Evening journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1888-1932, 1913-04-10
Traction Company Announces
Lower Lighting Rates for
The City Beginning May I

The Wilmington and Philadelphia :
Traction Company which has been
fighting the granting of a lighting
franchise to the Peoples Light, Heat
and Power Company. early this after
noon in a letter tos the Street and
Sewer Directors made the announce
ment that on May / of the present
year II would reduce the maximum
rate on electricity to the citizens of
Wilmington from ten cents per X ".
II. to cents, with a per cent dis
count for cash payments, making a
net rate of practically s IL cents.
and upon July I, 1914. make a.
further reduction to l-2 cents with
q per cent discount for cash, max
ing the net rate practically s cents
The letter received from the Will
mington and Philadelphia Traction
Company was in reply to one sent
to that corporation by the Directors
of the Street and Sewer Department
in which the latter set forth that they
again desired to call the traction
company's attention TO the negotia-
lions which have been pending be-
tween the board and the company for
about a year and half looking toward
a reduction IN the maximum rate Tor
electric current
The letter of the Street and Sewer
Directors in full, together with the re-
ply of the Wilmington and Philadel-
phia Traction Company follows
April 10, 1918.
Wilmington & Philadelphia Traction
Company, Lessee.
Wilmington. Del
Gentlemen We desire at this time
TO again call your attention to the ne
gotiations which have been pending
between our Board and your company
for about a year and half looking
to reduction in your maximum rate
for electric current
II is the duty Of this Board to serve
the public interest and to secure so
far as possible the best and most
economical service by public utilities
for our citizens. You know we have
a schedule of prices charged for cleo
trio current-in many of the cities OF
this country and you also know that
( we realize that your maximim rate
is not high, but there are some cit
les where the maximum rate is lower.
and we want 10 secure for the citizens
of Wilmington a rate which shall be
as low as thab given in any other city
of the Unicd States. and we want to
ask again whether you do not think
that the sale of electric current in
this city has reached sufficiently
large amount to enable you to make
a material reduction in your maxi
mum charge.
If you agree to respond to this let
ter we shall make both our letter TO
you and your reply public and want
II distinctly understood that no mat
ter what your reply may be. what OBJ
legation agreement Or understanding
YOU should offer, we shall consider
ourselves under no obligations what
ever to your company either in the
consideration of the present applica-
ton for a franchise which is before
US or at any time in the future.
Our sole purpose in writing this
letter being an endeavor 70 ascertain
whether we can secure to the citizens
OF Wilmington electric current at
lower maximum rate than you now
charge Respectfully,
G. A. Rudolph,
NJ. ID. Murphy.
Geo. w. Sparks.
Board OF Directors of the Street and
Sewer Department.
April ~, 1915.
Board OF Directors OF the Street and
Sewer Department Wilmington
Delaware.
Gentlemen: We are in receipt of
your letter of April 10th and under
stand that any answer we may make
thereto will place you under no obj
CATION as to your action upon the
application now pending for a lighting
franchise, nor any obligation to us in
the future
The two companies which we now
control are just beginning to recover
from the very severe losses sustained
when they were engaged in active
competition in this city. We had
hoped to have been in a position be-
fore long to have announced to the
citizens of Wilmington our ability TO
reduce our maximum rate, and al
though we had not felt that the time
had arrived when it would be proper
7 for MS so TO do, yet we are willing
to comply with your suggestion with
fout further delay.
Therefore we state to you. and YOU
may make public announcement of
the fact if you so desire, that begin
ming May LIST of the present year we
are willing to reduce our maximum
rate for electricity to the citizens of
Wilmington from 10 cents per X. W.
X. to cents per K. W. H.. with a
per cent discount for cash payments.
making a net rate of practically s IL
cents, which is the maximum rate
Just fixed by the Public Utility Com
mission of Maryland for the City Of
/ Baltimore, after a most exhaustive
investigation OF THE lectric lighting
situation in that city. where the cur
rent is generated by water power and
the sale Of electric current is seven
CD times as great as il is in Will
mington.
Upon July LIST, 1914 we will further
reduce our maximum rate 10 10
cents per X. w. II. with 5 per cent
discount for cash, making a net rate
! Of practically per cent
We believe that from your know
I ledge of the electric lighting business
and of the conditions which have
existed IN Wilmington. you will
realize that this proposition means a
very large aggregate reduction in our
/ gross receipts. but il is a present ex-