Sixty-Ninth Annual Report of the Public Service C,Ommission of South Carolina 1946-47 JOHN C
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Sixty-Ninth Annual Report of the Public Service c,ommission of South Carolina 1946-47 JOHN C. CONEY, Chairman I I WINCHESTER C. SMITH, Vice-Charman 1 RUFUS M. NEWTON JAMES W. WOLFE Commissioners J. C. DARBY F. B. HINES EDWARD WIMBERLY J. N. LAND, JR., Executive Secretary IRVINE F. BELSER, Assistant Attorney General-Chief Counsel HAROLD MAJOR, Consultant Counsel B. H. BARRE, Chief Engineer W. W. GOODMAN, Director Motor Transport Division C. E. LOGWOOD, Director of Rate Bureau WALTER C. HERBERT, Director, Electrical Utilities Division C. R. BOYLE, Assistant-Director, Electrical Utilities Division PRINTED UNDER THE DIRECTION 01' THll: Jorm CoMMITTEE oN PRINTING GENERAL AssEMBLY OF SoUTH CAROLINA. -s. -c. STATE UBRARY LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL Office of Public Service Commission Columbia, S. C., October 30th, 1947. To His Excellency, J. Strom Thurmond, Governor of South Carolina: Sir: We have the honor to transmit herewith the Sixty-Ninth an nual report of The Public Service Commission of South Caro lina for the year ending June 30, 1947. Yours respectfully, John C. Coney, Chairman, Winchester C. Smith, Vice-Ohailrman, J. C. Darby, Commissioner, Rufus M. Newton, Commissioner, James W. Wolfe, Commissioner, F. B. Hines, Commissioner, Edward Wimberly, Commissioner, J. N. Land, Jr., Executive Sec-retary. IN MEMORIAM GEORGE LELAND TIMMONS Whereas, the Honorable George Leland Timmons of Hartsville, South Carolina, member and former Chairman of the Commission, died at 5 :00 A. M. September 30, 1946, and ·whereas, this Commission revers and desires to honor his memory; Therefore, Be It Resol1Jed: That this appreciation of our deceased friend be spread on the permanent Minutes of the Commission, inserted in its annual report to the Governor and General Assembly, and a copy, properly signed and at tested, be forwarded to his widow and each of his children. George Leland Timmons was born in Florence County September 20, 1886, a son of George M. and Belton Cock field Timmons of Lake City; attended S. C. C. I. 1905 and College of Charleston 1906-07, and from this date was actively engaged in the practice of Pharmacy. In 1915 he was married to Warner Hare of Boling Green, Virginia, and to this union was born George L. Timmons, Jr., Dr. Barney F. Timmons and Christian L. Timmons. Dr. Timmons served in the House of Representatives from Darlington County for two terms, beginning in 1941, and was elected to this Commission April 14, 1942. ANNUAL REPORT OF THE PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION OF SOUTH CAROLINA To the General Assembly of South Oarolina: The Public Service Commission has the honor to respectfully submit for your consideration this its sixty-ninth annual report. Below is the personnel of the present Commission and the Counties comprising the seven districts: First District John C. Coney, Chairman____________________________________ Reevesville, S. C. Berkeley, Charleston, Clarendon, Colleton, Dorchester. Second District Winchester C. Smith, Vice-Chairman____________________ Williston, S. C. Aiken, Allendale, Bamberg, Barnwell, Beaufort, Edgefield, Hampton, Jasper, Saluda. Third District Rufus M. N ewton _____________________________________________________ Anderson, S. C. Abbeville, Anderson, Greenwood, McCormick, Newberry, Oconee, Pickens. Fourrth District James W. W olfe ________________________________________________________________ lnman, S. C. Greenville, Laurens, Spartanburg, Union. Fifth District J. C. Darby---------------------------------------------------------------- Winnsboro, S. C. Cherokee, Chester, Chesterfield, Fairfield, Kershaw, Lan caster, York. Simth District F. B. Hines_______________________________________________________________ Hartsville, S. C. Darlington, Dillon, Florence, Georgetown, Horry, Marion, Marlboro. Seventh District Edward Wimberly_______________________________________________ St. Matthews, S. C. Calhoun, Lee, Lexington, Orangeburg, Richland, Sumter. Upon the death of George L. Timmons, Commissioner from the Sixth Commission District, Governor Ransome J. Williams ap pointed George D. Eidson of Hartsville, South Carolina, to the interim term. Commissioner Eidson qualified October 3, 1946 and served until January 28, 1947, at which time Commissioner Hines took office, after having been elected by the General Assembly to serve out the unexpired term of Commissioner Timmons. Com missioner Hines was unopposed in his election. ,._,. ' SOUTH CAROLINA PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION --, I I I I I RATE BUREAU -I SECRETARY - CHIEF ENGINEER MOTOR TRANSPORT ELECTRICAL UTILITIES L_ ..J DIVISION DIVISION I REPORTER I ~ ·l ... This report is divided into :four sections as :follows: PART !