The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1912-05-12

the committee says
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city msans Ultimate duSioaon Of p 5n oper aas
The public service commission Of New York has held
IN number Of cases that in the absence OF evidence
showing that the existing company was not properly
conserving the public interest or that the rates were
not fair that there some condition which could
not be reached through regulation and only through com
peton competitive electric light franchise would be
denied.
The Public Service Commission of New Jersey in a
recent case has refused application for a competitive
franchise OF gas company the ground that it would
only lead to duplication OF service and loss and incon
venience the public where the evidence failed to show
that the service adequate the rates were
unreasonable and could be controlled through reeu
laton.
This principle Of natural monopoly controlled
through regulation has been adopted in substantially
all foreign countries and in nearly all the Northern
States the ground that competition in public service
means unnecessary encumbrancc OF the streets unneces
sary inconvenience to the public for rendering dup-
cate service which one company render and means
economic waste in duplication OF plants while better re-
suits be accomplished at less cost through reason
able regulation and control OF public service corpora
tons
The wisdom OF this principle could not be more forcibv
demonstrated than in the experience of the city of Rich
mond III the past twenty years where competition re-
suited IN enormous economic and in serious de-
PROBATION OF public service properties and the service
rendered to the public.
Under the laws OF the State OF Virginia the Council
OF the city OF Richmond and the State Corporation Com
mission are clothed with abundant power to regulate
public service corporations of this character and the
franchise under which this company is operating its
light and power service provides in terms that
The Council of the city of Richmond reserves
the right to impose such other regulations, cond-
tons and requirements as it may, from time to time
deem proper
If existing laws found defective in any respect he
can easily be remedied by Legislative action
In the pending hearing on the application for l;oht
and power franchise the counsel for the Richmond and
Henrico Railway Company admitted that the service
both railway and light and power, furnished in Rich
mond by this company good, and in answer to di-
rect inquiry admitted that he had heard practically no
complaints.
The question having arisen whether the rates charged
lor hight and power current reasonable this COM
pany offered to the cost OF investigation either
by visit to other communities by such other method
as the committee might adopt The committee called
on representatives of both parties furnish evidence
as to whether the rates in Richmond were reasonable
and fair as compared with rates in other cities similarly
situated Alter two months of investigation the Rich
mond and enrco Railway Company presented the rates
IN only five cities, and admitted before the committee
that from their investigation they believed the rates in
Richmond to be fair This company presented the rates
IN large number of cities throughout the United States
from which it demonstrated that the rates in Rich
mond are lower than in other cities similarly situated
with few exceptions based upon peculiar conditions
which do not obtain in Richmond
The Richmond and Henrico Railway Company then
stated that they willing accept franchise pre-
scribing an Scent base rate with the Discounts as
now allowed by the Virginia Railway and Power Com
pany 1o-cent base rate, but when the Committee