Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1914-11-12
MAYORS OF MANY
CITIES HERE FOR
UTILITY CONFERENCE
Municipal Problems Will Be
Discussed by Practical
Men and Experts in Public
Work.

Delegates to the first conference OF
American Mayors, assembling in Phila-
delphia for discussion Of the problem OF
the relation between municipalities and
public utilities corporations, are arriving
today from all sections of the United
States and Canada.
Mayors of the principal cities, nnanciers
and men from the operating departments
of public service corporations, theorists
from universities and officials of public
utilities commissions are included In the
ranks of those arriving today.
IL is expected that at least 500 men vit-
tally concerned In the economic question
open for broad discussion at the confer
once will be in Philadelphia to attend the
first event Of the convention, a reception
TO be held tonight on the roof OF the
Bellevue -Stratford Hotel.
Ex-Governor Edwin S. Stuart and
Mayor Blankenburg will extend formal
welcome to the guests in addresses at the
reception. The response in behalf of the
visiting municipal officials and men OF
public affairs will be given by Mayor
George w. shroyer, OF Dayton, o.
TRANSIT PROBLEMS.
Interest in the discussions of tomor-
row mornings session OF the conference
NtlllItS lOCdlly dTOunn inc EXPOSITION OF
'Philadelphia's Transit Problems" to DO
given In comprehensive paper by Dlree-
tor A. Merritt Taylor, of the Department
of City Transit.
In addition to the local interest In the
transit problems peculiar to Phlladel-
phia at the present time, many OF the.
delegates from other cities are concerned
In the great constructive project advo-
Gated by Philadelphlas municipal transit
service by Director Tayior
The papers of the session tomorrow
VIII be devoted to the practical phases
of utility problems. Delos F. Wilcox, a
franchise expert of New York. will out
limo the Fundamental Planks in aPub-
lie Utility Program" Nathaniel T.
Guernsey general counsel of the Amer
lean Telephone and Telegraph Company,
VIII give the corporation view OF Tho
Regulation OF Municipal Utilities" Ray
Palmer Commissioner of Gas and .Elec-
trleity Of Chicago. Ill, will discuss
Municipal Lighting Rates" following
which open discussion will be held on
LaboTs Interests in Public Utilities"
MAYOR BLANKENBURG TO PRESIDE.
Mayor BIankenburg will preside at the
morning session, and at the afternoon
meeting Mayor Carter H. Harrison, OF
Chicago, VIII officiate. All the morning
and afternoon sessions of the conference
are to be held at the Bellevue -Stratford.
ana, excepting an executive session Of
Mayors and delegates on Saturday after
noon, all meetings are open. The ses-
sion on Friday evening will be held at
the Central High School. and on Satur-
day evening the meeting at Witherspoon
Han brings the conference to close.
Among tho Mayors arriving yester-
day are Carl NJ. Keller, of Toledo, o.:
James M. Kay, OF Fall River, Mass, also
Andrew j. Gallagher. of the Board of
Supervisors of San Francisco, Cal; Ed
ward O'Brien. Assistant Superintendent
of Public Utilities of Seattle. Wash; g.
w, Coiner, manager of the municipal
lighting plant OF Pasadena, Cal. and is
aldermen and City Commissioner OF
Montreal, Can
The question on interlocklng direc-
torates In public utilities corporations
Will be analysed at tomorrow mornings
session by Louis d. Brandeis, of Bos
ton, counsel for the Interstate Com
merce Commission in the hearings ON
the application OF eastern railroads for
an increase in freight rates By a
change In the prearranged program an
nounced last night by Director Cooke
that phase OF public utilities admins
traion will be introduced under the con-
sideration OF practical utility problems.