High Point to Get Electricity to Light the Streets Downtown, 1914

From the Thursday, July 23, 1914, issue of the High Point Review

Mayor Tate Talks on the White Way and Other Progressive Matters

Judging from the citizens’ meeting the probability is that High Point will have the “white way.” Since this meeting Mayor Tate has said publicly:

“We are now favored with a proposition from the Public Service Company, not as I believe a money-maker for this company, but with a view to beginning a larger and greater development of High Point which will ultimately enhance their values here just as it will that of all others whose property enhancement depends largely upon the continued growth of the city, whereby the city will be saved of the cost of erection and maintenance of the “white way” system. This entire outlay to be made by the Public Service company and the entire responsibility of its maintenance to be on them. The only cost to the city will be a stipulated price per year for each of the five-light columns, with a proper rebate penalty for outage as under our present contract.

“The term of this ‘white way’ contract will run for five years so that it will expire at the same time our other contracts with this company expire, thus permitting the city to renew all its lighting and power contracts together, or possibly make other arrangements if deemed wise.

“Now if we would give this city the ‘white way,’ we must also provide for further extensions of arc lights to the outlying sections not yet provided with this convenience, and in order for the proper care for the whole undertaking, it will be necessary to increase the incandescent lighting rate about one cent per k.w. hour making the minimum, say, 60 cents per month. Our rate, when this is done, will be, only a fraction more than half that being charged by all other North Carolina cities.

“This proposition will doubtless be definitely determined and settled at a meeting of the city council soon, and if there are any citizens who opposed the plan as outlined in the petition now being circulated, it would be wise for them to appear before the council and give expression to their views at that time.”

In addition to the arrangements which have been made for repairing the bithulithic payment this summer, there are several forward steps to be taken in High Point’s advancement: First the “white way”; second, a new city hall; third, a furniture exposition; fourth, electric road to Winston; fifth, cleaning out another main street; and sixth, a county courthouse.