its rust pile. 1t would
probably take $125,000; the city
would be stuck if it paid half. the
amount for it. But the gas oonn-
pany has employed Aydlett ana
Elizabeth City will have tn.bestir
itself or stand to be trimmed to
fare you we'll. ...,