The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1901-10-05
After Noon on the 18th of 0cto-
Der the City VIZ Pay 80 Cents
Per Light, Per Night For Its
Street Arc Lights
MAYOR HAD HOPED
FOR LOWER RATES STILL
Rate Previous to This Year Was
81 Cents Per Light and the
City Thought 20 Cents a Fair
Figure = State Committee
Called Upon to Settle Question


From and after u o'clock noon on
the 18th day of October current the
price charged to the City Of Worcester
by the Worcester Electric Light Com
pany for street arc lights of the same
quality and operated substantially as
heretofore shall not exceed 80 cents
per light per night"
This is the decision of the committee
of the State Board of Gas and Electric
Light Commissioners appointed to deal
with the petition of Mayor O'C0nnell
asking for a lower rate from the Elec-
trio Light Company for street arc
| lights. The 30 cent rate which is grant
ed is a considerable reduction but not
so much as the mayor and the City
Council had hoped
The proposition of the Electric Light
Company which the city would not ac.
cept was a five year contract with 6
rate sliding from 81 cents the first
year to 80 cents the fifth year, Now the
30 cent rate is to be reached on the
start.
! The committee composed of Forrest
e. Barker of Worcester. chairman
| Charles H. Clifford of New Bedford, and
Morris Schaff of Pittsheld, held its fin
al meeting yesterday in Boston. Mr.
| Barker returned to Worcester last
night. He said the committee had deci-
ded upon a low rate as 1t thought just
The rate previous to this year was 80
cents per light per night and the 2 cent
! reduction will mean good deal to the
| city. The decision of the Board fol-
| lows
Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
In Board of Gas and Electric Light
Commissioners.
Boston, Oct. 4, 1901.
Worcester Petition.
| This was a petition by the mayor of
| the city of Worcester pursuant to an
order of the City Council. complain
ing of the price Of electric street lights
as charged by the Worcester Electric
Light Company. The hearing was in
Worcester
The company is engaged in the sup
ply Of electricity for light and power
for municipal and commercial use. 1t
operates for the city approximately
700 street arc lamps eff nominal 1000
candle power, running all night and
every night, at 80 cent per lamp per
night 1t offered to supply these I'M
der a contract for five years upon a
sliding scale from 81 cents for the first
year to 30 cents for the last year.
The petitioner contended that the com
pany ought to make a lower price, that
it could well afford to do so and that
such lights ought to be supplied to
the municipality at net cost and with
out profit.
The company is one of the strongest
financially in the state and one of the
best equipped. In its earliest years
TT.
tudes which at that time generally at
tended the business, and was unable
to pay dividends to its stockholders,
but in more recent years it has been
exceptionally prosperous. Its finan
cial policy has always been conserva-
tive and free from that speculative
spirit which at one time dominated
many companies. To this. combined
with a high degree of technical skill
and activity. its present strong position
is Enthusiastically due AS a result OF
tbs policy long pursued the company
has acquired exceptional ability for
performing its duty to the public. Its
accumulated surplus enables it to carry
on its business with greater economy
and to sell its product at the same
rates as others, or lower. with more
liberal return upon the money con-
tributed by its shareholders.
L-ilAapS TIE iilb0A iAiAbpl As%iAA AANe-
ton involved in this case is. how far
the public may properly share in the
benefits which this prosperity makes
possible What the corporation has
already earned and saved it has a right
to retain. It is its own property and
there is no law nor any principle, re-
ceiving general public approval, by
which its surplus can be directly di-
minished for the purpose of selling at
less than a fair profit.
But it must not be forgotten that
however wise and skillful may have
been the management. the company has
been able to acquire its present accu-
mutations only by the exercise Of a mo-
nopoly which it has enjoyed by the IA
vor of the state and which is. in a
measure. assured to it by law. This
is certainly a most important contri-
button by the public to the company's
prosperity. for which the public is en-
titled to special consideration. When
both parties have so clearly contributed
to these results. neither ought to claim
the exclusive right 10 the benefits they
confer. These conditions impose upon
the company a duty to share these adj
vantages with the public. II not as a
matter of legal right, yet as a sound
public policy. Such division OF them
will be TO the company the surest guar
antee Of the continuance Of its monop-
oly just as the public interest will be