The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1907-07-16

ner. The power of appointment at
Wheeling did not rest with the superln-
tendent, and therefore the employees did
not have the fear of discharge by him
in case they did not perform their work
properly. At Norfolk and Atlanta the
certainty of prompt discharge in case
they did not satisfy their immediate
superiors in the operation of the plant
acted to make the men work better
and more efficiently than was the case
at Wheeling"
The Philadelphia Gas Works.
Referring to the Philadelphia gas
works as an instructive comparison Of
the results of municipal and private
operation. the reviewers quote DR.. L. s.
Rowe as 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 an average profit Of
S491,674 annually, while for the last few
years under city operation there was a
loss of $245,SsS per year. The private
company, however, charges no more
than did the city, but supplies better
gas. 1.-THE Commissions records" say
Mr.. Edgar and Mr.. Clark, indicate a
high degree of efficiency In the COM
pany operation of the Philadelphia gas
works, and kindly and liberal treatment
Of employees. On these latter points Dr.
Rowe speaks as follows: "As has been
shown under(' municipal management,
there were abuses in almost every
branch Of the operation. The purchase
of coal and the residuals products were
each under the control of favored in
dividuals; the wages account was pad
ded with incompetents, the friends Of
men prominent in city politics. 1t Is I'M
questioned that there were leaks In the
management of the gas works at other
points than the distributing system; 1t
is true that the labor account was de-
bauched, and 1t is certain that in the
purchase and sales departments there
were influences at work which worked
harm to the city's interests But the
loss through such sources was lncon-
siderable when compared with those in
inflicted by councils by the senseless
blocking Of the way to Improvement in
cutting off the appropriations for mod
ernizing the plant. During the entire
period of municipal operation the off,
GERS in charge were engaged in los
ing fight to preserve the works from
ruin. There never was a time during
the entire period of responsible control
when 1t could truly be said that the
works were in an efficient condition +"
American Electricity.
Four of the best known American
municipal electric plants, those Of Chi
cago, Detroit, South Norwalk, Conn,
and Allegheny, Pa, were examined by
the commission and the experts. OF
these South Norwalk IS the only one
that does commercial lighting. As to
the cost Of operation Of these plants.
the Chicago plant is cited to show that
including items for depreciation, inter-
lest, taxes, proportion Of salary, insur-
ance and water, there Is loss to the
city, based on simple interest on the
amount paid, Of $3.50 per lamp per year,
or a total of 1884 02 annually, compar-
ed with what the cost would be If SER
vice were taken from a private COM
pany Computed with compound inter-
est on the amount paid, the loss Is
$1107 per lamp, or S469,217 per year.
These figures are based on statements
submitted by the commissions expert
accountants and do not agree with the
estimates of the city electric depart
ment, which show saving to the city.
AS to the character Of the plants,
that in South Norwalk Is criticised for
its use Of a D. G. go volt two wire sys-
tenn, a type never generally adopted in
this county, This equipment, say Mr..
Edgar and Mr. Clark, compels the con-
sumner In South Norwalk to pay twenty
per cent. more for the light produced
than would be necessary under a better
system.
The Detroit electric undertaking is
found to be of type Of about fifteen
years ago and the capacity can hardly
be expanded within the present build
ling unless the type Of operating units
is changed to those Of a more modern
class.
The Allegheny plant Is described as
poorly designed, inefficient and expen-
sic to operate" Appropriations for tech
nical equipment have been neglected to
such an extent, say the reviewers, "that
the electrician had to build his own
switchboard out of such junk as he
could collect from machine shop yards.
OF Chicagos four municipal electric
plants three are declared to be Of OBJ
eolete type, while the fourth is not
properly constructed for economical op-
GRAFTON. The stations are scattered
through the city without system and
are very poorly located The plants use
l, 400, 900 gallons of city water
(minimum) for which no charge is
made. OF the $500 lamps in use, Also
are of a type which has been generally
discarded throughout the country.
On the subject of operating efficiency
lit is set forth that economical opera
ton in Allegheny is much hindered by
the unnecessary number of employees
Six or eight Of the force could be dis
missed, reducing the payroll IS to IS pei
cent, and 1.-THE half dozen extra la
borers often put on for political pur.
poses at election time could be dis
pensed with, changes which would add
TO the efficiency Of the service as wei