New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1907-07-15
NJ. @. BENEFIT DISPUTED
Continued from First Page.

well be in worse condition OF aI1dlIS
But Wheeling is given by Mr. Bems as an
example of what may be accomplished by
municipality. even under unfavorabIe political
conditions Despite its admitted defects. he
saws the Wheeling experiment has been a imam
ciaI success, and has been the pioneer through
out the United States in low charges. lie does
not agree with Mr.. Edgar and Mr. clark as 10
the value Of the free installation by the private
companies at Atlanta and Norfolk' saying Oh
The gas sold in Wheeling during the sixteen
months ended with May l. 1895. was lo2 SlozSo teet'
The difference between the price charged at Wheel
Ing IS cents and Norfolk and Atlanta u. or -
cents multiplied by these sales, would he $1,000 "
In other words the saving 10 the consumer IN tle
price of gas in less than one year Will cover an
the difference between the free services and the
meter setting from the curb to the house in At
lanta and Norfolk and the cost or the same at
Wheeling.
Taking up the labor situation at the pian''
MeSsrs. Edgar and Clark say:
The general impression made at Wheeling was
that no one about the works took any more inter
in his duties than was absolutely necessary ~
enable him to hold his job and no one either az
the works the street was at all h'eIeS'eu III
getting work done in an efficient manner INC
mower Of appointment at Wheeling did not rest
with the superintendent. and therefore the en-
Moves did not have the of discharge by him IN
ca Sc they did not perform their work properly Az
Norfolk and Atlanta the certainty or prompt US
cbarse in ca So they did not satisfy their Immediate
srperiOrs In the operation of the plant acted 10
make the men work better and more efficiently
than the case at Wheeling
RI this,
labor conditions in the Richmond (Va.) muhlc'
pai gas plant where, he says. the employees are
white men and are paid twice as much as me
negro laborers in the privately owned plant or
Atlanta.
PH1LADELPHIA's EXPENSES.
Referring TO the Philadelphia gas works as
an instructive comparison Of the results of mu-
nlcpal and private operation. Messrs. clark
and Edgar quote Dr. L. s. Rowe authority
for the statement that the quality of the gas
supplied has been improved by the company
now operating the service, and that, through the
rental paid. the city has received for eight years
average profit of S491 GA annually. while for
the last few years under city operation there
loss of $245,39S a year. The private
company, however. charges no more than did
the city, but supplies better gas THE commits
sion's records they say, indicate high de-
gree Of efficiency in the company operation OF
the Philadelphia gas works. and kindly and
liberal treatment of employees"
On these points they quote Dr. Rowe say
ing that during the municipal regime there was
graft in the purchase of supplies and favorItism
In the hiring Of employees. DR. Rowe said:
There time during the entire
period Of responsible control when IT could truly
be said the works were in efficient con-
dition."
on this point Professor Parsons writes:
Philadelphia did not have real public ownership
oi gas. but one OF the forms OF private own
eIsh'p-ownership by political grafters. IN the pay
wants.
But still Mr.. Bemis manages to make a good
point for the experiment In Philadelphia for
his part OF tie report runs:
by reason OF municipal ownership Philadelphia
was able TO lease to the United Gas Improvement
company most valuable street mains land ana
holders. TO say nothing Of such portions OF It's
other plants as with moderate repairs could be nut
III good shape. BY asking for rental or taxes
on this plant. which had been paid FOR out Of the
pI'ntS oil city ownership Philadelphia able To
secure lease under which IT received 10 cents per
10" feet 81 all gas sold to private consumers dur
Ing tie first ten N the lease 10 cents during
the next hv" years beginning next January. %
tfA'7 from January /. 1913. to January l. 1918 and
% cents for tine remaining ten years The city also
receives free OF charge 7oeSoc0 OF gas yearly
for street lamps and public buildings and Tho
maintenance OF those street lamps by the COMPANY
on the other hand. In New York CITY during ~.
Ias' ten Years. barring two years Of the so-caled
gas war. 1873 1900. tho people have not only paid
s. as in Philadelphia. hut they have also paid both
Tor the gas used by tho city and for tho care and
maintenance Of the street lamps while the taxes
received by tie city and state have not been as
much per !, o"p feet the payment Of 10 cents IN
Philadelphia.
The two sets OF commissioners are equally I'M
able 10 agree on the lessons 10 be drawn from,
electric lighting experiments
ELECTRIC LIGHT Loss IN CHICAGO
-Four Of the best known American uuntcinal
electric plants. those OF Chicago Detroit. South
Norwalk. Conn, and Allegheny. Penn. were ex-
amned by the commission and the experts or
thes" South Norwalk is the only one that does
commercial lighting AS 10 the cost Of operation
"f these plants IN" Chicago plant is cited by Mr.
Clark and Mr.. Edgar TO show that including
items for depreciation. interest taxes. rropor-
ton Of salary. insurance and water. there Is n
loss to the city, based on simple interest on the
amount paid. Of Sc 20 lamp q wear or
total OF $2S4.202 annually compared with what
the cost would be If service were taken from
private company Computed with co,Dpoupd IN,
ler"st on the amount paid. the loss is S11 Of I
lamp, or S469211 year These figures are
based on statements submitted by the commits
si"ns expert accountants ana do not agree with
the estimates OF the city Electric Department
which show saving to the city
As to the character of the plants that jr So,,,,,
Norwalk is criticised for it's use Of a u G. 900
volt tWo-wire system. a type never generally
adopted In this country. This equipment. saw
Mr.. Edgar and Mr. Clark, compels the consumer
in South NorWalk 10 pay 90 per cent more for
the light produced than would he necessary mn
der a better system.
The Detroit electric undertaking Is found 70
be Of type OF about fifteen years ago. and the
capacity can hardly be expanded within tho
present building unless the type Of operating
class.
The Allegheny plant is described ~ "roor,,
designed, inefficient and expensive 10 operate ;,
Appropriations for technical eduIpuent have
been neglected to such an extent. say tho re-
viewers. that the electrician had 10 bu,Id bjs
own switchboard ont Of such Junk as no could
collect from machine shop yards"
"CHICAGO PLANT PROFITARI.E"
That the municipal electric light und.rta1,i,-
at South Norwalk, Conn. is one of the most
successful plants either public or private in
the United States or Europe is the opInion NJ
MT Bemis. The operation of the Chicago miami
also is commended. the expert quoted by Mr.