Los Angeles herald., 1909-10-06
PASADENA LIGHT
CASE is ARGUED
EDISON COMPANY UNABLE TO
STOP ORDINANCE
MEASURE is PLACED IN ITS FIRST
READING
Representatives of Southern Caifor-
MIA Corporation Clash with Coun-
cilmen In Heated Debate
Over Rate Question
Especial to The Herald.l


SUSPENSE the representatives of the
Southern California Edison company
clashed with the members of the city
council in argument this morning ana
failed to affect the latter's determina-
ton to introduce an ordinance planned
to do away with fiat rates. Ihe
measure was placed on first reading,
but will be the subject of renewed de-
bate Thursday morning at O'Clock
when the Edison company is 10 De
given another hearing.
The most striking points in To-Day
arguments were brought out over the
dispute as to whether fiat rates dis
crininate between users and IN the ar
eI1rnent as to whether the ordinance
was designed to raise the rates for
electric current. The latter issue re-
suited in hot passage between District
AGENT Mulligan of the Edison company
on the one side and Councilmen Cattel
and Mersereau and City Attorney
Wood on the other.
A little later, following grilling
cross-examination by City Attorney
Wood, General Agent Kennedy and
Secretary r. H. Ballard of the Edison
company refused to state whether or
not the proposed new maximum
charges on meter basis are considered
reasonable.
Edwin F. Hahn of Pasadena repre-
sented the Edison company as attorney
and presented it's Voluminous protest
containing over 100 signatures.
Hahn likened the city council to the
board Of directors of a corporation in
it's relation to the municipal plant, say
ing that this placed the council in a
most peculiar situation, a situation not
contemplated by the constitution in eX-
tending the rights to regulate rates or
T1lhlic service COrDOratiOnS,
Discrimination Alleged
Mr. Hahn went into the discrimina-
tion question at great length, claiming
that discrimination does not exist eX-
cept in isolated instances; that the Edi-
son company uses a definite basis in
giving fiat rates to all customers and
that the city is also guilty of discrim-
ination. He claimed to have been IN
formed that a man living just outside
the city had been offered munlclpal
current through a customer just inside
the lines; also that the city connected
up a certain house without having
permit issued therefor.
Mr.. Hahn declared an investment of
$780, 900 would be required to replace the
meters removed from Pasadena houses
and put into use in other cities, and
also that the annual income of the
company would have to be increased
S31 800 in order to pay for the upkeep
of the meters installed for the $500 GUS
toners in Pasadena. He figured $f5OO
for depreciation on the meters at 10
cents a meter per month He inti-
mated the city has not thoroughly in
vestigated the discrimination question.
Council Cattell, who took prominent
position in the argument, gave an in
stance of one of his neighbors who, be-
ing offered a fiat rate of $4, beat down
the price to SO before he would accept
the service. Others, he said, accepted
the service when first offered and on
the basis used by the company as
general rule.
Equal Rights to All
Replying to questions as to how long
it would take to get meters for Pasa-
dena, Mr.. Ballard stated they could not
be had inside of six months, at which
Mr.. Cattell asked: "Why not give fiat
rates in the other cities allowing fiat
rates and use their meters in Pasa-
dena?" A laugh followed.
Mr.. Hahn ended his remarks by say
ing that to enforce the ordinance would
undoubtedly compel many Edison Gus
toners to apply for city lights when
unable to secure Edison current be-
cause of the ordinance.
Judge C. F. Harris and George P.
Cary each adopted the slogan, Equal
rights to ALL" but the first speaker
evoked applause by an eloquent appeal
for the city plant, while the latter said
that some method of regulating the
rates should be adopted without pass
ing the present ordinance. He declared
that the ordinance is nothing less than
a move to give the city the advantage
in the lighting war
"It is not a question of I love my
Pasadena, but oh, you fiat rate!' - said
Volney Craig Flat rates may be fair,
but this ordinance should be passed.
Having embarked on a municipal ven
ture, the city should make its plant a
success"
The same idea was emphasized by
Superintendent C. w. Koiner of the city
system, who reviewed the unsuccessful
negotiations for purchasing the Edison
system, He then took up the meter
question, showing that to maintain
them would cost about half the figure
estimated by the Edison company.
Starts Warm Argument
Mr.. Cattell started warm argument
with Mr. Mulligan when he declared
that many of the signatures on the pc
tition had been secured by misrepresen-
tation, saying that his telephone had
been ringing constantly since the pro
test was started, and that women liv-
ing III his WdIu IIlF ctl leiblS WStS O. tAiN
other end of the telephone with the
statement: 1.-The Edison solicitor says
to tell you 1 am satisfied with my nat
late.R
Mr. Mulligan then spoke for the first
time, saying that his province had been
invaded and that his solicitors had not
nlisrepresented.
How, then" asked Mr.. Mersereaui
"do you account for the fact that your
protest starts out with lie?" He re-
| ferred to the statement that eve, the
undersigned citizens, hereby protest
to the raising of the lighting rates to
| IL cents"
This resulted in brief war of words
in which Mr.. Mulligan would not admit
that the ordinance means anything else
except raise in the minimum rate al
| least.
Here the vote was called for, wher
Mayor Farley made statement, say,
| ing: "As mayor of this city, l woulc
| stultify myself if I did not give tbs
| Edison company the same opportunity
to take customers from the city as th'
city has to gain patronage from th'
Edison company. l think the ordinance
is as near right as we can make 1T.
In response to further plea IRON
Mr.. Cary for a conference between TN
city and the Edison company, the may
or took matters into his own hands
against what appeared to be the senti
| ment of the council and arranged 10
another hearing on Thursday. 1t wa
at first proposed to make the meeting
Informal, but this decision was changed
on the advice of City Attorney WOOD: