The Clinton chronicle. (Clinton, S.C.) 1901-current, April 03, 1919, Image 9
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THE CHRONICLE
Strives to be & cleiik^
newsy and reliable.
% If You Don’t Read
The Clinton Chronicle
You Don’t Get The
NEWS
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\ VOLUME XIX
CLINTON, S. C., THURSDAY, APRIL 3rd, 1919
NUMBER 14
CLINTON
‘LIGHT
WATER AND
RATES.
The publisher of *The Chronicle is in
receipt of the following article from
OtfuncOinan J.' F.' .laco'bs
for publication.
, wit!i ‘a reqlle'St
of operation ami maintenance of the
plant, and whatever necessary expenses
may be required by the town’s develop
ment.
“There has been considerable- criti
cism of the high water and light rates
charged by the town council of Clin
ton. Our mayor, feeling that the rat
are fully justified, has paid no attenti
to the criticisms. ' As ,he is not ver. i
much given to making explanation i
and as the criticisMs are unjustified th
writer wishes to lay before the people
of Clinton the actual facts of the case.
“The light and water rates of Clin
ton have been increased 50 per cent,
as compared with the pre-war period.
The cost of operating the plairt has
increased in a larger degree than this
increase in rates. Coal before the war
cost $.80 per ton. It now costs $2.60
per ton. Firemen before the war cost
$17.50 per month: They are now paid
$50.00 per month.
“All other expenses have gone up in
proportion. During the past year it has
been necessary for the town to purchase
additional land costing $500.00, to erect
an additional ground level reservoir
costing approximately $3,000 and doub
ling the .storage capacity of .water, to
raise the walls and put on a new roof
on the power house costing approximate
ly $1,000. It is the endeavor of the
administration to really give fine serv
ice, and keep the plant in perfect con
dition at all times. The up keep is much
more expensive 1 than before the war,
owing to the increase in the price of
oils, boiler flues, and all repair parts.
“The number of street lamps has
been doubled. It is the desire of the
administration to operate the water and
light and sewer system without creat
ing a deficit. That is not practicable
on the old rate at present costs. The
deficit would be very heavy indeed if
the old rates were still in force. It is
the desire of the mayor to reduce the
rates as soon as costs are so reduced
as to admit of it, but that is not prac
ticable at the present time. The entire
taxable returns of the town amount to
only about $1,000,000. At 15 mills this
yields only $15,000 a year approxi
mately, wdth which to run the town.
Of this sum $5,100 is required to meet
the interest on $100,000 of bonds. If
a large deficit were created by the light,
water and sewer system, there could be
no street improvements. For this
reason the rates are established on a
basis which will admit of paying cost
—“••It -hws 'been-suggested that the ad
ministration might do better by taking
hydro-electric power. There are two
possible sources. The Southern Power
Company is the biggest concern operat
ing in this region. It would not bring
jts line to Clinton, however, unless it
could sell vastly more power tham the
town uses, and unless the mills in Clin-
4 on decide to electrify their, plants and
take the hydro-electric power of the
Southern Power Company, there is no
prospect of that company coming to
Clinton for they would have to charge
the town of Clinton vastly more than
it costs to produce the power by steam.
“The only other concern which could
deliver the power, and would, deliver it
to Clinton is the Reedy River Power
Company. That concern desires to sell
power to tjie town, but has never made
a ..proposition which was regarded as
a profitable one for the town to accept.
All hydro-electric companies occasion
ally fall down in delivery of power.
For instance, at the automobile show
a few nights ago power gave out in
Greenville and for 45 minutes there whs
no light. It is much more important
to have power and water and light al
ways- available thap to have cheap
rates; Service in Clinton is hardly
equalled by the service in any of the
towns taking hydro-electric power.
“ It would be necessary, in case we
were to purchase hydro-electric power,
to maintain our steam plant ready for
emergencies which would involve the
constant employment of fireman and
engineer, even though the plant is not
in operation. It will also be necessary
to operate it occasionally to keep it
from deteriorating.
