Evening journal., 1911-10-25

give 9lO 10 TWO people ii Lney got me
1000 signatures"
Director Murphy said: Il understood
you offered one cent a name" which
Mr.. Underhill denied.
Mr. Underhill was asked 10 place an
estimate on the plant and insulation
in this city. This he refused to do,
saying II was a question for the engl-
neers to answer
The Board then asked what the
plant would cost. and he replied by
saying that he would first have TO
know what the plant of the Traction
Company cost
The Directors asked him how he
could say that the present plant was
obsolete in one of his ads"
Mr.. Underhill said It was hearsay.
you have written numerous arti-
cles," asked Mr.. Sparks, to which Mr..
Underhill replied in the affirmative.
-Then what do you mean by the
term 'monopolyT
There is no competition here" re-
piled Underhill. Another question by
Sparks was: why do you say the
monopoly is using its money to pre-
vent you from securing a franchise" Fl"
The reply was: 1T appears 50 any
way they are mere.
He was informed that the other
company was represented at the
Boards request.
The question OF the letters received
by the Board came up for discussion,
when the Directors asked the
question: Gould you say who wrote
the batch OF letters on the same type
writer and signed by different people?"
Mr. Marvel objected, and Secretary
Christy produced the letters. The
question was then modified as to who
wrote the letters, but Mr. Marvel still
objected
The Directors held that the ques
tion was a very material one as the
letters showed that someone had writ
ten them who was inspired, which
caused Mr.. Marvel to state that all
lawyers we're inspired.
II was brought out that there was a
certain peculiar similarity in an apos-
trophe in the date Of most of the type
written letters in behalf of the Utili-
ties Company.
The Board then asked Mr.. Underhill
what Street Director was urged to act
against the franchise by those who
were not users of electricity, as mem
toned in a 'ad"
Mr.. Underhill replied; President
Sparks"
The Board then asked II local man
ufacturer did not tell Mr.. Underhili
to go ahead and give him figures show
ing that the steel industry could not be
operated with current 30 per cent low
er than the rate charged, to which he
replied that he had, but that he did
not give the figures.
The question of Pittsburgh rates
then came up. Mr. Underhill stated
that the rates in Pittsburgh we're 6
cents per lilowatt, according TO an en-
gineer's statement
An advertisement was read stating
that amalgamation was impossible Mr.
Marvel stated that the word amalga-
nation was misleading to the ordinary
layman. Mr.. Underhill, stated that
this was provided for in the charter,
which he thought was the best one
ever issued in Wilmington.
Continuing. Mr. Underhill said:
you gentlemen are under the i'm.
| preston that We are going to merge,
which caused President Sparks L
say, I'VE have had merging all thl
time" Mr.. Underhill said that com
petition in this city during a perio,
of six years resulted in a reduction
of three cents per kilowatt
j. Eugene Wallace. president o.
the Wilmington and Southern Rail
way Company. was next sworn. HI
was asked II he did not say when hit
company received a franchise e
come over the causeway that IL wat
not for sale. He said that he did
President Oscar T. Crosby, of the
Wilmington and Philadelphia Trac.
tion Company was next questioned
He was asked what the amount in.
vested by his company in this city
totaled, and he replied, "S2. $50, 900
which may be increased by an addi'
tional amount between 100000 and
S400 600" He also said that the
| gross earnings for 1911 were $337,.
| S99.69 The net returns were S129,.
600, These figures do not allow foi
the depreciation of equipment
To COrrob0rate Figures.
At this juncture President Sparks
informed Mr.. Crosby that the secre.
tary of the department would corrob.
crate these figures at the company's
office.
Mr.. Crosby, in answer to a ques,
ton, stated that the earnings pei
kilowatt at the plant was rs cents
At the consumers meter, as il was
measured through them, It averaged
4 7-10 cents.
President Crosby then described II
detail the loss of current in trans
mitting il from the central station I,
the sub-statiou. In reply to the ques
tion as to whether the local plan
was a modern one Mr.. Crosby sale
yes" and he described at length tn,
various turbines in use and the new
one being installed He told of tn
present improvements being made.
He was asked il his company had /;
rate OF 35 cents. and he replied il
the affirmative, explaining the ratin,
of current, the highest of which il
6 6-lO cents an hour, but said ther,
was no other form Of rates In tb,
contract.
In reply as to what amount mod
ern electric plant could be equippe,
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