Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1906-03-27

I portion to the increase in voltage 1t
| nevertheless, seems from layman's
point of view to be a reasonable prop
| )sition that, by reason of the change III
| voltage, 16-candle power lamp would
| lnder the old ordinance cost One-half
4 cont per hour whereas, under the
lew ordinance the cost of the same
| amp would be approximately L cent
| Der hour. If this be- true, we are now
| paying a dollar for electricity under
| the watt system that would only cost
as so cents under the ampere system
1t is argued that good service under
present conditions demanded the in
! crease in voltage and for that and 9TH
er reasons the ampere system had to
be abandoned; that the ampere system
is not standard measurement be-
cause il varies with the voltage, yet adj
hitting all this to be true, | believe il
10 be the more lenient of the two Sys
TENS upon the public since the watt
meter is the more delicate and repre-
sents the amount of electrical energy
expended by tile company rather than
the result obtained by the consumer.
The ampere meters have all or nearly
believe are rarely found in cities OF
this size.
Changes I'm Gns Rate.
The new ordinance also changes the
gas rate from 81 to $1.25 per 1000 cubic
feet less the usual discounts. The
question of gas rates is one that is
being pretty thoroughly discussed
throughout the country. Some of our
neighboring cities are making 4 de-
termined fight for soc gas and i'll all
probability will get it. Whether o.
not S1.25 gas is just price for that
commodity in this community is large
ly "A matter of opinion
thing is usually worth just what
you can get for it and gas is worth
S125 per l 900 cubic feet so long as
the people are willing to pay the price.
The ordinance is binding SO long as
the price is reasonable and whether or
not the price charged is reasonable is
a question for the court to decide but
beyond this the courts cannot go since
the establishing of future rates would
be purely a matter of legislation. The
court has, however, the power "WheI
the question is properly presented, to
determine whether or not rates which
have been established by statute or mum
icipal ordinances are reasonable
Some are disposed to attribute the
voluntary reduction on the part of the
company (and it was voluntary since
the council gave all that was asked
To a feeling on the part of the new
company that a rate of S1-25 per l.OOO
cubic feet would be less likely 10 be
caught in the wave of sentiment Tor
cheaper gas that is now spreading over
the state. | prefer, however, to agree
with those who are inclined to give
the old company full credit for having
the best of motives. The new gas or
dinance also fixes a minimum meter
rental which, of course. protects the
company and | think it would have
been we'll had the council displayed
like business instinct and determined
upon a maximum rate. AS matter
of fact we have been paying for our
gas and electricity at the rates estab-
;ished by the new ordinance for some
time past and as stated before the
change will, therefore, not be felt by
the consumers.
Many are of the opinion that, after
all. the question of rates was of secon-
dairy importance; that the primary OF
ject of the ordinance was to enable the
company to use the streets of Rock Is
land for the purpose of conveying cleo
tricity and gas to neighbOring cities
and towns or as the ordinance itself
expresses it, for the purpose of fur
nishing electric light and power to
said city and TO other consumers there
in and in the vicinity thereof 1t is
contended that il is clearly beyond the
power of the city council to grant the |
right to use the streets of this city TO-
any such purpose and think this view
is correct. On the other hand many |
are inclined to overlook the additional |
burden placed upon the streets II the |
granting of such rights will tend to /"
greater development of the city.
Those Additional Rights.
There is another point that usually |
comes in for it's share of discussion |
whenever the question is preached and |
that is the effect of the fourth section |
of the ordinance, which reads as fol |
lows: "The rights and privileges |
hereby granted are intended and are |
hereby declared to be additional to the |
franchises, rights, and privileges here |
tofore granted to or confirmed in said |
Peoples Power company; and this or |
dinance shall not be construed as re-
pealing or impairing any OF such fran |
chises, rights and privileges, except |
only to the extent of the changes in |
prices for electric light and gas. as |
hereinbefore set forth In a street |
corner argument some few days ago |
one man took the position that accord |
ing to a strict reading of the two ordin- |
ances the price of gas has been raised |
TO the amount of the new schedule and |
that instead of being liable for $500 |
per 900 cubic feet for gas as formerly. |
we may now be taxed 1925. All this. |
of course, was based upon the fact |