The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-03-13
COST Of ELECTRiC Light
Facts and Figures Presented TO the
HOuse District Committee.
Amounts Paid for Arc Lamps in
FOrty-Six States and Territories
pared With SI1o.74 in the Dis
trict - Mr. TruesdclFs Estimates.

The Commissioners a few days ago re
eeived from the House Committee on The
District of Columbia a letter of enquir.
asking for the facts upon which they hat
based an unfavorabIe recommendation o
House bill 1855. reducing the cost Of
electrical lighting. The committee also
requested the data in the hands of the
Commissioners relating to the cost OF
electricity in other cities.
Yesterday Commissioner Wight acting
for the board, sent the information re-
quested to the House Committee. The
statement showed the amounts paid for
electrical lighting in forty-six States and
| Territories, some Of which are for all-year
service, some for a part of the year, ard
most of them for overhead construction.
| The average amount paid,-ss shown by
the statement, is 1910 per anpum, in
comparison with which the cost, in Wash
| ington is something more than slGQ a
| year.
The average contract price for each
| lamp per annum in each of the forty-six
| States and Territories mentioned is as
| follows: Alabama, $50; Arizona, $12l.50;
Arkansas, s12S.43; California, $3.50;
Colorado, sl29.50: Connecticut $40;
Delaware, 500; Georgia. sS4.15: idaho.
s1l2; Illinois, s70.75; Indiana, s76.50; Iowa,
s7430; Kansas. s71.39; Kentucky. s7s.50:
Louisiana, $3.50: Maine. $3.50; Mary
land, SS4.55; Massachusetts, s9l; Michigan.
s74.30; Minnesota, ss9.56; Mississippi,
s1e1.33; Missouri. s96. so; Montana. sl37.90;
Nebraska, s104.S5; Nevada, 1886: New
Hampshire, ss1.5O; New Jersey. sl03.50;
New Mexico, s127.50; New York, 5000:
North Carolina, s90.33; North Dakota,
s9s 40; Ohio, s77.50; Oregon, sl07.51; Rhode
Island, s114.06; South Carolina, S77.i0;
Pennsylvania, $3.50; South Dakota.
Utah, si5.2J; Vermont. SCI 60 Virginia,
$3.50; Washington (State). sl05.e1; West
Virginia, 5000; Wisconsin, $7770; Wyom-
ing, sl69.50: Hawaiian Islands, s96. Total
average. S97.1o.
According to the representations made
to the House Committee on the District
Of Columbia by the local electric lighting
companies, il was set forth that the cost
of furnishing one standard 1000 candle
power arc light for all-year service is
$11a.4. This estimate was made up OF
the following items: For each light per
annum, station and maintenance costs,
sle.S5; carbons and globes 1872; wages,
supplies, material. and stable expense
on outside work, 1885: proportion
of executive managing and bookkeeping
expense, S5.0S; taxes, Sis; fire insurance,
IS cents; liability insurance, 81 and in
creased cost of coal at the assumed ad-
vance Of 81 per ton, 1895, a total for above
items of s54.29, Depreciation on land -;
on buildings, 4 per cent, 81 05; on steam
plant, per cent. $40; on are light ma
chimes and details, 10 per cent, 81. 80; on
reserve tseam plant, Z per cent $40: on
ItNt..
per cent, $3.50; on iron poles. per cent.
$15O; on arc lamps, 10 per cent $40; on
hand=poles, per cent, A cents, and on
10 per cent, s1.45; total depre-
citation account, s29.76; interest al per |
cent on total investment per arc lamp, |
OF $52S.22, S316s Recapitulation-Totai |
cash outlay cost $54.29; total interest !
cost, at per cent, s31.6 and total de- |
probation cost, S29.76, making the total |
cost for the furnishing of one standard /
2,OOG candle power are lamp all and every |
night for one year sl15.74
George Truesdell, President OF the cleo |
trict lighting companies, in submitting ,
the above figures to the House committee
as the actual cost of the manufacture and |
of the arc lighting current of
e,0Jv csndle power, requested that the
maximum rate of $72 year for arc lights |
Of not less than 1000 candle power al
loved his companies for furnishing the
ligAt, be changed TO % cents each night
for eac;. lamp burning the number of I
hours required by law. This would
amount to an increased remuneration
which Mr.. Truesdell sought to show was
necessary, writing as follows to the COM
mi: Zee:
The circumstances under which the
rate Of $40 was established in the appro-
Driation act for the current fiscal year,
together with the language contained in
said act. would seem to indicate conclu-
sively that said rate was imposed upon |
he electric lighting companies as tax
or the right to use conduits heretofore
quilt. OF which might be built under the
provisions of said act. That the rate vas
considered by Congress as inadequate is
urther shown by the fact that the rate for
lighting public parks, fixed by the act
making appropriate for sunl.ry civil ex-
,enses for the current fiscal year, was %
ents per light 1891. 25 per annumj. The
electric lighting companies respectfully
ubmit that no other corporation in the
district of Columbia is required to render
my service to the public at less than cost
IS a consideration for the right to occupy
'ublic streets. and that. therefore. this re-
uirement OF the lighting companies is an
Unjust discrimination against said COM
# Congress to impose upon corporations
tax for the right to use public streets it
s respectfully suggested that such tax
mould be uniform in its application and
re fiXe'l with some reference TO the value
+ the franchise enjoyed by the corpora
ion.
The electric lighting companies" Mr..
'ruesdell continues, have expended large
ums Of money voluntarily during the past
L.,
lacing their overhead wires therein
borrower. they have been required by law
o furnish, free Of charge, in each conduit,
hree ducts for the use of the United
tates and the District of Columbia. 1t
you'd seem that these duets ought TO be
efficient compensation to the public for
he right to occupy the public streets and
0 furnish lights TO public and private con-
umers, without the additional burden of
elng required to furnish public lights at .
figure largely below cost. II is believed
hal no other lighting company in the {
'nited States is required to furnish lights :
D the public al loss, and that such
oHcy is not only unjust to the electric
ghiing companies in the District OF CO. ;
imbia. but is one that in the end VIII
rove detrimental to the public interests !
S wei as 10 the interests of the lighting
ompanies. Large expenditures will be l
fH''N" ou me part Oi the companies IN !
he near future TO bring the servi up TO I
ne highest standard of efficiency, and il S
is the fixed policy of Congress TO 1e- I
uire public lighting on the part Of the
ghting companies at great loss. there
i'll be no inducemenf TO extend the con- !
uits or improve the service" l
DIR. II. Il. 4. Lemon Resigns :
DR.. II. I. A. Lemon has informed tie Dis
b, !
< duties of the Office Of substitute physician
the noor 10 which he was recently ,,,.,;,,,,, /