The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1899-11-21

THE SCRANTON
prevent q water company from maxi
ing a fair rate of interest on its in
vestment. and II is quite possible the
company can show thai II Is not get
ting more than a reasonable return
for the capital invested in its plant.
LIMITED POWER OF COURTS.
In further pointing out the limited
power of the courts in this regard he
states that II complaints were made
each would have to be treated separ-
ately. The courts could not reduce
the water rates generally. If an indi-
vidual feels aggrieved at his water
rate he can go into court, and II he
shows that the water company's
charges are exhorbitant-the COM
pany's divided profits being the criter-
ion-the court may, In its judgment,
revise his rate. To thus secure a gen
eral revision of rates all over the city
1t would be necessary for every rate
payer one after the other, to go into
court and repeat this performance.
Whether or not the gas and water
had lapsed what proportion of profits
1t divided on the capital invested, and
other informatiou necessary to an in
tellgent discussion of the question
was not available, Judge Jessup said.
because the books of the company
were not offered for public inspection.
Possibly some Of the stockholders
here sententiously remarked the
oh ha ohl e.
the number and amount of dividends
paid" This provoked another burst
of laughter.
Concluding in serious vein, Judge
Jessup said he did not believe any
court would reduce the water rates
when the books of the company were
investigated. having in mind the fact
that for years the company has been
placing nearly all it's surplus in i'm
provements.
Colonel Boies corroborated this with
the statement that his wife held a few
shares OF gas and water company stock
and II never paid over per cent.
"Do they ever pay stockholders dvi-
dends?" Judge Jessup inquired i'm sur
prised tones, at which there was more
merriment
COL. BOIES' EXPERIENCE.
Colonel Boies told of an experience
he had with the water company when
he was establishing the wheel works
He had an annual rate at first and
was well satisfied, but after a short
time the company put in a meter and
from that time on the water at the
wheel works cost more than the fuel.
L IL.
was practiced, but the meter showed
up the same measurements.
The colonel kicked. He says that
much himself. What followed the kick
was not revealed in detail by the col
onel, but that the meeting between
himself and the president of the water
| company was something in the nature
of collision was intimated by the col
| one later in last nights meeting de-
clining to serve on a committee to wait
| upon Mr.. Scranton. He disqualified
himself" Judge Jessup remarked.
Colonel Boies. however. was fully i'm
pressed with the belief that If COM
| mittee waited upon Mr.. Scranton and
| presented the case as the board Of
trade viewed it, the visit would not be
fruitless one. II move" he went on
! to say, that a committee of three
| from which I shall be relgiously eX-
| cluded-be appointed to confer with
Mr.. Scranton relative to the cheap en-
| ing of water rates and to Investigate
and report upon the legal aspects Of
the water question"
EX-Judge Hard arose to speak on
| the motion. The water rate on his
| commonwealth building was $50 a
year A meter was recently put in, and
| calculations based on the showing sn
far indicate that the meter will raise
! his water charge to $3.50 per annum
He at once set out to ecoromize. Some
$500 worth of improvements were pro-
| Jected about the building to enforce
economy and as each one was COM
! pleted the water rate, prospectively
diminished. But 1t was only prospect
lively, for as the meter showed a de.
crease In the amount of water con-
sumed, the Judge found his building
gradually but surely approaching the
small consumer" scale, and now he Is
wondering whether it is cheaper to pay
twenty cents a thousand gallons for
10000 gallons of water or ten cents a
thousand gallons for 20 900 gallons. The
Judge figures it out that he has spent
$500 to save water for the company.
WILL BORE FOR WATER.
He also informed the board that Mr.
Mears had sunk an artesian well under
the Mears building and was securins
a plentiful supply for all except drink
Ing purposes. He, himself, contem.
| plated boring. He had the water eX
amined and discovered that 1t is onl,
slightly tainted with sulphur and per
fectly SAFE to use in the boilers.
Judge Hand was not altogether sat.
isfed that a committee could induce
Mr. Scranton to feel that he is charg-
ing toe much for the water, taking the
company's investment as q basis OF
calculation. He was not prepared tc
say what the city could do in tn,
premises, but knew full well that {
proposition to buy the plant would not
be favorably received by Mr.. Scran.
ton. II went to him once with a prop
osition Of that kind" said the Judge
land he turned on me with, Are yo,
against me- too?'"
Nevertheless, Judge Hand favore,
the appointment of committee, a
suggested by Colonel Roies.
Mr. Honshaw at this juncture toll
Of three cotton mills that combine,
with the Intention of establishing 4
big plant in Scranton, but upon learn
ing Of the water rates gave up the
idea. The mills, according to Mr.. Hen
shaw, would have increased the city,
population by 5000.