“Under these circumstances, the
price- which the hydro-electric power
company offers must be competitive
with the coal and oil cost of a steam
plant and not with the total cost of
operation. Otherwise, the purchase of
hydro-electric power, together with the
maintenance of the steam plant as a
subsidiary emergency system would in
volve a higher cost than operating the
steam plant alone. Jt is for these
reasons that no hydro-electric contract
has been made by. the city of ('liyton.
It is the opinion of the,' administration
that the people of Clinton would prefer
not to accumulate' debts on the opera
tion of their power, light, water, ami
sewer system, that they would also pre
fer to have the town constantly making
progress in the way of street improve
ments, that they would prefer to have a
light of such quality and steadiness as
would constitute the best possible serv-
fce,. jsmLthat if to yield this kind of a
service and operate the town affairs in
a conservative and safe way, it'is neces
sary to charge the higher rate, it is
confidently believed that the*mass of
the people of Clinton would prefer to
have the higher rate. It would be mani
festly unfair to sell water and light and
power at a rate so low as to accumulate
a deficit in the operation of the plant,
which'could only be discharged by tak
ing tax money away from street im
provement. Consequently, people who
do not buy light power, or even water
from the town, would have some of their
tax money paid in to cover a deficit
resulting from selling at too low- a price
to the users of those commodities, This
would be manifestly unfair.
“It is hoped that conditions will so
improve within the next year as to per
mit of a reduction in the rates; but
that will depend upon the cdst of
operation.
“J. F. JACOBS.”
CHAUTAUQUA ENTHUSIASTS
MEET SATURDAY.
Miss L. Jeannette Totten, the
clever organizer of—the- Com
munity Chautauquas who was in
Clinton a while back in’the interest
of Clinton’s Chautauqua, is re
turning to Clinton to meet with
all the guarantors and thole in
terested in the Chautauqua, Sat
urday, April 5th.
At the meeting all of the guar
antors and friends of the Chau
tauqua will meet for organization.
There a manager or president of
the Chautauqua Association will
he elected, as well as the chairman
of the various committees that will
have the arrangements for the
Chautauqua in charge.
It is expected that there will be
a full meeting as a great deal of
interest is being shown in the
undertaking. ' The general public
is invited to attend. The meeting
will be only a short one and a busi
ness meeting solely;
A great deal of interest is being
displayed in the probable pro
gramme of the Chautauqua and
announcements in.this respect will
probably be made at this meeting.
The date, another interesting sub
ject, will also be discusseftT^ *
The big Chautauqua >vill appear
in a large tent in which will be
comfortable seats for a large audi
ence. The Chautauqua manage
ment furnish the tent and erect it.
A few accessories are necessary,
however, and a committee will
probably be elected to be called
the grounds committee to co-op
erate with the Chautauqua in thfs
respect. There will also have to be
ticket, advertising and other com
mittees. •
The Chautauqua for Clinton is
headed by a large number of Clin
ton’s most influential business and
professional men as well as a num
ber of ladies. The list below in
cludes the names of all who have
agreed , to act as guarantors for
the Chautauqua. Others have in
dicated a desire also to become
pfiLa.runtors andjwill no doubt be
added to the list. ~TtTrHtst--iiL_us
follows:
ii. H. Boyd, \Vm. 1\ Jacobs,
Jack H. Young, M. G. Woodworth,
I). J. Brimm, L. Ross Lynn, A. E.
Spencer, John 1). Bell, W. W. Har
ris, J. Lee Young, Crawford Clapp,
Mrs. W. J. Bailey, Simpson*Gro.
Co., W. C. Bailey, C. M. Bailey,
R. H. Hatton, John T. Young, E.
W. Ferguson, J. H. Stone, L. A.
Barrow, James Brethes & Co.,
John Sprat-t' L. F. McSwain,
(Miss) -Clara E. Duckytt, Jas. R.
Copeland, J. 1. Coleman, Edgar
Todd, Adair Furniture Co., E. B.
Sloan, E. M. Gillespie, W. H.
Simpson, L. 1). McCrary, 11. B.
