Show A Practical Difficulty I IA Entirely aside from any theoretical arguments relative to the advantages and disadvantages of public and pd private private vate ate ownership of or utilities a recent illustration from a town in the Mid Mid- Mid Mid- Middle Middle Middle out out- outstanding outstanding out outstanding dle West shows graphically an standing danger inherent in small municipal plants In this town the I crank shaft of the larger of two en- en ent en engines engines t gines ines in the municipal power house housebroke housebroke I broke resulting in a serious curtail curtail- curtailment curtailment curtailment ment of the amount of electricity gen orated crated Both citizens and local in- in industries industries in industries suffered from a lack of pow pow- power power power er and current was frequently shutoff shut shutoff shutoff off entirely during the busiest periods of the day After two WC weeks weoka ks of this condition the local newspaper stated The Times office has been hit verv very hard i ifor for the past two weeks just when it has need of power to get out its holi- holi holiday holiday holi holiday itI I day rush of an extra large edition and mush job work Community pride has kept the tho Times editor from I making public the condition of the City Light Plant but pride and pa- pa patience patience pa tience have ceased to be of SUfficient to keep keep silent longer when ber there is su such h crying ned o of efficiency In ngn ana anu I power for the business firms of this I city to run their establishments whenever necessary It is obvious that small plants cannot be e expected q to havethe have havethe havethe the operating advantages of lar larger er central power stations For this reason privately owned interconnected inter interconnect inter ed systems serving serving many localities I and operating over terri terri- territory territory territory tory have come into bein being with re- re reI re resulting suIting outstanding efficiency e- e economy conomy c-conomy conomy and service |