Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1914-09-25
UTILITY OWNERSHIP
BY MUNICIPALITIES
SHOWS GREAT GAIN
Number of Plants So Oper-
ated Increased 81 Per
Cent. in Ten Years, Says
u. S. Report.

Municipal ownership Of electric light,
heat and power plants in this country is
making rapid strides. The theory that
municipalities can construct and operate
public utility plants more economically
and with greater efficiency than can ex-
perts representing private corporations,
while It has not been proved to any con-
elusive extent, is, nevertheless, gaining
ground. This is made plain in a report
just issued by the United States Census
Bureau covering the ten-year period from
1902 to 1912
In the period, the number OF municipal
plants increased from s15 to 1852, or 9i.T
per cent, while the privately owned plants
increased from 2s05 to 1863, or 3O.4 per
cent
This total Of 5121 central electric sta
tons Ia considerably less than the num-
ber reported in commercial directories
The report explains the apparent dis
crepancy by stating that where several
plants are under one ownership they are
reported as one establishment In the
directories each plant is regarded as a
unit for the purpose Of listing. The re-
port takes no account of electric stations
constructed primarily for the heating or
lighting of hotels or factories, even If
some of the electricity is sold to the
neighborhood.
In 1902 more than % per cent of the
stations were municipality owned. Ten
years later the percentage OF such sta
tions had increased to substantially 30
per cent of the whole number. In total
income the commercial stations had 92.3
per cent, which was greater than in
1902. when the commercial stations con-
stituted a larger percentage of the total.
In that year they received only 9L9 per
cent. of the total.
MUNICIPAL OUTPUT REDUCED.
The municipal stations, in output. fell
much behind in the decade. In 1902 they
produced 7.s per cent. of the kilowatt- |
hours, while in 1912 their production fell |
to only Al per cent. which is less than
their percentage in 1907, when 1t was 40 |
per cent. While their relative production |
fell of SO greatly, the municipal plants |
greatly increased the capacity OF their
gas and oil engines, having no less thar
202 per cent. of such engines in 1912.
But while the percentage of gas and
oil engines owned by the municipal plants
increased so largely, the total horsepower
etc., fell Off from 81 per cent in 1902 to
"a per cent. in 1912. The kilowatt capac-
ity of the municipal dynamos also ran
down from s.4 per cent. to 7.2 per cent
In 1912.
The total income of municipal stations
Increased from 1896. lO5 in 1902 to s23-
BIS $3.50 in 1919. or 233.4 per cent. That of
the commercial or privately owned plants
Increased from $S5, 7Oo,6O5 to $3O2, 155, ,599 Or
252.5 per cent.
The total expenses. including ordinary
repairs and a proper depreciation account
N the municipal plants, increased from
s, ,245,ss7 in 1912 to S16917,1s5 in 1912, an
Increase OF 222.5 per cent. The total ex-
oenses of the commercial plants rose from
'6S 0Sl,375 to 1924, 4l9i7s, or 2A.3 per cent.
For that increase in total expenses the
plants brought about an in
,rease in kilowatt hours from $50, ,O51, lis
% II, 532, ,963. .006. or an increase of $50 per
'ent. For their increase of expenses the
municipal plants brought about an in
,rease of kilowatt hours of only 174.i
lours, in the increase. in figures, being
rom 1s5,9044S9 to 537,526.7 .73o.
During the five-year period from 1907 to
s12. approximately 1O6 commercial stations
'assed into the hands of municipalities
md SO passed out of the hands of NUM-
ipalities into the hands of private opera
ors. The greatest increase in municipal
tations took place In a group OF states
omposed of Minnesota Iowa, Missouri,
he Dakatas, Nebraska and Kansas The
lumber in those states jumped from pa
o 800. Arkansas. Louisiana, Oklahoma
nd Texas come next in the number of
lcreases. from So to l22