The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1893-01-27

project bv which they VIII render them
selves independent Of the electric light
monopoly.
Eager to gain gold, the monopoly has
put up rates so high that many smaller
consumers are going back to the old gas
light System.
In order not to be obliged to do this,
the heavy consumers propose to club to-
Eether snd buy and operate an Inde-
pendent plant.
The circular issued by the Edison Electric
Light and Power Company few days ago
20 their customers notifying them Of an in
crease has given rise TO considerable dis
cussion.
Since the company started operations in
the city two cuts In the rates have been
made, the last one being on February S
last year.
From and after that date the rate fer arc
lights furnished till $3.50
Why the P. NJ. was fixed at 81 90 a
f-,.sr-,.-s psise week net. till 1890 So.
al night So and all day
Up Their So 50
pro4es+i,y voices All bills for mean
descent lights were to be-
rendered at the rate of 20 cents thousand
feet, watts" subject to 8 discount of IS
per cent These prices applied to all Gus
tomers, whether under contract or not.
The new schedule which came into effect
on the 10th inst. is as follows: Arc lights
til $50 P N. April. May and June. 81 70
per week, net; March and July, So: Feb
ruary and August. 50 q; January and Sep
TENDER. s. 80: October, November and
December. s. IS; till midnight April, May
and June, s. 80; March and July, 81 20 /;
February and August. So; January and
September. 81 60; October. November and
December, s. so; all night, April. May and
June, s. March and July, 81 %; February
and August, ST 80; January and Septem-
ber 81 70; October. November and Deem
Der. s..
As reason for tie advanced rates the
circular says:
For over a year past the company has
been supplying arc lights at a price that
while il covered the actual cost Of produc-
ton did not provide any Interest upon q
very large investment The rates are fair
and equitable. and compare faYorably with
the rates in any city In the United States
where the same cost Of fuel, labor and other
expenses exist"
Just here it might be well to ask what IN
duced the Edison Company to make the
cuts referred to, and the question is not
difficult to answer.
About the time the first cut was made the
Electrical improvement Company Of CALI
fornia came upon the scene as competitor
for patronage. The competition for bus-
ness between the two companies was keen,
and The Edison Company endeayored TO
crush its rival and force il cut Of existence
by making the second cut in February last
The consumers since then have been
Teaping the benefit Of competition, but now
they are again IN the grasp Of monopoly, as
the Electrical Company has recently been
amalgamated with the Edison Company
Hence the jump in rates which has caused
the present agitation.
Merchants In large cities In the East
have adopted plan TO protect themselves
against eXtortlonate rates charged by
electric light monopoles. and it would not
be surprising il the same plan should be
worked here. At all events Il Is already
being talked about by merchants on Market
street.
The plan is a simple one 1t is for the
merchants in block 10 pool their Issues for
lighting purposes by erecting the necessary
plant and obtaining the services Of a CON-
petent engineer to operate it.
By this means they obtain the light at the
lowest possible cost and all are placed Oh
the same footing.
A rate is agreed upon to be paid By each
merchant and at the end of every six
months a statement Of the income and ex.
pendituTe is prepared and a dividend de-
elared pro rata. That Is TO say, according
TO the number Of lights used by each mer-
chant
Market-street merchant who recently
returned from a trip East
says the cooperative Cooperation
plan works most advan- Works Very Well
tageOusly there. and he is
eager to see It Ia opera IN Eastern cities.
ton here. Several large concerns in this
city have their own dynamos and they
might be induced to furnish other esta b.
lishments in the same block with light at 9
reasonable percentage on net cost.
II is possible that oyertures in that direc-
ton will be made soon. and failing, a salts.
factory arrangement of the cooperative
principle will be adopted
AbFiN dlo iiU iusupcIdDle IuculIleb 10 De
overcome. All that is required to start the
movement Is for some one to take the nitia-
tive and call a meeting Of those Interested to
discuss the question.
The Market-stTeet merchant referred Ia
said to a CALL reporter yesterday that il
no one else showed any signs Of moving In
the matter he would do so himself, but
he preferred not to have his name men,
TONED for obvious reasons.
He considered the rate they had been
paying since last February a reasonable
one, butnO that they were again under
the thumb of q monopoly and had theiI
rates increased it was time for them ia
consider ways and means for their OWL
protection, more especially as the exercise
OF the utmost economy in business was In.
dispensable at present.
The electric light companies, he argued
made good profit even at the reduced rate
of last year, and he failed to see why the
merchants themselves should not have that
profit in their own pockets instead Of put
ting It Into the pockets Of the shareholders
of the companies.
The first cost Of the necessary plant would
not be very great when divided among a
number, and a building could be procured
at cheap rental in one Of the alleys run.
ming back of the principal streets. The
thing, he said, that surprised him most was