Evening journal., 1913-04-15
Directors Sparks, Rudolph and Murphy Unite in a
Statement Defending the Present MonopoIisfc
Conditions in the Lighting Field and Citing The
History of Various Franchises Granted
in This City in the Past
NATIONAL PROGRESSIVES ASK FOR DELAY
THAT THEIR QUESTIONS MAY BE ANSWERED

Gates are receiving an average net
rate today as low as they could ex-
pect TO receive under competition,
and certainly lower than they would
receive after the contamination OF n
consolidation, sale, requirement or
any other means that may be adopt
ed 70 eliminate one company from
the field and the natural advance In
prices which always follows such a
condition, shall have been imposed
Among seventy-two advocating the
granting OF this application the net
average rate was .0GS24 and not 10
as predominates In tho public mind.
I'VE consider Il foreign to the
question that the matter OF the so
called strip tickets on trolley cars
should be- taken into consideration
I'm this matter other than that several
public utilities corporations are now
consolidated In one operating COM
pany as lessee. We do not consider
II fair that the two should be taken
IN conjunction. We deprecated the
abolition OF the strip tickets and an
deavored 10 prevent the action, but
unfortunately up % that time this
board had failed 10 create n law inn
posing penalty for the violation OF
its orders. and we were advised by
counsel that we were powerloaH TO
prosecute. This oversight ia the law,
however, has since been corrected.
We have been necessarily discussing
this question with said railway COM
pany In an effort TO have these tickets
restored and will 80 continue 10 act
and regret that we did not have al
the time the power we now possess
for the prosecution OF our orders.
I'VE have carefully considered the
communications OF citizens In advO
oacy OF this application. which com
munications have been fully Offset b,
remonstrances OF other citizenl
against its passage; ana the boar
cannot find any preponderance o
sentiment either one way or the othe
so arc compelled to form n conclusion
without assistance from this source.
"Deductions from the aDove state
ment have resulted In the determine
tion by the Board OF Directors OF th
Street and Sewer Department 10 r.
affirm our former CONCLUSION and mi
We feel confident that o.i- compar
properly regulated VIII give bett'
satisfaction 10 the public general
than two or more IN competition
Earlier IN the meeting OF the d
rectors, before the franchise Of m
Peoples Light. Heat and Power Con
pany was acted upon. William 7
white. a prominent National Progress
sive in the last campaign. and WI
liam D. Stoops another member {
that party appeared before the boar
with a letter from the National Pre-
gressive party. containing certai
questions regarding the present frar
chlse controversy. and asked that IN
directors answer them Mr. Spark
read the letter and stated TO M
White that the board has all the IN
formation regarding these question
that n wanted. and that some of IN
questions would not be answered.
Mr.. White replied that the que'
tions we're asked by a large numbe
OF voters, and II answered woul
greatly aid IN the solving Of tn
question whether the Peoples Ligh
Heat and Power Company should b
granted a franchise He hoped tn
hoard would consider the question
and make them public. The question
we're presented In a communicable
from a committee Of the Nation'
Progressia, party. and asked this
action on the franchise be delayo
until the questions could be answere
publicly The communication was q
follows
wilmington. Del. April "a. 1913
president and Members Of Board
Street and Sewer Commissioner
City.
Gentlemen;-As representatives
political party deeply interested
promoting justice TO all citizens, b'
lieving IN full publicity on all ma