Evening journal., 1911-10-24
OPEN FIGHT FOR AND
AGAINST LIGHT FRANCHISE
Some Interesting Develop
menfs Expected at Hear
ing This Afternoon.
e. CLARENCE JONES
BACKS UTILITIES co.

Directors Of the Street and Sewer
,sDepartment this morning began a pub
lic hearing on the application of the
HPublic Utilities Heat. Light and Pow
ker Company for an electric franchise
Many persons were present, and adj
Evocates and opponents we're given
| hearing, including the reading of a |
ldeluge of letters for and against the
ilnew franchise.
II The hearing was continued until |
1880 o'clock this afternoon, when the |
! Wilmington and Philadelphia Trac- |
lition Companys representatives will /
llspeak IN opposition to the new fran
\ chise.
H In requesting that f. Clarence |
II Homes Of New York the backer Of the |
llnew company and J. Eugene Wallace, |
ian official of it. be present this after
INnoon. President Sparks said some
/ matters of personal nature prob
ably would come up.
Il Some of the persons in the room
y when the hearing began We're Josiah
I l{Marvel, of counsel for the Public
n Utilities Company and Edward Under
fhill, representative of that company;
Y oscar T. Crosby. and Henry p. Scott,
lof the Wilmington and Philadelphia
II Traction Company and John +. Neary,
A lof counsel for that company; Coun-
'lcilman Weller e. Stover, William
Swift Joseph Swift. e. B. Griffen-
berg, Frank Fl. Mettler, o. G. Purdy,
a president of the Board OF Trade;
Moses We'll, Andrew L. Johnson, VIII
I liam p White. James c. ONeal, pres
ident of the Mercantile Association;
< Meat Inspector George Denney, c. F.
Melchoir. and many others who
crowded into the corridor.
BOmbard Directors With Letters.
After the public hearing began for
n twenty-five minutes the directors ana
lothers present listened to the reading
of a battery of letters that had been
4. turned upon the directors as a result
4 lOf the activity of agents of the Pub
4 lie Utilities Company. Many Of them
told a ripping story of competition
land its benefits.
After the letter reading had grown
imonotonous Mr.. Marvel suggested that
merely the names OF the writers of
the remaining letters be read, and
this was done. Letters were received
from the following:
C. E. Pierson, James r. Quigley
Reese and Brother. ]. S. Thompson
III George Comfy. John D. Thompson
sSaville and Warren, c. W. Goodwin
land Company. &c. Wilson, John G
81 iStrong and Company. Beaston and
II lThompson. George l.. Ferguson. G. r
Il Holt, Edward Prettyman, Walter
tCraig. Solomon H. Stats. F. l.. Met.
itler. Auto Sales Company, II. r. Val
ientine, w. c. r. Wright. Wilmington
lice Manufacturing Company w. G
tRedding, c. p. Minors, f. X. Thomp
sson. James Ricco and Company. Lud
lwig Piano Company. J. d. Nowland
u. B. Davis, J. A. HurlOck, Whining
fton Oil and Refining Company, JohI
1 "A Bierman. John II. Short, B.
1Beste. John s. Thompson, d. r
ILeary. Israel Barsky. J. r. Kilmer,
Nv. Karschner. John NJ Webb. Johl
sHand and Sons. c. w. Gooding. Edga
i SB. Fell A. c. Layman Machine Com
lpany J. c. Johnson and Son Lev
sand Glosking. Delaware Hosiery Man
iufacturing Company. c. F. MelchoiI
vDr S. G. Ebert, Peary Sample Sho
VParlor. w. B. Austin, c. n. Trumr
ID. J. Hart, Isenberg Brothers Com
spany. ID. p. Duross S. G. Reed c.
Middleton Standard Granite Com
qpany. Gilpin Massey. Arthur l.. Cham
lbers. William A. Cox. Union Bottlin
. lComnany J. c. O'Neal. Andrew
lTravis, Turner Brothers, North En-
athletic Club. the Rev. F. ]. Con
inolly. the Rev. z. ]. Mealey, Col
fSpring Ice and Coal Company Jane
sPennetto, J. W. Houck. Harry
lStoeckle. High Art Clothing Parlo
gMcNIahon Brothers. John F. Kane,
j Harry Wright, Judge Z. r. Cochran
4 IWater Witch Fire Company. Dels
81 1ware Fire Company, livingstone
Il ;Store
eMr. Marvel Advocates Franchise.
In advocating the franchise, NJ
4 Marvel said at the outset that it WI
Ia business proposition between Il
rcorporation he represents and the co
a rporation the Street and Sewer direc
.ors represent He thought there was
.point that could be reached that wou
81 be good for both. He pointed out tn
the franchise asked for contained Z
81 lsame language as given to the O
n 5company earlier this year, except th
1it provided for current at seven-ce
rate maximum instead of a ten-ce
& rate. per kilowatt hour. This. he co
= tended. was good for the people who
1.-THE street directors represent.
Speaking of the possibility OF conso
dation or merger, Mr.. Marvel point
Y y out that the franchise provides tt
n y ncontracts shall be written for as 10
CONTINUED on Page Ten.)