New-York tribune., 1917-06-23
Edison Co. Pleads
Fear of Zeppelins
At Rate Hearing
Predicts Loss in Revenue it
City Is Darkened to Lessen
Danger of Attack

officials OF the New York Edison
Company. arguing against further re-
duction in electric light rates, made a
strong plea yesterday at the hearing
before the Public Service Commission
that the company should be "let alone
AZ this time because of the general un-
certainty of future business conditions
during the war.
The possibility of the city's streets
and buildings being darkened by gov
ernmental order through fear OF Yep
neIin attacks. the discontinuance OF
electric display signs along the Great
White Way in that event. or by orde'
NJ the government incident TO ne con
servation of the nations coal supply
ard tho attendant loss OF income oS
tho adoption of the daylight saving
rlan were among the reasons ad'ahceu
,y,bv the present rate of IN cents PEI
kiIowatt hour should not be feduceu
10 cents on July /.
Williams's Plea Discounted
Arthur Williams, general CONNER
cial manager of the Edison company
referred 70 these hazardous poSsiol'-
ties during his testimony. Comhil'
sioner Travis II. Whitney dlscounte'.
the witnesses plea by pointing out @ tha'
the officials of the company, Wnfh my
made the tentative agreement WIN th1
commission to further reduce the rates
on July I, had argued that war cohdl-
tions we're bound 70 stimulate business
and that they ought to retain the rlght
10 return TO the old rate OF cents al
the end of the war. Mr.. Williams tes-
tilted that the adoption of the daylighy
plan here would mean yearly loss OF
5000. 900 to the company. he said tha'
when the plan was adopted IN LONDON
the gas and electric light companlea
Immediately raised their rates 10 meet
the prospective loss. Judge Ransom
counsel for the commission, suggested
that conditions in London had nothing
TO do with conditions in New York.
The witness laid stress on the fact
that the company had lost several big
contracts for display signs. Ques-
toned closely by Judge Rams om, ne
finally admitted that the company mad
not lost any contracts, but that he mad
meant 10 say that the company had not
secured the usual number OF new DIS
play contracts in recent montns. lie
said that they were getting five such
contracts a week now, where they used
to get twenty-five.
"You mean that you are holding your
old business and a little more said
Commissioner Harvey, "but that you
are not making just the increment you
would like 10 make"
No Reduction in Income
II was brought out that the reduced
rate of TX cents which went into effect
January had not reduced the COM
pany's income. Commissioner Whitney
suggested that the reduced rate had
probably brought the company more
consumers and also had been an in
ducement TO its present consumers to
use more current. Commissioner Hodge
declared that the company's own estl-
mate showed that 1t would make
50. 500. 900 during the present year at an
average rate for all kinds of service OF
5 cents. Commissioner Hodge said
that none of the company's witnesses
had shown that operating expenses
were going up during the next few
months.
"
guess" he said. ut is time enough for
the company to come and ask for relief
when il can show that operating ex-
penses have actually increased"
]. ". Lieb, vice president, and II. NJ.
Edwards, auditor of the company, were
other witnesses. Judge Ransom pressed
Mr.. Lieb for an answer 10 the question
as to whether he believed the company
would be able to pay per cent divi-
dend at the end of this year, despite
the possible uncertainty of future con-
ditions, as predicted by the various wit
nesses.
Mr. Lieb declared that he did not con-
slider 6 per cent fair return on the
investment of a public utility company
He expressed the opinion, however,
that the company would not be able to
pay an per cent dividend this year.
The hearing was adjourned until Mon
day.