City Won't be Buying Existing Electric Light, Water and Sewerage Companies, Says Mayor Goodwin, Oct. 17, 1922

Mr. Crook Hasn’t A Ghost of a Show to Sell Now. . . Mayor Writes Letter Declaring That City’s Offer of $250,000 Is All Off Now and That Settles It

There isn’t even a remote possibility of the present Board of Aldermen of Elizabeth City considering the purchase of the existing public utilities, is the statement made to this newspaper yesterday by Mayor w. Ben Goodwin. “We would not buy the properties at our original offer of $250,000, at this time, let alone consider a price of $300,000 or $375,000,” says Mayor Goodwin.

The continuance of the propaganda of the utilities companies has had the effect of spreading a belief that the Aldermen might yet reconsider the purchase of the properties, Mayor Goodwin thought Mr. Crook might entertain some such notion himself: and so to destroy the last vestige of any hope that might remain in Mr. Crook’s breast, Mayor Goodwin sat himself down last week and wrote the following letter:

Elizabeth City, N.C.

Oct. 13, 1922

Elizabeth City Electric Light Co.

Elizabeth City Water Co.

Elizabeth City Sewerage Co.

Howard E. Crook, President, Elizabeth City, N.C.

Dear sir:--

Doubtless you understand that the offer of $250,000 made by the corporation of Elizabeth City, for the purchase of the holdings of the Utilities Companies has expired by reason of the refusal of said companies to accept the offer within the time set forth for which the offer held good, and by further reason of the refusal of said companies to accept the offer as set out in the resolutions accompanying your letter of August 17th, and the subsequent rejection of all counter proposals of which you have been advised, but as this understanding may not be positively understood, I am writing to advise that the original offer of $250,000 is here and now withdrawn and you will govern yourself accordingly.

Very truly yours,

W. Ben Goodwin, Mayor

The next step upon the part of the Board of Aldermen will be the employment of an engineer to draft plans for electric light, water and sewerage plants. Half a dozen or more engineering firms are hot after the job and all applicants will be given a hearing at a special meeting of the Aldermen in the chamber of Commerce Friday, Oct. 20.

The city is in no way bound to retain the services of J.B. McFrary Engineering Co. of Atlanta, who were employed last winter to make a survey and appraisal of the electric light, water and sewerage companies’ properties, and other engineers than the McCrary outfit may be employed for the work ahead.

From the front page of The Independent, Elizabeth City, N.C., Oct. 17, 1922. What is the correct name of the engineering company from Atlanta? I don’t know. The paper gave it as McFrary on first reference and McCrary later in the same sentence.