Evening journal., 1911-03-03
AGAIN TALK
OF LIGHTING
Traction Co. Chief Insists Be-
fore Trade Beard That City
Rates Are Not High
COMPANY FAVORS A
UTILITIES COMMISSION


man of the mercantile committee, sub
mitted a lengthy report on the cost
Of electric lighting in the city since
and before the consolidation of the
/ city electric light companies. In the
report he stated that the statement
made az the last monthly meeting OF
the Board of Trade, that the cost OF
electricity had more than doubled, |
was unfair and unjust TO the Whining
ton and Philadelphia Traction Com !
pany, as the committee has since
found its error. Since that time a
large number of consumers have sub |
mitted their paid bills for electricity |
since and prior to the consolidation. /
Thirty-eight of these installations
| have been investigated, and these |
show various increases in the cost Of
electricity in the different kinds OF
installation. These installations are
those using a very small amount and |
working up to those having a con-
sumption of large kilowatage. The |
summary Of these advances is tabu- !
lated as follows in the report sub |
mitted by Mr.. Cronin: so per cent. !
10 20 per cent. increased cost. install |
lations; 20 per cent. TO 80 per cent,
3 installations: 90 per cent to 100 per
cent. 7 installations; 100 per cent. to
/ 100 per cent, 10 installations; IL per
cent. TO 140 per cent. installations;
over 14O per cent. 2 installations.
Mr.. Crosby Defends the Rates.
After the reading of the report by
Mr. Crouin, Oscar T. Crosby, president
of the traction company. addressed
the meeting. His talk was upon the
liability to misunderstand by the
public I'm the matter Of the project
which the Wilmington and Philadel-
phia Traction Company was trying to
put through, the unifying of the rate
charge for electricity Mr.. Crosby
said that It would be impossible to
charge the same rates to everybody
because that would be a most unfair
arrangement. that of a man using 1000
kilowats a year being charged the
same price as one using 300 kilowats
annually.
Mr.. Crosby announced that at pres
/ ent or until short time ago, there
were such rates existing in the COM
panies Of which the Wilmington and
Philadelphia Traction Company is the
operator. For instance. two men,
using the same amount Of electricity,
paid greatly varying rates for the pro-
duct.
1T is this sort Of irregularity that
the company is trying TO eliminate"
Mr.. Crosby said: And I'm so doing
we are meeting with opposition from
men who are at present enjoying the
extremely low rates which we're made
+. to them by the old companies
4 Mr.. Crosby said that the committee
which had investigated the 3S cases
\ had dealt with extreme cases, and that
n II he thought that the books Of the
company might have aided them in
their work. he would have opened
them to the business men.
Mr.. Crosby said that the increased
earnings for lighting for the months
OF January and December Just passed
we're but s $40 per cent greater than
those for the corresponding months
a year ago
Mr.. Crosby further stated that the
company had taken every step pos
sible 10 bring the public to an under
standing Of the matter and all Of their
efforts had seemingly been lost, the
public not reading the literature sub
! United 70 them.
Mr.. Crosby said that the company
never made the statement that under
the revised system every consumer
would get the same rates, that, IN JUS
tice to the consumers, depending upon
the amount which they consumed. He
said that he had always been more in
favor Of low prices and greater patron
4 age. rather than high prices and fewer
consumers, hoping that the greater
patronage would warrant the low
q prices
4 FavOrs Utilities Commission.
Mr.. Crosby said he was heartily In
/, favor OF a public utilities commission
n in the state and said that he felt as
\ sured that their Investigations would
n prove to the unbelieving public Of Will
d mington that the compauy's rates for
b electricity were lower than those OF
3 other cities OF the same size. Mr.. Cros-
by added that in Trenton be had had
dealings with the Public Utilities
E Commission there and would welcome
n one In this State. However, hhe said
4 that he would prefer to have the com.
mission I'm one working body Instead
Of two as IL is in New Jersey.
n Mr.. Crosby said that no one IN VIII
mington paid anything Ike IL
cent rate for the electricity which
~ NntN AUnEuNlts UMAnE " AAAA AAANA al AAa
counts which greatly reduce the act
ual cost Mr. Crosby announced that
y the gross receipts Of the company
. from the lighting we're but about one
a fifth Of the total receipts, the railway
D. company and the telephone company
producing the other four-hfths. He
10 said that az present the company was
r losing money because they had tr
le run two individual plants, where oue
T. should be sufficient. but that plsna
r. for a new 100000 power house wers
u being considered.
In speaking upon The subject Of the
le fat rate for electricity. Mr.. Crosby
d said that that was the "boog-a-boo O
le the electric lighting business and
= hoped that al some near date a time
ID clock would be invented which would
rs register the surplus used over a
N designated amount and permit oil
d. charge for the surplus.
le The Mercantile committee IN its
le report advocated a Public Utilities
Commission.
le A Special Medicine for kidney
II Ailments.
Haddon Heights TO which he held no
70 title
o. MANY elderly mamie ha,,o fo,,,.a .,