Evening journal., 1906-07-28
zzO-2SO KING STREET
GRAY TALKS
ABOUT FRANCHISE
Contrasts Offer Just Accept
ed With All Previous In
duCementS Offered
SAY OPPOSITION FOOLISH

Commissioner John G. Gray, Of the
Street and Sewer Department, believes
that the city could not have done better
than to have granted as it did the
franchise to the Commercial Light,
Heat and Power Company.
When his attention was called to the
criticism which is being made In cer-
tain quarters over the granting of the
franchise Mr.. Gray made the following
statement:
The editorial and news article in the
Every Evening were necessarily inter-
esting to the stockholders Of the public
service corporations already operating
in this city. but 1 fail to discover how
they can appeal to others. 1 have un-
derstood that the owner of the paper
is himself interested in the old gas
company; if so, this may bias his
viewc.
"The article states that there is no
Limitation on the franchise of the new
company and that the price for gas
and electricity to be furnished by the
company is no cheaper than the exist
ing rates. The weakness Of this argu-
ment is apparent.
The new franchise requires that the
city shall receive $4,000 in cash and
S125OO Of that sum must be paid with
in ninety days It requires that $780,
600 must be spent on the new gas plant
within a year. II gives the people nine
ty-cent gas where they are now pay
ling 81 net OF S1.1O per thousand cubic
feet on all bills not paid within ten
days. It furnishes gas for street light
ing at 20 cents per thousand cubic feet
Electricity for street lighting is to be
furnished at 2 cents per kilowatt for
arc lamps to the city at $40 a year
The city is now paying S6495, or prac-
tically S65 year for its arc lamps
"There are two electric light COM
panies in the city one Of them is not
limited in its charges at all. and the
only limitation on the other company
is that it shall not charge more than
ten cents per kilowatt and that it shall
give the city one per cent. of its gross
receipts from 1907 TO 1912 and thereaf-
ter 1-2 per cent. and no more. The
new company is required to give three
per cent. on its gross receipts from the
sale of electricity TO the people from
the start.
IF the new franchise were never
used It has marked q new valuation for
franchises in Wilmington. No set Of
city officials viii hereafter be permit
ted to give them away. The limita-
tions on the new franchise, however.
are so stringent that the city must be-
gin to receive its consideration with'n
ninety days or it will have lapsed. The
newspaper that makes such a harsh and
unwarranted criticism Of the directors,
who have labored TO secure more for
the city than ii has ever received be-
fore. found no fault with the franchise
granted 10 the Wilmington Light, Pow
er and Telephone Company. but advo-
Gated its passage and the city is to
receive practically nothing from that
company. What faith can the people
have in criticism from n source that
is so inconsistent? The official or citi-
zen who would dare to stand in the
way of granting a franchise upon the
terms contained in the franchise to
the Commercial Light. Heat and Power
Company, in the face OF the past his
tory of franchises in this city. is plac-
ing himself in a position to earn the
Everlasting contempt of the commun-
ity.
discussion Of the franchise aues-
tion is healthy. believe it will develop
a knowledge concerning the old fran
chises that viii make the new one ap-
preciated."