Watauga Democrat. [volume] (Boone, Watauga County, N.C.) 1888-current, 1926-03-11
ngress of this growing town.

~ogress of this growing town.
"What l shall say tonight is not
intended ito represent the State of
North Carolina, nor the Normal, nor
the town of Boone, but only myself
"a plain private citizen"
He told how through the efforts
of himself and his brother D. D.
D0ugherty, years ago small light
plant or power house was built solely
for the use of the school, how one
man and then another had asked for
light, and how the town finally ask
ed for current, and how eventually
the plant was overloaded and as a
result was burned up. How the town
was in darkness for a number of
months, how that through their ef-
forts a small plant was rebuilt by
taking $3,706.72 out of a bond is
sue. but that this plant was never
a success.
He then tried to trade with Mr..
Thompson at Blowing Rock who ask
ed him $4,000 for half interest
in his plant. The Doughertys thought
this price was too high. Then Mr..
Thompson offered to sell the town
"juice" at Is cents per kilowat hour.
The town folks thought that 1914 cts
would be fair price, and trade
was not made.
Then Prof. Dougherty asked the
General Assembly for an appropria-
tion of 5000, with which to build
power plant at Boone to supply pow
er for the Normal Scho9i, ano to
sell any residue that there might be,
to the town and citizens of Boone
at a price to be set by the represen-
tatives of the town and the Normal
School and approved by the Corpor-
alton Commission all the met in
come of such sale of juice to go into
a fund to be loaned to worthy and
needy young men in North Carolina
who can get two good people on their
notes, provided these young women
will use the money for the purpose
of educating themselves at the Nor
NAL School.
At this jpction in his speech Prof
Dougherty called upon Prof. A. M.
Norton to read the charter of the
School and the act of the legisla-
ture authorizing the appropriation of
the building of the power plant now
supplies Boone and the Normal with
light and. power. This was read by
Prof. Norton and Prof. Dougherty
resumed his speech.
He had blackboard and table
thickly covered with prepared data.
Out of the cluster of notes and man
uscripts he gathered fiures with
which he answered all questions put
to him from time to time by men,
bers of his audience.
These answers he placed upon the
blackboard SO all might see what he
had 10 say, as we'll as to hear it.
Upon the blackboard he compared
and contrasted the rates charged by
Boone for\ electric current with al
the towns located Immediately near
Boone, as we'll as the relative rates
charged in Asheville and in Johnson
City.
He admitted that little power
plant could not compete with lar
ger one in selling electric current.
But his figures showed conclusively
that Boone is being served in very
cOnsiderate manner in the matter of
getting juice from. the Normal school.
His speech was the answer of the
Trustees of the Normal to the petition
for lower rates for current for the
people. of Boone that was recently
presented by the citizens to the trus-
tees of the Normal.
The next program Of the Chamber
of Commerce will be held at the
Critcher Hotel on the third Monday
night of March at 8 p. m. The Am
erican Legion will have charge of the
next program and doubtless will give
worth while program.
Rev. F. M. Higgins dismissed the
meeting with benediction prayer.
Look in this issue for an announce
ment by the Legion. One subject to
be discussed at this meeting will be
IA Public Park for Boone" Every
body should hear this discussion.