Norwich bulletin. [volume] (Norwich, Conn.) 1895-2011, 1916-09-06
Westerly Lighting Rates Unchanged
Matter Discussed Tuesday Town Council Meeting, But
No Action TakenProtest Against Use of Spruce Sreef
for Roller Skating Arrests During August
Rod and Gun Clubs Tourney Results.

Rod and Gun Clubs Tou
At a meeting of the Westerly town
council, several weeks ago, the propo-
sition of the Narragansett Lighting
company for a reduction of votes for
electric lights was adopted, but the
section regarding the minimum charge
| of 81 a month was left open; or rather
to be effective in connection with the
new rates unless changed by the pub
lie utilities commission. This matter
was opened to general discussion at
the meeting of the council. TUESDAY
| with President Maurice w. Flynn,
presiding, and all members OF the
! council, the situation remains just as
| it was before the discussion COM
| nenced.
Councilman Thorp, of the council
| committee on street lights, reported
| that there had been conference with
representatives of the electric light
company, and that the committee ia
Vored the proposition to reduce the
rate to II cents per killowatt hour as
! against IA cents, and that the commit
tee were told plainly that the company
! could not do away with the plan OF
charging minimum monthly rate of
! 81, or make the charge on a yearly in
stead of monthly adjustment
| "
Jesse Gray, rate expert for the Mar
ragansett Lighting company, and its
| subsidiaries, said there was no objec-
| ton to a minimum charge, as such,
| the only objection is the method, and
| the rates are designed TO prevent loss
on any particular class Of consumers,
but in order to do this there must be
| a minimum charge, to save one class
| from paying the lighting bill of an
other. The contention Of some people
| in Westerly is that the minimum
charge, be on a yearly basis, while
| the monthly basis plan has been up
| held by courts and all public utilities
| commissions, except in Massachusetts,
where there is a yearly minimum. Mr..
| Gray said the monthly minimum was
more equitable. 1t was necessary to
| install a meter service and transform
/ ers, and every transformer and every
| meter consumes electricity whether
used or not. These losses are to the
II company. 1t is necessary to have
| these meters read and inspected and
| there must be a fixed charge. for all
service. If all customers used the
i service regularly it would be more
\ profitable to the company. as there
would be steady lode. If the service
is installed and not used, it is an add
ed investment of the company, and
those who use only a part Of the SER
vice are not as profitable in proper
ton, as the continuous user. That is
why the minimum rate is monthly and
not yearly. If the minimum rate was
yearly the regular rate would have to
be increased, and for no minimum,
the rate would be still higher.
Frank w. Coy, representing the COM
n1ittee of the Westerly Board of
Trade, stated that although the Mar
ragansett company recently acquired
the local plant it was with full knowl-
edge of the local conditions, and he
knew the present company could grant
the yearly minimum rate and make
money. The offer of the company to
reduce rate is no reduction, unless the
consumer uses above nine killoWatts,
II and the reduction is mighty small at
and u cents does look big. Mr.. Coy
said that if it was necessary to have
a minimum charge, there. was no OBJ
lection to a yearly charge.
President Flynn said this electric
light rate ought to be definitely set
tied and not be dragged along from
month to month, taking the time OF
the council and taxing the patience
of the public. Councilman Thorp said
the proposed rate, approved by the
council, must be approved by the pub
lie utilities commission before it can
be effective, and if the minimum
charge was made annual the company
would not give the twelve cents rate
MIR. Gray said the company did not
ask for any contract or agreement
from the council, nor ask for any &C
ton on the minimum rate. He would
not separate the reduced rate from
the minimum monthly rate nor ask
the council to pledge itself in any
way to the committee. He was per
fectly satisfied to leave the whole mat
ter with the utilities commission, if
the council so desired. He said he did
not believe there was popular demand
for an annual adjustment of the min
inum charge. and that it was evident
ly confined to a very few people. He
said the general feeling was that the
present plan was fair.
Rev. Joseph L. Peacock stated that
Mr.. Gray evidently had not interview
ed those who are affected. by the
monthly minimum rate, and certainly
had not spoken to him. Mr.. Peacock
said he was opposed to the monthly
minimum, as were others who had
summer homes at Pleasant View and
/ paid for current they did not use.
While away from his Greenman ave-
nue. home on vacation, during the
month of August he had to pay a dol
lar for service he did not receive. He
said if there were only half a dozen
DIRECTORS that they ought to have fair
play.
| Councilman Fowler said he was a
believer in Massa chusetts law, and
could see no injustice to the company
! in a monthly minimum rate.
F. II. Buffum said it was an injus-
tice to those who closed their winter
homes to go to the shore for the sum-
mer, should be required to pay a.
dollar a month for an unlighted resi-
dence. He did not think 1t was a fair
deal. The question was farther dis
cussed, along similar lines by William
S. Martin, Coy and Gray, Fowler and
Flynn, but no action was considered
necessary, as the rate of a previous
meeting was ample.
| A petition was received from Louis
Rankin and several others who reside
in the vicinity of Margin street, set
| ting forth that the G. NJ. Shay FertiI-
izing company, had established a re-
| ceiving plant, off Margin street, on
| property owned by John w. Sweeney,
and that it was a nuisance and a men
ace to health, and asked for the abate-
ment. After discussion by Louis Ran
| kin Rev TOSpnh T., Peacock Thorna 6