Evening journal., 1911-11-03


Department az noon today indefinitely
postponed action on an electric i.snt-
ing franchise for the Public Uulities
Light Heat and Power Company, un-
animously adopting the following rssc-
luton offered hy Mr. Rudolph
Whereas the Public Utilities Lisnt, |
Heat and Power Go. has applied for a
franchise to enter the field Of electric
lighting, heating and power in the
city Of Wilmington and
Whereas, the city Of Wilmington
already has a company holding iran-
chises for these purposes, andl
Whereas the Board of Directors Of
the street and Sewer Department han Ne
held hearings with those f9yoring and
opposed to the granting OF this fran
chise, and
"Wheras, the deductions Of tais
Board from the facts and figures th~re
quoted and found TO be correct, ase
such as 10 satisfy them that an audi
tional franchise would be of no advon-
tage accruing TO the city of Wiiming-
ton or TO its citizens and that the Ga
ference between a franchise based on
q 10c maximum and one based "a q
&c maximum would not in itaslf IL
sure TO the people a lower rate tlan
is now charged That plant sucn as
is proposed would not and could nor
make a difference OF 30 per cent, re-
duction as is claimed and provide o
sufficient revenue. and that the figurcs
quoted and verified are adequate %
prove it.
"And whereas this Board individu-
ally and collectively believe that with
one company, properly regulated as
we believe we have the power to do,
the interests OF the city and its citi-
zens will be better safe-guarded than
with competition that as in the past,
may last but a short time and then
prove boomerang The history Of
this department so far as franchises
for electricity are conceyned proving
this course the only proper, Just and
reliable one 70 pursue, therefore,
BE IL resolved by the Board OF
Directors Of the Street and Sewer De-
psrtment in regular session met that
the franchise asked for by the Pub
lie Utilities Light, Heat and Power
Company be not granted and that fur
ther action on the resolution now
pending be indefinitely postponed.
Directors Make Statement,
Before adopting the above resolu-
ton. after Mr. Marvel Ter the Public
Udlities Company had asked pormis
sion to withdraw the franchise, tht
street and Sewer Directors had Sec
retary Christy read the following
statement.
"The Board Of Directors Of th'
Street and Sewer Department hav'
considered carefully and al length III
spplication Of the Public ItlllLS
Iieht. Heat and Power Company nov
pending before them for franchis
eranting them the rights Of the eiV
oi Wilmington for the erection OF
light. heat and power plant and ~
installation Of poles. wires, conauW'
etc. necessary TO the pursuit ot ssl
business. We have given full on
omen hearings 70 any and all cluzeh
desiring TO appear before US IN laFe
of or in opposition 70 granting OF sal
fr9nchise. We have taken testnoh
rom those directly interested an
from those already engaged In slmiis
business i'm refutstion Of assertlel
ana statements made BY the appliean
under oath that there might pc .
question as to the accuracy OF u
tsetimonv. In addition 70 this
have made q broad personal inNesus
zion ascertaining what might lleh
frliv have entered largely into CO..
clngion and have acted entirely upe
those facts as presented 10 the poe'
st nubuc hearings held for the pu
nose as follows 80, !
oThe applicant entered the neiu, L
commemorative worked industrious
and assiduously for weeks, but new
= divulged ofacially the name ol y
= principal or principals, and u wss y
until the day upon when Ine issel
tion was given its third readlhg uSao IN.
tbe BOARD that IL was dNulgeq. ! y
If was stated that there Wss oul -
person interested, and that ne %ss Va,
gentleman Of the city oi rev ~ ~
of large business interests emu ~
means. There we're no igoal w. w.
interested. no local capital S heSs'' (,
His publicity representeuee user
columns Of the press EeFs tss
making broad ana msleauins s'1
ments. endeavoring 70 lheeiss'
citizens in the importahes anu a.
mat this company mlgnt hase haorred
citv of Wilmington ne ls.V'' a,d
the value of new lhousll ,, 90 -
the course Of his canvass s.sNsu 40 40
reputable cll1ch' - ~tatod
testised that said canvassers statee
hina that the plant would De iosaesu
N-e-, castle. consequently lnsoial o.
~. ;rdnstrv was concerned, H. Wo'
l'avs been Of no advantage 10 lhs
nS " 7r,ln,inston. His chief argument
tbase newspaper advertisements -,
tbat the maximum rave lol -.
o,,rrent would be cents per klioN
,orr hut when asked, unoel q
,rbat the average minimum is'e ini
~ he declined TO answer ..,..z
"A representative Of the Niilnar o,ar, {, Z
,pa Philadelphia lracuoh S9n'P'
tastieed that the average rae
49, ess hv that company from tue :
80 s,n of Wilmington was 4.'c per \
tt hour which statement vas
rohorated by the secretary o' ~
poard upon Investigation OF 'He w
of said company n,;. Roar,
.;onnn rate Of &c might easlis
rsed al against a similar one y,
csnts and still have nignel 49, !,
for the citizens to pay. Anotlst y
n ~ which he largely dilatea
tbat there was a section IN ms re-, s,
tion which would preYenl an ',,-' ="
tion of his company win thes ~
other thus insuring eompeuuon'
counsel for the applicant stated
1etter addressed to this Board WI
"A .,.td On the stand that