Evening journal., 1904-12-13
ACTION IN OTTO CASE
ONCE MORE POSTPONED


you that the larger the city the less
price gas could be made and sold for.
Here are some places smaller than Will
mington population 100000. where gas
is sold below 81 net: Covington, Ky,
light, 81; fuel, 75c; Boulder, Colo. 10000,
75c; Evanston, ILL.,. (75000) light, 81;
fuel 75c; Terre Haute, Ind. (45, ,O00) 75c;
Vincennes, Ind, (22,OOO) CSC; Lynn,
Mass, 100000 soc; Delray, Mich. u.s.
OOO) light, 81; fuel, S0c;, Holland, Mich,
10, ,00O) Csc; Negaunee. Mich, (7O00) fuel,
75c; Port Huron, Mich, (22,000) fuel,
SOC; Akron, o., (55,00O) 2Sc: Ashland, O..
(5000) 75c; Bellfontaine. O., (S500) fuel,
75c; Middletown, O., Q1.000) light, 81;
gas engines. soc; Norwalk, O., 100000
soc; SanduslSy, o., (2O.0OO) soc; Erie, Pa,
(6O,000) light. 81; fuel, soc; Greenvllle,
Pa, (6OOO) light 81; fuel, 60c; Charles
town, w. Va. Q7O00) light $11O; fuel.
SOC; Huntington, w. Va, (17,000) 75c
Where but one price is given it is for
both light and fuel purposes. The sig
nificance Of these prices is in the fact
that in many of them the proportion of
Illuminating gas sold for fuel and power
purposes is as high as 40 to so percent
o fentire output. Here no reduction is
made for gas for fuel or power so that
the industrial development Of the city
may be encouraged.
Some cities larger than Wilmington
are: Louisville, KY, (210,OOO), L. 81,
f. 75c; Lowell, Mass, (101 ,0O0), soc;
Detroit, Mich, (315,O0O), L. 81. f. soc:
Grand Rapids. Mich, (92.OO0), L. soc,
F. soc; st. Louis, Mo-, (675.O00. L. 81.
F. soc; Rochester, n Y, Q75000), 81
to 75c; Cincinnati, o.. (375,000), L.
75c +. soc; Cleveland, o., 34O,O00), 75c;
Dayton, o., (95.OOO), S5c; Toledo, o.,
C0O,0OO), L. Csc, +. zoe; Scranton, Pa,
Q15,O00), L. soc to Csc +. soc to go:
Milwaukee. Wis, (S1OOO0), L. soc to
81. f. soc to soc; Toronto. Canada,
(250,OOO). 90c.
Counsel for the Gas Company stated
that a competing plant meant ultimate
consolidation and that the people must
pay higher prices for gas to enable
payment Of dividends on the increased
capitalization of the two plants. He
cited no instance and can cite none,
where the price Of gas has been in
creased above what it was before the
franchise for competing plant was
granted. on the other hand there arc
a great many places where the ultimate
price after consolidation is much lower
In fact competition or the fear of il
has usually been the only thing which
has induced a reduction III prices &c
the people.
Excessive capitalization and tn,
desire to pay large dividends thereon
seems the only reason why the people
OF Wilmington have not long ago hac
cheaper gas. The character Of the To-
cal company expressly provided fol
such reduction when the profits were
beyond u per cent on the capitaliza-
tion of 100000. instead Of reducing
the price to the people the securities
are watered without putting in more
money to the enormous sum Of s2,200,-
600 so dividends will not exceed 1.
per cent. and force a reduction Of the
price of gas to the people. on a plant
and mains costing less than S600.00l
the following are loaded thereon:
Bonds s1,0OO,00O; preferred stocks
500 900: common stock. 100000, total
100000 This vast initiation was oc.
complished without any competing
plant to consolidate"
I In Lowell, Mass the gas compan,
supplies l0suoa lltltIa luIbuSn 4o'
miles of mains with 5O1,1C2,O0O cubic
feet of gas annually at 9Oc for boil
light and fuel purposes, and pays divi
dends of s per cent per annum on IL
capitalization of 100000. Wilmington
has but 9,733 meters. 7s.5 miles o
mains an annual output of 276,000,00
cubic feet, is capitalized for S2,20000C
and charges 81 for both light and fue
purposes. If, as reported, the presen
outside owners paid s1,450,OO0 for {
plant costing 100000, knowing as the,
did the obligation of the charter t.
reduce the price Of gas, they took tn
risk Of the people demanding through
a competing plant what they have lonl
been wrongfully deprived of-cheape
gas. They should grant the peopl
what others are willing to give o
cease ogstructing the desire and plan
of the people for their own relief
(Signed) Alfred p. Crozier
Counsel for the Otto Gas CO
The only person from outside the cit,
in attendance at today's meeting wa
Erich Grail, Of Philadelphia, treasure
of the Otto Gas Engine Works. Whel
the matter was postponed this morning
II was with the understanding that
win be acted upon definitely next Tues
day