The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1909-08-25

 INQUIRY
Continued from First Page.)

That the term "1200 candlepower" as
 written in the contract between the
 United Illuminating Co.,, and the city
 of Bridgeport meant nothing to him in
 supplying electricity for lighting pur-
 poses to the city was the substance of
 a statement made by General Manager
 Charles H. Paul of the local plant of the company at the first hearing of mon council to enquire into the cost of the production of producing electri- city.
 Questioned by Attorney Stiles Jud- son who appeared for a number of large taxpayers, MT. Paul stated that he measured the electric energy fur ished the city by amperes and that he had never taken the trouble to ascer- tain the candlepower of the lamps. MT. Judson asked if it is not "a.
 fact that the "12OO candlepower" is ludicrous joker written in the contract to look big to the people. was a manufacturers term. MT. Jud- son asked him how it came to be in the contract if it did not mean any
 thing and MT. Paul replied, Ask peared to be a blank upon the ques- tion of the cost of producing electri- city and MT. Judson insisted that he
 be put under oath while on the stand.
 In an effort to ascertain from Mir. Paul if it was not true that the city was selling electricity to large con sumerS at cents per kilwatt hour while the city was paying and 8 cents. MT. JudSon brought out that there was at least one customer get | ting energy at that price but was unable to find out what other large consumers were paying As result MT. Judson moved that the company be ordered to produce its books at the next meeting of committee and
 when an adjournment was taken un- | Iil September g, It was with the under %l,N ~fc
 cers of the company and the books of the public service corporation would be examined.
 | Judge A. B. Beers who appeared for
 the Illuminating company objected to Mr. Paul being put under oath on the ground that he and not MT. Daul was the officer of the company, who | had been subpoenaed to appear be- that MT. Paul had elected to attend the hearing and there was no rule of | court that he should not be placed
 under oath. Judge Beers agreed to that but he simply wanted it known
 that MT. Paul had not been summon led.
 | In speaking for the company at the
 opening of the hearing Judge Beers presented a statement purporting to
 come from President James English | of the company in which an effort to
 show that the cost of maintaining and
 furnishing energy of arc lights had |
 from 1906 to 1909 This was to show l the reason that the company had not been able to reduce the cost of light | ing in accordance with the city con- l tract. which stipulates that the cost l of lighting shall be reduced whenever I the cost of lighting is lessened.
 | Chairman David s. Day wanted to
 know how these figures were arrip ed
 at and neither Judge Beers nor Man ager Paul could enlighten him. AL
 derman Dudley P. Bullard stated that in order 10 arrive at such figures properly it would be necessary to | start with the cost of fuel for boilers
 and the operation of engines and
 work up. Chairman Day asked that
 the company furnish the committee with the computations showing how President English has been able to secure the figures of cost. Manager
 Paul said that the arc lamps were | fed from the Congress street plant
 and that President English had prob | ably been able to reach his conclusion
 by figuring upon the cost of operating the plant.
 Attorney Judson brought out that
 Stratford, Milford and all of the arc | lights in this city received their ener- gy from alternating currents furnish ed from the Congress street and that | tho Congress street plant furnished | energy for all of the incandescent lights on the west side of the Pequon- west of Park avenue and north of Bulls Head. All of the rest of the ip- | candescent lamps in the center of the city, Manager Paul said were furnish ed energy by direct current from the John street plant
 MT. Judson said it was quite evident l that the John street plant was doing | a great deal besides furnishing cleo I |tricity for the ar lights in Bridgeport At the opening of the hearing there