The times-news. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1927-current, 1934-07-19
THAT GEORGIA UTOPIA

-. Several years ago stories were sent
broadcast throughout the country from
Crisp county, Georgia, detailing how
Utopia was going to be developed down
r /; there by the magic of publicly owned
electric power plant. The Times-News re-
" ceived and published one of these stories
In fairness to its readers this newspaper
is now able to present the results of the
:: efforts of Crisp county to secure cheap
power, pay its taxes and enrich its entire
population by operating a hydro-electrc
plant.
:, The sequel to this story comes to The
Times-News in a pamphlet of IA pages
issued and signed by S. ]. Groves & Sons
"a Company of Orlando, Florida, the con-
tracing company which erected the dana
H. and power plant for Crisp county. While
- work on the plant was commenced in 1928
ss.-s and finished in 1880, the contracting CON-
&ssxpany has never been paid in full for the
- John fact, Crisp county is still indebted
to S. ]. Groves & Sons Company to the
amount of almost S150,0OO, and it is in the
effort to collect this sum that the contract
-, ing company issued the pamphlet, which
is entitled, can Appeal to Fair Minded
Citizens" the same being the citizens Of
Crisp county.
The statement by S. J. Groves & Sons
details the very interesting and highly IL
Illuminating experiences of Crisp county IN
- the hydro-electrc power business, in an
- -. effort to show the people just where they
= stand in the power business, and also for
the laudable purpose of aiding the con-
tracing firm in collecting its long past due
balance. a...'s.
For example, when the power plant was
constructed the tax rate in Crisp county
was Is mills Next year after plant was
completed the rate was raised to rs mills,
where it remains, and which rate is the
highest county tax rate in Georgia.
Another example The first year of op-
Grafton of the plant, which was 1881, it
sustained an operating loss of S65,77l.
Each succeeding year of operation has
showed an equally heavy loss according
to the figures of certified public account
ants. These figures are for Operting losses.
When depreciation is included, the losses
are more than double these figures.
Accountants figures UP to December 81,
1888, show the county power commission
with deficit of $257, 439 The only way
the plant has been able to continue in the
face of such losses has been by borrowing
from the county, and the county commits
Is sioners have loaned the power commission
the sum of $3.50, 1O1 .
Thus it is evident that Crisp county has
lost more than half "a million dollars in
this power deal in four years, has doubled
the tax rate exacted of its people, and has
to,show for it plant probably worth less
today than the balance due the contractors
who erected the plant.
The Hickory Record, discussing the
= movement to put Greenwood county, South
- Carelina, in the power business, points 20
the Georgia failure, and says: SO
1t"If we apply the Crisp county measuring roa'
- there is little to expect that Greenwood
~ county will have any magic to apply by which to
.S',register financial success with the same sort Of
va sxperment which has proved such colossal fail
,sre for the power project adventures of the sister
cracker state. ....
: BIZ True Greenwood county might be expected tc
-, Ghaye certain advantage, inasmuch as the pro
-, posal is to let Uncle Sam supply the money TO
,carthe investment, whereas Crisp county citizen
- A=s