-Railroad and Express Companies, Freight and Ex press Rates, Motor Carrier Rates. PART II-City Bus Transportation, Gas Utilities, Telegraph Companies, Telephone Companies, Water Utilities. PART III-Motor Transport Division. PART IV-Electrical Utilities Division. PART I. RATE BUREAU PHYSICAL CONDITION OF RAILROADS Our inspection of rail properties in the State indicates that the roadways and structures of the rail lines generally are in reason ably satisfactory condition. Main line properties are being main tained at high standards, while branch, secondary, and short-line properties are being maintained sufficiently to handle the traffic moving over them. During the year ending December 31, 1946, South Carolina rail lines applied in replacement a total of 870,824 crossties and 349 sets and 443,545 board feet of switch and bridge ties. New rails laid in replacement in main tracks totaled 131.42 rail-miles, and relay rails laid in replacement in main tracks, releasing lighter weight rail, totaled 44.70 rail-miles. New ballast put in amounted to 118,553 cubic yards, and reballast put in amounted to 189,416 cubic yards. The installation of tracks and signals in connection with cen tralized traffic control on the line of the Seaboard Air Line Rail road Company from Hamlet through Columbia to Savannah is under way. Completion of this work should materially improve operating conditions on this line of the Seaboard and contribute substantially to public safety. Grade crossings established during 1946 totaled seven; and those eliminated totaled four. The undergrade structure erected where Palmetto Street in Florence crosses the tracks of the Atlan tic Coast Line Railroad Company is in use and is reported to add materially to public convenience and safety. RAILROAD ABANDONMENTS AND EXTENSIONS No new railroad . abandonment or extension proceedings, in volving rail lines in South Carolina, have been instituted before the Interstate Commerce Commission since our 68th Annual Report. In our 68th report, we mentioned as pending before the Inter state Commerce Commission, under Finance Docket No. 14957, the application of the Hampton & Branchville Railroad Company for authority to extend its line from a point near Hampton, 10 South Carolina, to a connection with the Seaboard Air Line RaiL road Company at Luray, South Carolina, and to a connection with the Southern Railway Company near Lena, South Carolina, a distance of approximately 12 miles, all in Hampton County, South Carolina. This extension has been authorized and pre liminary construction work is under way. The Atlantic Coast Line Railroad Company reports an exten sion of its 'V alterboro Branch at Green Pond amounting to 0.19 mile. NEW DEPOTS AND OTHER BUILDINGS The Charleston & ·western Carolina Railway Company has extended its covered platform at Owings 30 feet, and has ex tended its covered platform at Gray Court 48 feet. Both of these platform extensions were of frame construction with composition roofing. This line has also constructed a concrete block addition, 30' x 72', to its Mountain City Warehouse at Greenville. Roofing on this latter structure was of the built-up type. The Seaboard Air Line Railroad Company has replaced its section laborer's house at Catawba, frame construction, 22' x 33'. It has also constructed a stock pen at Greenwood, frame con struction, covered, 40' x 48'. The Southern Railway Company has constructed a new ice house at the Union Station in Columbia; a new blacksmith shop and a new record building for its mechanical department at An drews Yard in Columbia; a new fuel oil station at Greenville; a new section foreman's house at Inman; new water stations at Campobello, Williamston and Furman; a vegetable shed at Orangeburg; and an addition to its stock pen at Hayne. ;STATIONS AND AGENCIES Fire swept through the Union Station in Charleston on Jan uary 10, 1947 and largely destroyed that joint facility. As a temporary measure pending developments looking toward re placement or relocation of station facilities in Charleston, the Southern Railway Company rigged up two passenger coaches at its Line Street yards to serve as a waiting room for passengers using Southern trains, and the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad Company arranged to convey its patrons by bus between the downtown area and its North Charleston station. We are inform- 11 ed that negotiations are under way between rail lines serving Charleston and various civic and governmental bodies with re spect to relocation of the union station at that point, but, up to the end of our fiscal year, no definite conclusions have been reached upon the matter. The applications of the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad Company and the Western Union Telegraph Company for authority to close their agencies at Elliott, St. Charles and Wisacky, South Carolina, upon which our decision was pending at the time of our