The Caucasian. (Shreveport, La.) 1900-192?, 1911-03-09
ELECTRIC LIGHTS
Consumers Insist ON Better Rates from
the Lighting Plant Committee Of
Citizens Confer with the City Council.
Municipal Light Plant Suggested.

Yesterday morning by appointment at
10 O'Clock the Mayor and the commits
sioners constituting the City Council
lheld conference in the Mayors parlor
lon the issue of electric lights.
In attendance were Mayor Eastman,
Commissioners Atkins, Fullilove, Nc
Cullough and Riyes, and the citizens
committee Andrew Querbes, chairman,
Hon Leon R. Smith, James Noel, w.
| w Wraing, w. K. Henderson, " Gros-
jean, l. NJ. Howard, c. E. Perroncel,
| H Hunsicker, Paul Lowenthal and othe'
citizens interested
The purpose of the citizens, as ex
planned by Hon. Leon R. Smith, is to
secure better rate for lights than is
proposed for future lighting. The peo-
pie, he said, were opposed to ten-year.
contract, but may view with favor six
year contract If the rates are sufficiently
low to warrant such contract. Other
wise the people would be called to vote
on the municipal ownership of an cleo
trio light plant
There had been obtained reliable data
which was sufficient to justify the as
sertion that lighting could be procured
and offered to the consumers for less
than the price which had been fixed by
the local plant, which has no opposition.
He said that he was friendly to the local
plant, among whom he had good friends,
and so were the committee friendly i1l-
cIined to the plant, but it was not
question Of friendship, but Of the lowest
possible rates obtainable for the con-
sumers
When Mr. Queries addressed the
Council his remarks were fortified with
data obtained from reliable sources. In
deed, ever since the time when the city
entered into a FIVE years contract with
the Shreveport Gas, Electric Light and
Power Company, when he was mayor,
Ire has been giving some of his time 10
the requirement of information apply
ing TO gas and particularly to cost of
producing electric light He submitted
data showing that the cost of a plant
A,gith a capacity of 6,ooo,ooo kilowatts
annually would be $22s,ooo, with operat
ing expenses at $4,000, and that the
total net earning capacity would leave a
profit OF S37,Ioo. The figures were tab-.
lilated III regular order. Mr. Queries
also read a printed statement of Presi-
dent Dawes Of the lighting company
made year ago when this company was
floating lis 100000 bond issue.
In this statement IS the evidence that
the bankers handling the bonds that the
capital stock Of the company was
100000, and the interest on the
SIo7s,ooo issue was $5o,oIo. as COM
pared with bond interest Of a city
owned plant Of S1o,Ia5.
The statement showed that the net
profits added TO surplus for the year
1000 were Sszo48.
ESTIMATE FOR 1910.
In this statement President Dawes es-
Inmates the earnings and charges for the
year 1910 as follows
Operating expenses. taxes,
maintenance, renewals .$232,ooooo
Net earnings ................. to8ooooo
Interest on bonds 100000
Estimated net surplus. ...... 48,ooo.oo
Mr.. Querbes explained that all Of the
figures Of fhe Dawes Company included
both the gas and power business in ad-
dition to the lighting, and that due all
lowance for this must be made in COM
parison Of figures, but al the same time
he contended that the earnings and the
afnottat paid out from the earnings show
that the people, the consumers, were
having to pay a big sum over the $IoI25s
the amount of interest on bond issue to
build i municipal plant
lii addressing the Council Mr.. Smith
Iand Mr.. Querbes stated that the people
would not want an immediate municipal
plant il a rate of SC net was secured,
and ii was suggested that the proper
Iscaie would be SC for 100 kilowatts,
lz 1-2c for 100 and under 500, and rate
OF &c for over 900 kilowatts, and $50 per
| year for street lights.
Commissioners Fullilove announced
that be was ready for immediate action
ION a municipal plant
Commissioner Rives said that he was
open to argument and would await the
lreport of the committee upon whose
Emotion three from the Council and three
from The citizens were named by him as
/ follows From the Council, Mayor East
liana, Commissioners Mccullough ane
FuliiIove and from the citizens, A
Queries. Leon K. Smith and VI Gros.
jean. and these are % confer with az
authorized representative Of she electric
lIighf plant
i CON III IsSIONER MCCULLOUGH
ANNOUNCEMENT
70 the surprise Of his friends, Com