The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1902-02-11
REPLY OF THE STAR To
SEATTLE ELECTRIC co.
Municipal Electric Plant Would Pay Big Profit Even
Upon the Basis Of the Electric Companys
Own Figures

/ lower rate for 1900 horse power. Tn,
answer Is easy.
Only traction company, or q
mandatory % mammoth proper
tons win ever want as much as 1000
horse power per day, but there Is .
large and increasing number Of
smaller enterprises requiring guam
titles Of horse power for "a hours
use. which now pay the Snodualmis
company from s3S 60 $50 per horse
power.
It has nowhere been asserted by
the star that a line OF customers IL
waiting to grab tho clty'n 1900 horne
power surplus as soon as Il L. on
the market IL has been shown that
the city can furnish It's own lighting
at rates far less than Il IL now pay
ing 10 a private corporation. with
out deriving any profit whAtever
from the surplus power. provided
only that the latter should pay for
itself at SIS per horse power.
Agains, Its owH Argument
II the Seattle Electric Co. i dis
posed TO plead that che sale Of any
surplus Is speculative, let 10 be an
swerrd that the corporation Itself
Is dealing in faturca when Il enlargcs
It's plant In contemplation OF incrcas-
ing demand for It's lighting product
or Its transportation business. The
Seattle Electric Co. knows that 1900
horse power can be sold az auction
for SIS per unit. And II would Inn
peach itself II u should attempt 20
deny. for this branch OF the argu-
ment. thai tho demand for electrical
energy In Seattle II increasing as a
rate which readers the absorption
OF tho eity's contemplated surplus
OF 1900 horse power within few
years a practical certainty. II Is
eHtopped from questioning this as
sumption by ltS Own prediction Of
an extraordinary increase In the con-
sumption Of electrical power.
Granting All TAi
As 20 the corporations suggestion
that the price which can be obtair-
ed for electrical power In the future
IL problsmAtieAi. Is unquestion&bly
fair. Il should be met Ia n candid
spirit. II Is not unlikely that pres
ent rates may be reduced. but the
Star is assured that the day is far
distan; when electrical energy will
not be readily salsaels az . rate In
excess OF ,is per h0rss power. when
ever the supply reaches the demand.
somebody will have 10 stop produo-
ing II. and a. the city will be salts
fed with paying expenses on It's sur
plus. while the corporations must
make = profit. tha latter win cur
tail production first.
nsthing TO pisyuts It
In this article the subject 10 not
pursued into the field % private
supply, for that is not necessarily
involved in tbs contest. nor does the
Seattle Electric Co. make answer TO
the article on that subject published
in the Star Fsb. 7. After the city
has gotten into the business Of fur
nishlng its own light. II may be IN
necessary for II 20 consider the aues-
ton OF private supply. Municipal
composition has such an excellent
moral effect upon other corporations
that IL may In Seattle. as eissw here.
result In bringing down rates on pri-
vate supply to point whore the
city could not aid the private con
Humer BY entering into competition.
The present article has merely ca
sAyed 20 answer the Seattle Electric
Co.'S argument. and show byt It's
own figures that a municipal light
ing plant can furnish street lights
~ an amazingly great saving 90 the
taxpayers Of Seattle.