Evening journal., 1911-02-11
PUBLIC UTILITIES
COMMISSION
Should Provide for the PbySl-
cal Valuation Of Public
Service Corporations

Editor OF THE EVENING JOUR-
Nal; Hou suggest a Public Utilities
/ Commission, Mr.. Editor as a solution
of Milmington's light and power
4 troubles and you urge that there
should bee some action along this line
at once and you are right. the writer
/ thinks, when you say that until this
matter Us settled there will be con-
tinual grumbling and discomfort
This matter Of q Utilities Commits
sion, however. must be- approached in
telligently and without prejudice II
Dis going TO be no May day game this
bringing Justice out Of injustice and
s0od ont Of iuiauity. Utilities Com
missions have been adopted which
have been impotent as far as any good
results were concerned A commits
sion which merely has a nominal con-
troi of The corporations while it might
show some benefits. its work would
really be only o multiplication Of oi-
fees for politicians with an additional
burden upon the taxpayers.
I'm Che writer's opinion "a Public
/ Uulitios Commission hat has not tho
power 90 secure the phy ysIcal valuation
OF ell utilities and To- hx rates. had
better be done without for two years
more at least 70 i8 true that even
such a commission as they have in
some OF the States with control over
the service and tho Ike would do
some good, but tho unpopularity
which might attach 10 commission
which did not do the work wen or I'M
@ manner Co satisfy what possibly
moy be q TOO eNacting public, might
have q tendency to POSTPONE for a
season the inevitable coming Of chat
much-to-be-desircd day when these
/ creatures of hc public VIII cease TO
be The masters OF their creators and
when the value of franchise bestowed
by the authorities win not be cbarg-
ed against the pc0nlc who gave them,
Someone has said that no question
is scltlcd until it SIS settled right and
this public utility question cannot Do
settled ugtn we know how much the
/ different lighting plants and railway
/ COMPANIES would take 10 replace
them 10 tcll che people OF Whining
! ton hat other cities pay ms much or
more f0r Iich aud power as WHINING
ton Is an insult Co he inte lligence lf
thc people 3f this city. What others
may pay has uOthne whatever to do
witch the case in this city.
The vital question is How mucn
would an electric lighting plant cap-
Iablc of furnishing am WilmilEi0t 3
IHceds COST on3 for how much could.
| Go deliver light end noN er to thc peO-
| ple Oi his eiC2 u Ar. CrOsby's COM
paur has undortaken To finance am
Ioyercanitolzed railway and has two
on three lighting plants Oh its hands
initcsd of one. that Us his misfortune
and the writer is sorry for him The
] laUars aOliCitude however. is not so
deep or so broa6 that he even feels
/ like suggesting thet Wilmington az
ready harassed and ovorburdened
1 would assume. amy additional in-
cumbr3nce TO help Mr Crosby on his
company along
Let ID hc remembered and not iost
/ sight of hat amy vame which at-
tachcs to any franchise granted 10
luCoiic service corporation is charged
against the people ot the community
granting the Franchise and The ~.n us
and he euere5 Of tlc Oreanl1lti I'D
having the franchise is devoted Coz
wards collecting the interest or this
valuation. II The business urosaers,
ihe interest charges ere Increased. NJ
i6r time business is bad ortl no the
lest reOrgauizgd0n on turnover lhey
charged too much interest on those
poor d1rce Who save tho franchise as
q silt. then 'rOtten' service is the re-
suit or 2n increase OF rates such as
we have recently had I'D the lighting
rate OF this city
It is wrong TO Blame Mr. Crosby
or his company for ,he increase n
rates Much o. tho blame must be
placed on the street aud Sewer Direo-
or3 who gEo franchise t0 tine VIII
mingiou Light Heat Power gnd Tele-
rhrlc Company hiOre oi The blame
h1wosol mus he placed on the people
oi Wilmington who have in Tho past
been only too cascr to hail amy new
company which promised opposition
20 tac ccrno atims already doing
business here
TrH present The writer does not
san angtore better 'o do nom f0r the
street and Sewer Department 90 rec
fuse absolutely ncvl Tuesday de- pass
the oilti0n grnfirg franchise 90
tha Wilmington cify Electric Com
nsnv. The Wilmington and fh'll-
dclphia Traction Company does nos
need this franchise heu nll fhe
rights asked for by virtue OF their
ownership of tie Wilmington Light
Heat Fuwer aua I'alephcrs Company.
Mr Crosby gives ae his only reason
Vhv she frlnchi should he granted
4 fhe statement rtst sc he secures This
privilege he can borrow s250o00 With
which Co make improvements This
] eff-niN Indicates fnnf the frnurN far
asked for viii odd that much 3ddi-
lHonal value 90 lhc Wilmington city
! Electric Company and as tnis loan
must boar interest and as tho interest
must Oe paid ty the people h Wil-
mineton Why in the name of common
sense should it be granted?
ours truly,
John S. Hamilton.
Wilmiugton February no.