Appreciates editorial
Thanks so much for your thoughtful thanks to utilities workers and others (Our View: Public servants in the eye of the storm, Nov. 30) who kept us intact in time of potential storm and disaster. We indeed do “owe a debt to them” for their maintenance of our electric power and running water that we take too much for granted.
When he managed the Brooksville office of the Mississippi Power Association (1932-1939), my father Delbert Cunningham also worked as a lineman for the Association. On such stormy nights, my mother Edith drove their personal car (a 1931 Chevrolet coupe) along those the power lines on those gravel roads in Noxubee and Lowndes counties.
Wearing a slicker, Delbert, standing on the running board and beaming a powerful flashlight, would find the line in trouble. They would stop, slog through the wet grass and weeds, and, with Edith pointing the flashlight, Delbert would take his tools, climb the pole with his “hooks” or shoe spikes (There were no inserted foot-catches for climbers.), get to the trouble spot, lock his safety belt in place, check it, and secure himself (as my mother would say, “Lean back into it”).
He put on huge insulated gloves, for he would deal with “hot” wires and leave all of them “hot” and conducting power. When he finished, he would descend, and the two of them would search the lines for another trouble spot.
Like many of our utilities workers, they were young and strong. They, too, always were proud of their cooperative work to keep the lights burning.
Thanks for your indulgence of my recollection.
Emilie White
Columbus
The Dispatch Editorial Board is made up of publisher Peter Imes, columnist Slim Smith, managing editor Zack Plair and senior newsroom staff.
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