Evening journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1888-1932, 1913-04-08
NO ACTION is TAKEN IN
PEOPLES co. APPLICATION

against the Public Utility Light and
Power Company franchise until the
board could be shown what benefits
would arise by a second lighting COM
pany entering the local field.
Nj. Richards said that most of the
users of current in the city pay the
maximum rate for electricity. which
is 10 cents per kilowatt hour. He
said the new company wants to fur
nish current to all commercial users
and the public as it is now doing to
the Wilmington Leather Company.
1--WE make current" said Mr. Rich
ards. land we want to sell It, We
will not engage in cut throat compe-
tition. but will be of benefit to the
citizens OF Wilmington"
He said the resolution adopted by
the board did not apply to the Peo-
pies Company which was in uni
que position in that it was not a new
company coming into the field.
President Sparks said that he
agreed with all that Mr.. Richards had
said but that he did not think the
board had been convinced of the bene-
fits which would accrue to the city.
This is not a personal grudge," said
| Mr.. Sparks, but we know that a
mans life is limited and that the COM
pany will be in different hands some
day"
w. g. p. Traction Co.'s Side.
Andrew c. Gray, representing the
Wilmington and Philadelphia Traction
Company, was the next speaker. He
said that there was no controversy
! fl,o rfoc Fc,. tho hoo -
to decide, and that its function was
to protect the rights of the citizens
THE controlling question" said Mr.
Gray, "is, will a new franchise be OF
benefit to the citizens of Wilmington
Because a man has lived all his life
in this city and had a good reputation
would be no reason why he should
come to you and say l need money
let me do business" This, he de.
clared, was what the new company
was doing. He said the Wilmington
and Philadelphia Traction Company
was at the present time installing
new machinery of the most modern
kind.
"The new company has not suggested
that our rates are too high said Mr.
Gray, cor that our service is not good
or that our plant is not adequate. Ou
books, earnings and every bit of in
formation that we have is open L
you for inspection"
He cited the veto message of Tn,
: Mayor of Wilkesbarre. in which h
, vetoed a second lighting franchise il
that city in 1911 on the ground tina
competition is not beneficial on &C
count of working agreements, etc.
Mr.. Gray filed a large number o
/, opinions of public service boards
, supporting his contentious, with tn
commission.
Mr. Richards, has there been an
method devolved by the legal prores
sion that will insure competition an
prevent merging and consolidation,
asked Mr.. Sparks.
Mr. Richards replied that he knew
OF none but that he was willing 4
comply with any condition that wouli
carry out the boards ideas.
Neither Mr.. Gray nor Mr. Hille
knew of a legal plan that would hol
. good.
Mr.. Crook said il the franchis
were granted the public would hav
fair treatment the same as he ex
pected from the board
Mr. Hilles said Il do not believ
!. the citizens of Wilmington will sur
T. port the judgment of the Wilkes
: barre way regarding competition
: The difficulty with competition
. Wilkesbarre is that it has not bee
fair. Mr.. Richards has outlined
7. plan of real competition, totally dii
: ferent from the kind you are cor
: sidering."
He said that the company had pole
u and a plant and was not like me-
company which would have to expen
. large sums for such an outlay.
:. He said that the only way that tn
: new company could get customer
y would be to offer current cheaper c
some other advantages to the consun
S er or they would make no change.
with our resources" said Mr.. Hi
i les, Eve could not engage in comp'
y tition with such an enterprise as th
Wilmington and Philadelphia Tras
d ton Company, which / see in tn
It press has an inflated capital"
& At this point Mr.. Gray asked M
Hilles why the company could not Ell
J. gage in disastrous competition wit
Is his company.
IS Mr.. Hilles replied that the People
e Company with its property at re
/ value, could sell current at a fair r
turn and at a cheaper price than Il
l. ether company
J., He said that fifteen years ago
T. remembered the same arguments we
used against the Peoples Railwi
% Company when it applied for a fra
RS chise, but that it had proved itself
as benefit to the people. Mr. Hilles sa