Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial. (Wilmington, Del.) 1878-1928, 1918-06-20
UTILITY BOARD QUIZ
Continued from page

determined upon fighting nj closer range
and their lips set little more determined
~ after the grim smile had passed. After
the session was over they sat ms Il board OF
strategy. examined the legal ammunition
dump to see what was there IN the way oi
shells and tonight they'll doubtless de-
eide on Just what they II do.
President Lyon called the meeting to
order on the ball OF S,35, with every mem
Der present the audience space filled up ms
usual and eager citizens drapcd around the
standing room. a stcnotyplst on the Job
with his little black box that looks hike an
Internal machine but is certainly ono
grand little word grabbcr, reporters ready,
plenty of ice water for all hands, and u
possibility that The anti-smokc rule might
be lost in the shuttle,
NOTE FROM MR.. GARRErSoN
Then MIR. Robertson arose and asked
Clerk Simmons to read q communicate N
that had been received from {. ID. tarret-
son. nf the commissioners board, when
fully explained why the corner the com
missioncrS have been occupying during
the lnouisitIon WAS empty. II sad.
June 10, 1918
Homer c Simmons. Clerk of City oun-
cal, Wilmington, Delaware
Dear Sir.
II have received from The City Council
q notice or summons to appear AT meet
ING of the Cltv Council this evening. and
this Is to inform YOU that shall not tie
able TO attend ,or tho following reasons
"11 assuming that ] have been notl-
fled to attend for a continuation ot the
questioning OF the members ot the Board
Of Public Utility commissioners ct TINS
city. have been advised 10y counsel that
such questioning y not with respect 10
matter affecting the municipality. as
contemplated by the statute
- | have also been advised that ltN
Council has no power or jurisdiction I"
call IN question inc acts Of the Board ot
Public tihty commissioners or tho rca-
sons and motives impcllng the individual
members of such board a. the conclusions
and decisions reached by the board
".3 Since the beginning Of the present
prorrcdincS hV the CITY Council, An ap-
peal has been taken 10 The superior curt
uf this State. IN which appeal ell the mem
bcrs nj CITY Council have !olned and the
Board Of Public Utility commissioners
has been made party. and have been
advised that, pending tins appeal. i IS
lmnropcr for me- as q member ut the Board
at Public ilhty commissioners. +" dis
cls~s or comment upon the action q The
board IN the matter concerning winch the
CITY Council is attempting to inquire
ar to mako any comment or enter INTO any
controversy with respect % tho same
81 Since the last meeting OF the lily
Council. AZ which vas present, my
attention has been called to 2 recent dc
cIsiun Of he Supreme curt of the ! nltcd
states holding that newspaper discussion
of a similar matter while pending IN the
courts of OHIO. constituted contempt ~
the court. in which ease tho newspaper
in the discussion was tried,
convicted and fined for contempt And
such punishment was finally sustained by
tho Supreme Court at tho nitcd States.
lnaSnuch As public verbal discussion
and comment about tho matter would bc
equally a contempt Of tho court, am nor
willing to put myself IN the position oi
beng considered guilty Of contempt Of
the Superior curt al thus state. IN which
court the present matter Is now pending on
appeal
Il had been ADVISED ~ all the above
enumerated reasons except the last. prior
10 the last meeting Of ounCll, but dcSIr
ing 10 he ~ courteous as possible 70 the
Council. | attended The last meeting
InaSmuch. however rs the Superior ourt
Of this State has now actually taken IurI~-
diCtIon OF the pending appeal. feel II my
duty to refrain from all further discussion
az the decision OF the Board OF Public
| -tiltv Commissioners and will request
YOU I o inform tho City Council according
IL Yours respectfully
signed 20 ID Garretson
Mr.. EoRERreoNs TURN.
A. Clerk Simmons finished Mr. Robert
son rose and remarked quite casually, too
casually. perhaps. considering the CLINT of
battle IN hle ey that :tlc qut sfIon Of the
legality OF nc commissioners heing here
viii be attended 10 later, and then pro
reedc,i 10 read statement asking the
10 give II aS much prom
ncncc as was gwen that read by ON
missioner Garretson at hast Friday even
ing 5 session Here rs the text of the
statement
Mr. President. Members Of City
ouncil and Gentlemen:
Before proceeding with orr invcstiga-
ION this evening, il will bc helpful to re-
view briefly Inc facts brought out during
lac proceedings OF the last two meetings
which the Public Utility commissioners
have attended.
Those of YOU who were present At last
Friday meeting were perhaps interested
Is well as surprised al the statement
written and read by Mir Garretson.
iuote from this statement the following
&c In making our recent investigation
upon the application for Increased fare.
We did determine the receipts of the
Tract ion Company and their operating
Expenses. and We did investigate the
question Of the economy of their opera
ion and We made such Investigations rs
", could. In the absence of an appraisal Of
he replacement value OF their property
As to the reasonabeness Of their fixed
.harges From this data being AL that
Ne were able TO get II was necessary for uS
q base our action.
DIRECT CONTRADICTIONS.
In direct contradiction to tins state
nent submit the following results Of our
Of the Board Of Public Utility
commissioners.
~ The president Of the board admitted !
il the first meeting before Council that nc
bought the Traction Company's stock !
,as full Of water
believing his. he nevcrt hccss voted to |
Increase the fare from ; 10 cents for . !
ingle ride and from to6la cents for each |
# four rides. |
20 The president Of the Board Of
public Utility Commissioners did not |
now the amount Of bonded indebtedness
f the Wilmington and Philadelphia
fraction Company and the interest rates
hcreon. !
.. The president Of the Board Of /
'ublic Utility Commissioners did not |
now the amount Of the Wilmington 4 /