Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1915-01-13
EXPERTS TESTIFY
AS TO POWER RATES
(Contlnued from I'irst PageO


the rates to the householder and small
manufacturer in Richmond were less
than those In New York. Tho com
pany. he said. receives about . cents
per kilowatt hour, while the average
cost is between IA and . 1-2 cents
per kilowatt hour He suggested to
the commission that the company
should not be penalized for giving
good service ut a fair charge. and ne
regarded the rates as not eXtravagant
for weli-operatcd plant. The com
pany. lie said. should receive some
benefit for the efficiency OF It's plant
and for Its excellent service. He. too,
did not think that II would be neccs-
sary to have the company's property
| inventoried In order for the commits
sion to arrive at n conclusion, and said
that bare operation figures arc of no
value in reaching q decision as to the
fairness of the rates.
NEXT HEARING SET
FOR FEBRUARY 10
Professor G. +. Siever, also a con-
sultinG engineer. OF New York. tcstt
fled along the same lines. being equal
~ commendatory of the service and
the equaoleness of the rates charged
for light and power. He said that IL
would take six months to make an
| inventory of the company's property
and that 1t would cost about l-o of |
per cent of the capitalization, or be-
tween $4,000 and $4,000 The sched
ule he regarded as being fairly adapted
between the small and the large CON
sumner. He said that he had never
| heard of earnings being fixed upon the
assessed valuation And he was an
n
the company ought not to be penaIized
business principles.
The next hearing will be held on
Tuesday, February 16, when the CITY
VIII have had time in which TO concert
its action against the Virginia Railway
and Power Company's petition
The hearing was before Commission
! ers Prcntis and Wingheld Judge
| William +. Rhca WAS detained at his
| home by a severe cold He has recent :
| iy returned from Il tour OF inspection
of several railroads, and has since been
onfined TO his home
| In its supplemental petition, filed yes
| terday, the company rccitcs that> in
September, 1914, ii filed with the com
mission a proposed new schedule Of
rates and charges for Richmond and
| Petersburg, asking that they be made
| effective 'from and after April l, 1915.
COMMISSION SUGGESTED
CONFERENCE WITH CONSUMERs
| The petition also recites that on Oc-
tober II, 1914. at hearing before the
| commissions:
several persons, claiming to be CON
| sumers- Of current in the city of Rich
| mond, or to represent such consumers,
| appeared and requested certain infor-
nation with respect TO such rates, and
the matter having been partially heard.
| the commission adjourned the further
hearing thereof, with the request that
the information desired by said par
ties he furnished, and the suggestion
that an effort be made to agree with
the consumers interested in the mat
ter uponca satisfactory schedule of
rates covering the service mentioned
in said petition"
| The petition continues:
"Thereupon the executive officers of
your petitioner met in conference GER
| tain of the business men OF the city
Of Richmond. representing business
organizations, and suggested changes In
/ the schedule OF rates and discount for
retail light and power service as filed
| having been submitted by said con-
sumers your petitioner agreed to con-
| slider the same. and, IL practicable, to
meet tho views OF said consumers,y and
! thcreupon, after careful inyestiga} ion,