Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1908-04-07
Officials of Company Have Agreed to
Put Rates Back to Old Figure. ana
Merchants Want the Fight Ended
Telephone Company License Tax
Ordinances Recommended,

company consented TO make the light
rates what they were before the re.
cent reduction In discounts. aud 10
make Il rate of from to 6 cents nor
kilo watt hour oil power, and the
merchants agreed to appear before
The finance committee OF The council
and ask that the section of the license
tax ordnance referring TO the light
company b. allowed to remain un
changed.
In spite of this agreement. however.
Tho new section decided upon by
tho committee at it's meeting last
Tuesday night will go to the common
council with the committees recon-
mcndntion. This ordinance fixes the
license tax ut what II was last year
provided the company makes the light
rates what they were before the re-
cent change In discounts, and gives n
rate of from to cents per kllo watt
konr for power. In the event the
rates are increased. the license tax
VIII be Increased to q total of some.
thing like $4,000.
Sf"S'"' "SSSTS FlCtu.
Members OF the Merchants Associ.
allon committee approached Mr.. W.
w. .. i'ut!cr, general manager of the
railway and light companies. yes,er
day with the view of settling the rate
question without n contest 1t was
generally agreed that the rates in th,s
city compared favorably with those
OF other cities of the state. and the
merchants desired TO have the aglta-
lion disposed of without further ado
~ conference was held In the Office
OF MIR. ID. NJ BraXton. counsel for The
companies, AMI tho agreement was
| reached. The committee reaieste,;
President Sprague TO cali special
meeting of the association for the pur
pose OF having the agreement rail
hed. The meeting was held at 7:5D
o'clock last night. and the secretary
waS directed 10 address a letter To
lhe council finance committee setting
forth the desires OF The associatnin
Secretary G. c. Bland, accompanied
by the members OF the special light
committee and quite large dclega-
'ioh OF merchants, appeared before the
committee and presented The letter.
CHAIRMAN Read wanted to know how
inc merchants rcconciled their pres
cnt position with tho attitude assumed
by their attorney when he appeared
before the committee last week. Pres
iuent Sprasue made brief statement
IN which he outlined the facts as
given above. Mr.. Read asked how
many users of power. not members of
the Merchants Association, would be
affected by the placing OF the power
rate at from to 9 cents instead oil
from to cents. Mr. Sprague was
not prepared to say. although he be-
iieved that most OF The power con
sumcrs were represented in the as
ISOLATION.
Mr.. Bnxton. counsel for the com
banics. said that while the prcgcn;
rates of the Citizens Company were
very low as compared with ;no rates
charged in other cities. tho company
was willing to abide by the agre omcht
made with the merchants. He went
on Ia say however. that his company
did not recognize the authority of the
council 10 regulate rates by taxation,
and II the ordinance DRAWN in ac-
cordancc with the decision of the
committee at its last meeting should
be adopted the company would make
no promises as to rates.
she committeeman discussed the
matter at some length among them
selves. M.ssrs. Ford and Robinson
favored accepting the compromise and
allowing the old ordinance to stand.
but Chairman Read and Messrs. West
ana rayis insisted upon the amend
neni. II was decided to recommend
The amendment, with Mcssrs. Ford
and Robinson voting nay.
II is probable that this section Of
The license tax of the license tax or
d;nance will be the subject Of
contest OIL the floor OF the
council tonight. The small con-
srmrs arc not affected one way
or ,nc ether. but the merchants and
the light company are both anxious to
see the light rate fight ended by the
adoption of the section as 1t stood
last year, and members of The coun-
Gil will be urged to endcavor to ac-
complish this object
TeIeohcnc Companies.
Attorney o. ID. Batchelor. Mr.. w.
Spencer Henley. local manager, and
MI. j. II. A. Hobson, superintendent