The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1897-03-06

by Mr.. Peterson but that he was inter
ested in Deering and should take hold
OF the electric light business If MIR.
Peterson got in there.
Representative Moore of Deeriug said
that the sentiment in his town was
strongly in favor of the charter. He e1-
ainineo the list of petitioners and said
that it represented the business inte rests
of DeerinR
Arthur Il. Corliss, who circulated the
petition for the charter said that not
only did the people cheerfolly sign but
most OF them expressed an opinion that
the present monopoly law was an out
rage.
q. w. Neal, manufacturer Of dyna-
mos and motors in Portland, said that
he had no doubt that cheaper rate for
electricity in Portland would be the
means of putting lot Of electric power
in use.
e. G. Jordan, civil engineer, gave ex.
pert testimony on the capacity of the
power at Gorham based on his survey
and Investigations which had resulted
in the present plan which has been
blocked by the inability of the company
to lawfully enter Deering of Portland.
Lawyer William Fl. Bradley for the
remonstrants. called John E. Warren of
the Westbrook Light company who gave
testimony tending to reduce the figures
regarding the volume Of the water
available to the fibre company for power.
He said that during the last drought
the water dropped SO low that 1T could
not be gauged by the ordinary method
and that the horse power must have fall
len below 1000. He said that 2, 400 cubic
feet fall minute at the dam gives
900 horse power and that $50 horse power
Id be delivered in Portland. Mr..
Warren said that no member of the In
durated Fibre company had ever paid any
part of the expense of storing water in Sc
bago and giving the regular flow down the
Presumsoot river on which his power
and the fibre company's power are To-
Gated.
r.. B. Newcomb of the Westbrook
Electric Light company gave his COM
pany' g price list, si4 year for ten house
lights and S. each for store lights.
George K. Bird, Esq, outlined the
case of the remonstrance at an evening
session. He said that the Portland COM
pany, known as the Consolidated Electric
Light Company of Maine, furnished all
the lights the law required and that for
no reason WAS it necessary to have new
company located in Portland. He read
letters which spoke in complimentary
terms of the company's services. A let
at Peaks island said that when ready
for lighting, the Portland light oompa-
ny would be given the order. The writer
said the prices were satisfactory. A
statement expressing satisfaction at the
service and price was produced. 1t was.
signed by score Of prominent business
men.
The company's superintendent, Mr..
Reynolds, said that the company had
about 1900 lights in use in Portland
dwelling houses. The highest price OBJ
tanned for a motor MIR. Reynolds said,
was S62. so horse power per annum for
ten hours day, and rebate when the
motor was not run full time. The meter
system is used whenever practicable
The light rate. he said, was three-fourths
of cent per hour for 16-candle pow
or lamp, and gas was s1.50 thousand.
Seven men are kept at work wiring,
and when Mr.. Libby attorney for the
petitioners asked why his house bad not
been wired as he requested last fall. Mr..
Reynolds said it would be as soon AS
the men got around to it.
Mr.. Reynolds said that the Preble house
had over 400 lamps at cost Of 81 year
for each one. and that the company
furnished the lamps, thing which he
understood the Westbrook company
does not do. The witness said his oompa-
ny had 10 15O-horee power engines and
nine arc light dynamos. The service is
all right and not what is known as a
moon light service. The plant runs day
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