Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1914-12-04
ELECTRIC LIGHTS
TO SHINE PENDING
RATE DECISION
Delay in Probe Before State
Commission Will Not Put
City in Darkness After
January |.

I HARRISBURG, Pa, Dec. 4-Philadel-
phia will not be In darkness after Jan
uary !, II the Public Service Commission
has not rendered decision by that time
in its investigation Of the charges oi
exorbitant rates and discrimination made
by Director of Public Works Cooke and
testified to by experts from several large
| cities
| Director Cooke, who is attending the
| hearing before the commission, today
| made this announcement when it became
! evident that the proceedings would not be
| completed as soon as expected. The
Director snid arrangements would be
made whereby the company would supply
current to the city until the commission
renders it's decision.
The continued introduction of new
schedules of figures of rates and the nu-
morous lines OF examination and cross
examination thus opened up indicated the
hearing could not possibly be concluded
before the commission this week.
During the examination today of Chief
pike. OF the Electrical Bureau, william
Draper Lewis, of counsel for Director
Cooke, brought out a mass OF figures
showing rates charged under various
schedules Chief Pike testified, the over
head charge for arc lamps. in Philadel-
pllld was fJs.Oa anu Illt ulutIHEOuuu Ible
SSl.2l year.
rs not that difference in rates for the
two kinds OF service too great?" asked
Dean Lewis.
II have not made up my mind" replied
the witness. at is true the difference
is greater in Philadelphia than in some
other cities but ] would want to study
conditions in those cities further before
giving an opinion"
SAY FIGURES ARE ABSURD.
The attitude Of the electric company
in reference to the exhibits, consisting
OF typewriter list OF rates charged by
various companies, was made plain to-
day when representatives OF the COM
pany characterized the comparative fig
ures as exaggerated and absurd
1t has been their contention, when ex-
amining experts of the complainant, that
the figures, rates and charges, quoted
by the witnesses have been arrived at on
theory and not from the practical work.
ings of the company. Estimates intro
duced into the case as coming from
experts have been ridiculed by the at
torneys for the company as being pa
per estimates"
The assertion of Chief Dickerman, OF
the Bureau of Gas, that a charge OF s.
monthly was made by the company for
lighting an eight-room house with 90
light was denied today by company rep
resentatives, who said the books show
that Philadelphlan occupying a two
story house with 20 lights would pay
on an average only about S1.S0 a month.
MCCALL TO TESTIFY.
Officers of the company say the amount
which Mr. Dlckerman testified would be
charged IN Iight small t1uo-stor,y bruse
for a month would light a house contain
ing so lamps.
Rates and schedules and the technical
explanation of experts will be introduced
before the respondent company is given
4 chance to produce witnesses. F. w.
head of the Municipal Electrical
plant of Cleveland, and recognized as one |
of the foremost electrical experts In the
is yet to be heard. Director
Cooke has subpOenaed Joseph b. Mccall, |
president of the Philadelphia company.