Smyrna times., 1930-11-19
SMYRNA OFFERED 100000
FOR ELECTRIC FRANCHISE
OFFER COMES FROM EAST
ERN SHORE PUBLIC SERVICE
Deal, Which Would Not Include
Water Works, Would Pay Off
Smyrna's Bonded Debt

Water Works, Would Pay Off
Smyrna's Bonded Debt
Smyrna Town Council at a rec
ent meeting received a bonifide Of
fer of 100000 from the Eastern
Shore Public Service Company of
Salisbury, Md, for Smyrna's cleo
trio light plant, pole line and
franchise. The offer was made by
j. o. O'Connell, vice-president of
the Eastern Shore Company and
their attorney, F. w. C. Webb,
Esq, both of Salisbury, Md.
Smyrna Town Council and their
attorney, c. Leland Harmonson,
Esq, have been giving serious con-
sideration to offers made from
time to time by the Shore Com
pany and for a number of months
the very best offer made was set
at fixed sum of S225, 900. Little
by little the Salisbury people NOV
ed the figure up to the present Of
fer which they say is the highest
they will absolutely consider. The
offer does not include the Smyrna
Water System, its fine well of
spring water or pumping station.
Smyrna Town Council would not
consider this at any price. But
they are considering the disposal
of the towns electric light plant
and franchise, if the contract
which is yet to be presented and
gone over, is sufficiently secure as
to give Smyrna consumers every
protection. There seems no doubt
when this is received, the mem
bers of Council will give the deal
their vote of approval. When this
/ is done, the whole matter under
/ the provisions of the Town Chart
er will have to be submitted to a
vote of approval of the property
owners of Smyrna at a Referen-
dunn election. In the meantime
the public will be presented with
all facts and figures as Town
Council has nothing in secret and
nothing to withhold
Would Pay Off Smyrna's Debt
The offer of 100000 will more
than pay off the bonded indebted
ness of the town and leave a bal
ance of 100000 to be put out at
interest as a revenue producer.
This, with the taxes accruing from
the assessment and with no inter
est on notes or bonds to pay, the
town will be enabled to run on
more economical basis with no
overhead expense except street
work, the water plant, police de-
partment, and the collector and
town clerk, which two Offices
might be consolidated. The cleo
trio street lighting and electric
water pumping would be done at
saving and not only would the
Town of Smyrna save in being re-
lieved of operating expenses, but
the consumers likewise would ben
eft by the schedule of rates which
would be lower to Smyrna con-
sumers than what the Town of
Smyrna could afford to charge.
Shore officials tell Council that
their saving to consumers alone
will total more than $1,000 annual
ly by differences in schedule rates.
For the past five years nearly, or
ever since the Town quit gener-
ating its own current from the
Smyrna electric light plant, Smyr-
ma has been buying its current
wholesale from the Eastern Shore
Public Service Company and in
turn Smyrna has been selling its
current retail to the Town of
Clayton under a contract which
expires a year from next March. !
At the termination of this con-
tract, Clayton, if they do not sell /
their town franchise to the Shore /
people, will, no doubt, arrange to !
buy their current from them direct /
or make other arrangements. /
Town Meeting to Be Called Soon
With the prospect of losing Clay /
ton, as Town Council sees it, it /
would be to best advantage for /
Smyrna to sell its franchise at the
highest offer they can get. Mem
bers of Town Council will be glad
to answer any questions to citizens
and taxpayers to the end of call
ing a town meeting soon at which
the Salisbury executives of the
Eastern Shore Public Service
Company, will be asked to attend
1t is understood that if the East
ern Shore Public Service Company
acquires the Smyrna plant and
franchise, they will rehabilitate
the Smyrna pole line and plant
make the latter sub-station
and develop it as the northern
terminus of their system with
some kind of provision made for
a tie-up with Wilmington current
and the big Conowingo power cir
cult in any emergency.