Evening journal., 1918-06-15

p as passed applicable TO the City OF Wi
' mington alone was, when Il was adopte
I laughed at by the Public Utility Coz
, porations operating In the city and r,
, garded as stop 30 an existing publ
demand, but wholly impotenl as an e
fectiye governmental agency. Sine
That time the City Council OF Wilminl
ton has done nothing whatever TO hel
make the Board OF Public Utility Con
missloners an effective agency. but %
the other hand. has denied n The mean
Of making itself effective.
Since I have been a member of th
board have always felt that the boar
had full power to make investigation
and spend whatever money Is neces
sary end that Il is mandatory upol
City Council 10 pay the bills thus ere
ated. Ever since ! have been on th
board have been trying 10 test tn
power OF the board 10 create expense
which must be paid by the city.
About four years ago the board ask
! ed the City Council 10 appropriate $50,
coo for the purpose of having mad,
I appralsals OF the replacement value o.
I all the public utilities in the City o
/ Wilmington. This was refused by Tho
! Council.
Thereafter we requested the Council
to refuse to pay some bill which the
board had contracted. with the idea
That we could then test out the ques-
tion as TO our right TO incur the ex-
pcnse OF Investigations without asking
permission OF Council. This was re-
fused. We have attempted In other
ways TO test out this question. but
have failed, and without any willing
ness on the part OF City Council to as
sist In so doing. City Council has re-
peatedly and arbitrarily placed in their
budget an appropriation for use by the
Board Of Public Utility Commissioners
which was wholly inadequate to en-
able the board 10 do anything Of value
About two months ago the
present appropriation was exhausted
and bills were contracted in excess
thereof The board then asked James
w. Robertson, chairman OF the finance
OF the present Council, TO
refuse TO pay the bills so that we
'Ould test our power TO spend money
or Investigations by legal proceeding
We told Mr.. Robertson plainly that II !
vas for the best interest Of the city |
o determine what the board could do |
long this line, for the reason that II |
he bOard<could make no investigations 4
xcept with the knowledge and con
ent Of Council the sooner this fact
vas known the better, as it then might
e possible 10 have the Legislature
nact a proper law providing for a
tate Board OF Public Utility Commits
loners. All Of this has been without
ny result whatsoever. OF course it is
for the board to make con-
racts with auditing companies or ap-
raisal companies which would involve
ny considerable expenditures, unless
uch company could be assured that its
iii for the service rendered would be
aid
Had the City Council co-operated
With the Board OF Public Utility Com
lissiOners along these lines, we would !!
Ow have In our possession appraisals
hOwing the complete replacement
alues OF all the public utilities in the
ity. Such appralsals would show
whether the public utilities have water
q them that needs to be squeezed out
r not, and would also show which Of
hem have water in them. It is the
aslest thing in the world for the ex- 1
erlenced business men who constitute {
ne membership Of City Council to cry
watered stock" but no intelligent and
body Of men, possess
~ judicial powers, can act without
roof. If City Council had enabled and I
2rmitted such appraisals TO be made, 7
e ,YOuld then have had the oppOrtu- a
'ty TO get rid OF any water, II there s a
n.y. in the securities OF the particular 5
Iblic utility with respect to which |
is controversy has arisen. Regard q
IS OF what City Council might have S
me If IL had jurisdiction, Il will be a
nerally admitted by intelligent per- il
ms that no self-respecting Judicial
dy would think OF reaching a con- C
lsion that the securities OF a public c
ility company are water merely on p
e strength Of public clamor and with b
{ reliable and impartial evidence with e
spect TO the matter. / know Of no d
sthod Of determining whether there is =
tier in the securities Of a given COM p
ny other than by comparing the total Il
lount Of securities outstanding with a
e real replacement value of the as !,
Is OF the company. ! charge, here Z
d now, that our inability TO deter 8
Inc this question and to consider n
hat effect its determination would u
We upon the matter recently before 1
is solely the fault Of the City COun-
OF Wilmington.
Due notice was given through the
Iblic press Of the proceeding lately IT
fore us. More than one meeting was a
Id by US TO consider this matter. The =
bile was advised Of the original pc y
ion for a six-cent fare and its amend =.
snt asking for a seven-cent fare. No IS IS
g was denied an opportunity TO ap- "
ar at the hearings of the board. The y
iy Council Of Wilmington did not ap- ~ ~
ar nor was it represent by counsel. u
lie city. as a municipality, made no .
lection through any Of its agencies ~
the request by The Traction Com 81
ny for a siX-cent fare or TO the re- III
est for a seyen-cent fare. No re- D.
1nsible and substantial citizens OF the
y appeared at the meetings Of the m
ard to consider this matter with evil
Ice 10 present. III
n their consideration OF the matter.
board. having no appraisal OF the dr.
lacement value of the property OF ! CT
Traction Company. had to accept ca
amount Of its outstanding securi- yC
as representing value, as claimed an
the representatives OF the Traction
npany and as appeared from their he
ks of account. re
We investigated the receipts OF the pa
ction Company and their operating
enses. and after an audit Of their Rc
ks accepted the report thereof as mn
the interest and rental charges re- th