Vance, G. W. Young, Mrs
Jacobs, Sr., Milling Gro. Co
Pitts,. J. F. Jacobs, Jr.,
Stone, J. F.-Jacobs, Sr.
The mebting will be held at
Copeland's Hall. Saturday morn
ing at 10:d<) A. M., and all who are
interested are urged to be present.
FINALSETTLEMENT
Take notice that on the 28th day of
April 1011) 1 will render a final account
of my acts jtpd doings as jblministrator
6f the* esdAToor Th<mTitrrsrTerdwpasettr
in the office of the Judge of Probate of
Laurens county, at 11 o’clock, a. ni. and
on the same day will apply fora final
discharge-from my trust as Administra
tor. : r " .
Any person indebted to said estate, is
notified and required to make payments
on that.date, and all persons leaving
claims against said estate will present
them on or before said date. Duly
pVovon or be forever barred.
E. B. Sloan
Administrator
March js, mil). , •
Sweet Potato Plants
I have contracted for 75,000 Nancy
Hall and Porto Rico Potato Plants
and can get them any time desired on
3 or 4 days notice from now until
June 15th. Please give me your order.
I. C. BOLAND.
THIRTY YEARS EXPERIENCE
IN FITTING GLASSES
tnnoT if f
And the Nation Will Show
That It Stands Behind Them
in the Victory Liberty Loan
Drive.
More than a miHIon of Uncle Sam’s
boys are “over there" looking after
the common good of the world. And
they will have to stay upon the job
until it is done; until things are right
ed again; until order is brought out
of chaos. -
While they are overseas they must
be taken care of adequately; they
must be clothed and fed. and lodged
comfortably. Uncle Sam estimates
that it costs $423.27 a year to equip
and maintain a soldier in Europe.
Part of the proceeds from the com
ing Victory Liberty Loan will be de
voted to caring for the “doughboys.”
Part of it will go into the rehabilita-
-Lon fund Tor putting the - injured-sol-
E. B. GARY/IN '
OPTOMETRIST
Okkick Uoukh: 8:30 a. m. to 12:50 e. m.
1:50 i*. m. to (! i*. m
Offlee Commercial Bank Building
J. F.
, J. M.
(’. W.
For Sale—300 bushels pure Mexican
lug Itoll Cotton Seed at $4.50 i>er bu.
Also a few Cleveland big l«)ll at the
same price. T. J. BLALOCK.
FOR SALE—Japanese Ribbon Cane
Syrup. Also Cane Seed for sale.
ANDY Y. JONES.
diers back upon their feet* Part of
it will go for insurance claims. The
rest of it will go to meet the hundred
and one other demands for this green
est of world emergencies since the
dawn of civilization.
Every mother’s son of them did his
part, helped insure liberty and justice •
for the world at Iqrge and restore
Uncle Sam to his rightful position in
th.) estimation ' of the nations of
earth. '
They did their duly fully, these boys
who won. They fought to the eijid.
through fire and flood. They never
talked about letting up.
This is no tun*. fer A.uevieans to
think of lettingftoip. Th" nation must
stand bv il's guns, l y its records; by
Uncle Sam and mm t make the next
loan another big sneep. s.
See our display of Aluminum ware.
S. M. & E. H. WILKES L CO.
GEO. H. ELLIS
J. K. HATTON
It is with a great deal of pleasure that the Ellis Motor Company announces
to the public the‘connection of Mr. J. K. Hatton of this city, he becoming a
firm member and devoting hisentire’timetothe sale and service of automobiles.
Our repair department we hope to make second to none in the State, we
have secured the services of Mr. W. E. West, an expert mechanic of sixteen
years experience in automobile building and repairing, and hope to give the
public efficient service on all repair work intrusted to our care, and we will
appreciate a trial.
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Mr. West arrived yesterday, and is now at your service. A complete stock
of tires, tubes, auto accessories, gasoline and oils will be carried at all times,
our filling station will soon be seen on West Main Street (“It’s a Beauty”),
which will in the near future be our new home.
COME SEE
5$
Motor Company
Clinton,
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DISTRIBUTORS
South Carolina