The independent. [volume] (Elizabeth City, N.C.) 1908-1936, 1926-04-30
Giant Power System To
Serue Three 7owns With
Cheaper Electric Current
City Will Hook Up With Super-Power Line,
Assuring Ample Power For New Industries
In The Great Albemarle Section

The Virginia Electric &
! Power Co. and the corporation
of Elizabeth City have come 10
terms, as predicted by this
newspaper two weeks ago.
Elizabeth City will take super
power, abandon its plans for a
new power plant of its own
and get its electrical energy in
any quantity desired at a price
much lower than the city CAN
produce it itself.
Elizabeth City goes OH the super
power map of the United States. as
the result Of final conference Of
officials Of the Virginia Electric C
Power Co., the Board Of Aldermen
and the Public Utilities Commission
Wednesday morning. The power
company accepted the city's terms
ard agrees To build high tension
power line into Elizabeth City at lis
own expense and furnish the city
with current for resale at the low
eSt rate fixed by the North Carolina
Corporation Commission.
The contract is contingent upon
IIcrtfOrd and EdentOn joining with
Elizabeth City in taking super
power and their acceptance is assur-
cd.
The contract made with the super
power company IL n tribute to the
Lrsincss acumen and aStuteness Of
the city's Public Utilities Commits
sion as we'll as an earnestneSs Of the
power compauy's faith in Elizabeth
CITY.
Let it not he understood that the
city is going ont of the electric
light and power business. The city
will continue to supply all current
To- the manufactures, business hous-
eS and homes of the city as hereto
fttre. But instead of making its
own current. it will but its current
f,cm the power company. 1t means
unlimited power for Elizabeth City
aLi any Sndustsy,h no matter how
large may consider Elizabeth City
as a factory site because it can
get unlimited power here at price
as low as it can buy it anywhere
in the State. .
Only Six Months Away
The power company obligates TO
begin the construction of its power
line into Elizabeth City within 30
days and to have it completed
within six months from the signing
of the contract. The contract was
approved Wednesday and will be
signed and forwarded to the power
company as soon as il has passed
the formality of being read and ap-
proved by City Attorney Mcmillan.
Mr. MrMullcn was out Of town
Wednesday.
BY the terms of the contract the
power company meets every condi-
tion imposed by the city. The
power company's original PROPOSE
ton several months ago was that
tho city should build its own
high tension line 10 connect with
the power company'S trunk line 40
miles o rmOrc distant. n Virginia,
The cost of the line was estimat-
cd $500 600. Elizabeth City would
not consider ii.
The power company again came
back with a proposition to furnish
current at its standard rates plus
a carrying charge of approximately
$30.OOO n year: the carrying charge
10 be gradually diminished and ulti-
matply eliminated as the city's
growth and consumption Of current
increased. 1t was just way Of
making the city pay for the high
power line on an installment pli
The proposition at that was
many ways better than the cit
plan to spend $3JO,0O0 on a NJ
<'ower plant Of its own, but the PI
lie Utilities Commission compose
IF DR.. A. l.. Pendletoh, NJ. =. Ga
lop and s. II. johnson rejected tb
proposition and demanded a col
tract with no carrying charge
HertfOrd and Etlent0n Prospects
The the power company got busy
and made a real survey Of the cleo
tric power needs and possibilities of
Elizabeth City, HEREFORD and Eden
ton 30 miles away. but. have tn r
oyn electric power plants, br; ley
,.ould not continue to corr. ith
LCca.:nuot .. ra2c -.