Evening journal., 1913-03-10
DEFENDS THE
LIGHT BILL
in DOVER
Mr.. Crook Says 1t is a BuSl-
ness Like Measure for the
Benefit Of the Public
DENIES REGULATIVE POWER
OF S. 6 S. DEPARTMENT

NNAn A'N|t 0n- aFh'A ANAnf w NAHAoAn
the provisions and the purposes of
the electric light bill that was sent
to Dover by the company and that
passed both Houses by unanimous
vote. He said:
The electric lighting business is
not now and never was under the
regulatiye power OF the Street and
Sewer Directors as TO prescribing
maximum rates that may be charged
for current or otherwise The Street
and Sewer Department does not have
and never had any such powers. II is
not a public utility commission, al
though some members Of the board
apparently think it is. AMI have al
ways thought the City Board of Pub
lie Utility Commissioners a super
nous municipal agency The only
thing the Street and Sewer Directors
can do is 20 Impose conditions In the
granting OF new franchises. So far
AS concerns any limit rpon the rate
that may be charged for current
which has been fixed by any franchise
heretofore granted by the Street and
Sewer Department TO the existing
lighting company, II is incorceivablc
that anybody engaged in selling cur
rent in the city OF Wilmington would
have the nerve 70 ask any higher rate
than the maximum so fixed, whether
II was fixed by law or not.
Under this bill. the Peoples Rail-
way Company can sell and distribute
current for commercial uses upon its
own poles already erected in the
streets. II can also erect other poles
and wires for such purpose. II the
Street and Sewer Department gives
10 permission IL is understood that
the New Castle Railway Company has
either closed or is about to close a
contract with the Wilmington and
Philadelphia Traction Company by
which IT will buy all its power from
the Wilmington and Philadelphia
Traction Company and viii shut down
or has shut down. its power house
and will not be manufacturing any
current for distribution. for CONNER
cial use or otherwise. This contract.
Il is understood, went into effect on
the first OF March.
"The lighting bill was not passed
along with the bill to permit the
Peoples Railway to lay It's tracks 10
Fourth street wharf. The former
was passed about one week earlier
than the latter Before both these
bills were passed. however, represen-
tatives Of the Wilmington and Phil
adclphia Traction Company assured
the Senate that they had no oblec-
tions to them. The lighting bill was
..Scnding III inc Senate for several
and several hearings upon II
SiTUA had before the committee on
.-oo.--..- ations. It was considered and
W I'D, from every viewpoint.
w TN an article in THE EVENING
JOURNAL of Saturday. March Sth,
dated Dover, Il is stated:
The bill to authorize railway
companies 10 sell and distribute cleo
tricity in cities and towns would con-
fer an electric business franchise by
State statute, should it be signed by
the Governor, without such business
being subject 10 the regulative powers
OF the Street and Sewer Department
IN Wilmington, or Town Council in
town, excepting as TO the require
ment Of permission for the pl8nting
Of additional poles
AS a matter OF fact such Street
and Sewer Department, or such Town
Councils, have now no regulative pow
ers relating TO the business of selling
NNfN NlNAiiUNAiHA tltNlIlANlN anu al
such franchises are now granted by
Stste statute and always have been
The only powers that such Depart
ment or such Town Councils now have
are with respect to the planting o
poles in the streets. The only thing
this statute does is to permit a rail-
way company TO distribute electric
current for commercial uses Dy means
OF poles erected upon streets, permits
sion for the erection OF which poles
has already been heretofore obtained
from the Street and Sewer Depart
mont, or from a Town Council
Any idea of a merger OF our com.
pany with the Wilmington and Phila-
delphia Traction Company is out o
the question The Peoples Railwa,
Company Is not for sale under an,
circumstances, and would not havl
the slightest reason for believing tha
the Wilmington and philadelphi.
Traction Company desires. or eve
would desire. to merge it's compan.
with our company or our compan
with its company.
The idea of using the same Wire
Tor conveying current for lighting a
is used for conveying current fo
railway purposes is. of course. absurd
The currents are entirely dineren
and could not be conveyed by th
same wire.
If there is any franchise to th
Wilmington City Electric Compan
by which il is required 10 pay two pc
cent Of its gross receipts TO the cit
and by which there is specified
maximum rate for current, the Pee
pies Railway Company will gladly ac
cept the same franchise TO use all IN
streets which the Wilmington Cit
Electric Company can now use for il
poles and wires upon the same condt
tions.
"The idea that the Wilmington Cit
Electric Company might abandon tn
franchise fixing such maximum rat
and requiring the payment of two pc
cent. of its receipts to the city an
attempt to distribute electric curren
upon its railway poles alone is at
surd, for the reason that il could the
distribute current only on the street
where its railway runs and by sue
abandonment would give up its line
OF poles on all the other streets of tn
city Of Wilmington"